PhD student Joe Ramsay is recognised for his paper on his research topic exploring how aircraft and engine design can reduce the global environmental impact of contrails at the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Turbo Expo Technical Conference (ASME) last year.
Reducing CO2 emissions is crucial for mitigating aviation's climate impact and aircraft contrails - a cloud-like trail left behind by an aircraft, formed when water vapor in the engine exhaust condenses and freezes in the cold air at high altitudes - may have an equal or even greater warming effect. Achieving net-zero aviation by 2050 requires understanding and mitigating contrails in addition to reducing CO2.
Joe’s paper focuses on the development of a computer model examining how ice particles form, grow and move behind a jet engine. Using a simplified aircraft design, the model explores how the engine's hot exhaust mixes with the swirling air from the wings, and how multiple engines affect this mixing. This helps understand how a plane's shape and flight path influence exhaust mixing, ultimately affecting the properties of the ice particles in the contrail.
Joe said: “It was a nice surprise for the paper to be selected for the award, which ideally helps highlight the importance of contrail research to the wider turbomachinery community. As this is now becoming a hot topic in the aviation industry, we hope the paper sets out a methodology to develop understanding into contrail evolution and explore potential mitigation pathways. I’d like to thank my supervisor, Alistair John, and colleagues from Rolls-Royce for their support and input to the paper.”
Dr Alistair John, Programme Lead for Aerospace Engineering, said: “I'm pleased Joe's hard work is getting recognition. He is a proactive and independent researcher who has worked closely with industry to produce an important piece of work. Contrail mitigation has the potential to have a huge impact on the sustainability of the aviation sector."
ASME’s Turbo Expo is the premier global event for turbomachinery technology, bringing together experts from around the world to discuss the latest advancements in gas turbines, steam turbines, and related technologies. The conference gives recognition to authors’ contributions to the gas turbine industry and promotes high-quality technical publications.