Group Members | Kishore Kumar K

Analysis of CD nozzles using a low pressure film

This project investigates the delay in flow detachment of the primary flow in a convergent-divergent (C-D) nozzle using a numerical approach by injecting a secondary flow between the primary flow and the nozzle wall. Flow separation typically occurs when the boundary layer of the fluid can no longer adhere to the surface profile, leading to detachment and wake formation. Factors such as viscosity, adverse pressure gradients, and sudden curvature changes contribute to this detachment. Various methods exist to prevent or delay flow separation, including aerospike nozzles, vortex generators, film cooling, and micro-jets. This study specifically explores the introduction of a low-pressure film layer between the primary flow and the nozzle wall to enhance flow attachment. The objective is to observe flow patterns and analyse 2-D exhaust gas flow characteristics with the film introduced at different positions and under varying inlet Mach numbers. The mitigation strategy involves using a cooler film to reduce boundary layer effects and a low-pressure film to induce reduced pressure near the wall, thereby supporting primary flow attachment. The project presents a qualitative comparison of exit velocities and Nozzle Pressure Ratios (NPR) under different configurations, providing insights into the impact of low-pressure film introduction on nozzle performance through numerical simulations.

Nandan Hegde

R&D Intern (Hathor Rockets)

Graduation Year: 2025
Current Position: R&D Intern at Hathor Rockets
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Rohith Rajesh Mahale

Simulation and Design Intern - Altair India

Graduation Year: 2025
Current Position: Simulation and Design Intern at Altair India
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Gowtham R

Graduate Trainee - Tata Technologies

Graduation Year: 2025
Current Position: Graduate Trainee at Tata Technologies
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Keerthana Jaikumar

R&D Intern (Cosmo Crawler)

Graduation Year: 2025
Current Position: R&D Intern at Cosmo Crawler
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Nithish Shashidhara Reddy

Mechanical Design Intern, Control Systems (Honeywell Aerospace)

Graduation Year: 2025
Current Position: Mechanical Design Intern, Control Systems at Honeywell Aerospace
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Dynamics of single water droplet on smooth and rough surfaces

This topic investigates the dynamic behavior of a single water droplet impacting smooth and variously rough solid surfaces using numerical simulations in ANSYS Fluent. Key influencing parameters such as Weber number, contact angle, impact velocity, and surface temperature were explored. The study analyzed patterned surfaces with different shape factors and irregular rough surfaces, showing that increased surface roughness generally reduced droplet spreading. It was found that higher Weber numbers lead to greater spreading until a threshold where droplet splitting occurs. Contact angle had a strong influence, with high angles (hydrophobic surfaces) promoting bouncing and reducing spread. The effect of heating was also examined, revealing that surface temperature can both enhance and inhibit spreading depending on contact angle and roughness due to phenomena like the Leidenfrost effect. Smooth surfaces consistently exhibited higher spreading ratios compared to rough ones. Comparative analysis showed a direct correlation between surface texture, wettability, and thermal behavior on droplet dynamics. The simulations provide insights applicable in aerospace, inkjet printing, and cooling technologies, where controlled droplet behavior is critical.

Anirudh R

Intern at Indian Institute of Science (IISc)

Graduation Year: 2025
Current Position: Intern at Indian Institute of Science (IISc)
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Anu Dass

Graduation Year: 2025
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Kanya Chandrashekar

Graduation Year: 2025
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Vimal M M

Graduation Year: 2025
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Ankush J Reddy

MS in Aeronautical Engineering at Linköping University,Sweden

Graduation Year: 2025
Current Position: Pursuing MS in Aeronautical Engineering at Linköping University,Sweden
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Computational Study on Enhancing Heat Transfer in Microchannels.

Microchannels are effective heat sinks for efficient thermal management in compact systems, enhancing cooling in electronics, turbine blades, propulsion, and spacecraft thermal control system. The effects of geometrical parameters on fluid flow and heat transfer characteristics in microchannels are numerically investigated for a Reynolds number range of 100–900. Heat transfer governing equations are solved for three-dimensional microchannels with steady and laminar flow. The computational domain includes the entire heat sink, encompassing inlet/outlet ports, wall protrusions, and microchannels. Two different cross-sectional shapes of microchannel heat sinks are investigated in this study: rectangular and elliptical. For the rectangular cross-section, roughness is introduced on the walls in the form of four different shapes of protrusions: elliptical, rhombus, fish scales and shark fins. The overall performance of these microchannels is analyzed and evaluated in detail in terms of Nusselt number, friction factor, and thermal enhancement efficiency. The objective is to analyze the effects of introducing geometric structures in microchannel heat sinks, thereby enhancing heat transfer while reducing flow resistance and pressure drop. The results indicate that rough surfaces exhibit higher thermal enhancement efficiency compared to smooth surfaces, the inclusion of protrusions with bio-inspired designs shows significant performance improvements, which increase flow disturbance, and enhance heat transfer. Notably, the rough surface with shark fin-shaped protrusions achieves optimal performance at a Reynolds number of 900, enhancing thermal efficiency by 88% compared to standard smooth rectangular microchannels.

Shricharan S Bhat

Mtech student at IIT Kanpur

Graduation Year: 2025
Current Position: Mtech student at IIT Kanpur
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Rakshith N V

Embedded Engineer at Honeywell Aerospace

Graduation Year: 2025
Current Position: Embedded Engineer at Honeywell Aerospace
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Manjunath Nagur

Graduation Year: 2025

Numerical Investigation of Plume Surface Interaction using coupled CFD-DEM Solver

The exploration of celestial bodies such as the Moon, Mars, and asteroids has rapidly advanced in recent years, with numerous missions aiming to achieve safe and precise landings. A critical challenge during descent and landing is Plume Surface Interaction (PSI), which arises from the impingement of high-velocity, high-temperature rocket exhaust on the planetary regolith. PSI induces complex phenomena including surface erosion, dust and debris ejection, crater formation, and potential damage to the spacecraft. In this study, numerical investigation of PSI using a coupled Computational Fluid Dynamics–Discrete Element Method (CFD-DEM) framework is used to capture the interaction between rocket exhaust and granular surfaces. The coupled approach employs CFD to simulate the fluid behaviour of exhaust gases and DEM to model the motion and interaction of surface particles. Key parameters affecting PSI, such as plume characteristics (velocity, temperature, altitude), surface properties (particle size, material type), and environmental conditions (gravity, ambient pressure), are systematically analyzed. The evolution of the resulting crater is examined in detail, including its scaling with various governing parameters. By characterizing crater growth under different conditions, the study provides critical insights into PSI dynamics.

Nisarga R

Intern at Spitz Aerospace

Graduation Year: 2025
Current Position: Intern at Spitz Aerospace
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Shravanthi Srinivas

Stress analysis intern, landing gear systems, Safran Engineering Services

Graduation Year: 2025
Current Position: Stress analysis intern, landing gear systems, Safran Engineering Services
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Lavanya

Graduation Year: 2025

Monisha

Graduation Year: 2025

Vinusha

Graduation Year: 2025

Numerical Investigation of control techniques to mitigate Shockwave-Boundary Layer Interactions in a scramjet intake

The primary focus of this study is to understand the formation of a separation bubble due to shock waves and the adjoining boundary layer interactions and to study their subsequent characteristics. This analysis is performed over a scramjet intake of a supersonic vehicle to replicate the real life scenarios and predict the effects of the separation bubble on its performance. Furthermore, the study also incorporates the understanding of the effects of control techniques such as addition of concavity and micro jets to the configuration, and the subsequent analysis of its effects on the flow field. The computational study was done using Ansys fluent where the intensity of the separation bubble had substantially reduced when micro jets were implemented upstream to the interaction region.

Harshali Rewatkar

Simulation and Design Intern at Altair

Graduation Year: 2025
Current Position: Simulation and Design Intern at Altair
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Jobelle Nitin William

Stress analysis intern, landing gear systems, Safran Engineering Services

Graduation Year: 2025
Current Position: Stress analysis intern, landing gear systems, Safran Engineering Services
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Keertana Ganesh Prasad

Graduation Year: 2025

Rhea Shivakumar

Graduation Year: 2025

Numerical investigation of particles interaction with a shock wave

This study presents a numerical investigation of the interaction between a planar shock wave and a dispersed cloud of solid particles using a coupled CFD-DEM framework. The fluid phase is modeled using ANSYS Fluent to resolve the compressible Navier–Stokes equations, while particle dynamics and collisions are computed in Rocky DEM, enabling detailed two-way momentum and energy coupling. The simulation setup is validated by replicating benchmark results from existing literature to establish a reliable computational methodology.