Research Projects

All projects, MEng to DPhil

From an 8-engineer team building a competition locomotive, to leading Rolls-Royce-facing thermal design research at Oxford.

DPhil

University of Oxford — with Rolls-Royce

Schematic cross-section of a turbofan engine showing the surface heat exchanger installed downstream of the outlet guide vanes, with a detailed callout of the finned heat exchanger geometry showing external and internal fluid flow paths
DPhil
CFDExperimentalMachine Learning

Investigation of Surface Heat Exchangers (HX) for Jet Engines

Six-stage research programme · 2022–2026

From first-principles architecture to a validated, optimised, patent-planned heat exchanger design
Stage 1 TMS Architecture & HX Conceptualisation Stage 2 Wind Tunnel Development Stage 3 HX Experimental Testing Stage 4 CFD Validation Stage 5 ML-Driven HX Optimisation Stage 6 · In Progress System-Level Integration
Side Project

Unrelated to the thesis above — a separate consulting engagement alongside the DPhil.

DPhil · Side Project
CFDThermal Design

Designed Thermal Management System for Steam Injected TurboFan Concept Engine

Lead Consultant · Nov 2022 – Mar 2023

Contributed to Cambridge University's successful £100,000 research grant application
MEng (Hons) Mechanical Engineering

University of Newcastle

David Stewart standing behind the completed locomotive bogie and unsprung assembly
MEng
ManufacturingStructural Design

IMechE Railway Challenge: Bogie & Unsprung Assembly

Mechanical Engineering Team Project (MEC8099) · 8-engineer team · 2021–22

18 components validated, 1.83 min safety factor, locomotive within its mandatory gauge
MEng
CFDCombustion

Flame Self-Interactions in Hydrogen Combustion

Final Year Research Project · Supervised by Dr Umair Ahmed · 2021

Tunnel Formation dominates: over 50% of all flame self-interaction events
MEng
FEAManufacturing

FEA Crane Hook Design & Physical Validation

Computational Modelling (MEC3028) · 2020–21

Manufactured hook failed at 52.62kN — within ~5% of FEA prediction
MEng
FEAStructural Design

Honeycomb Sandwich Panel Optimisation

Advanced Mechanics and Structural Optimisation (MEC3029) · 2020–21

Core thickness found to cut density/rigidity ratio by 88%
MEng
ControlsInstrumentation

Autonomous Obstacle-Sensing Vehicle

Instrumentation and Drive Systems (MEC3027) · 2020–21

Ultrasonic sensing + closed-loop PID motor control, tuned and demonstrated
MEng
Vehicle DynamicsModelling

Railway Bogie Ride Comfort & Stability

Vehicle Dynamics (MEC8024) · 2021–22

Optimised parameters improved comfort by up to 3,942% and stability by up to 2,678%
MEng
Mechanical DesignFEA

Electric Vehicle Gearbox Design

Design of Mechanical Power Transmissions (MEC8029) · 2021–22

14.3kg gear pair sustaining 95kW with safety factors comfortably above 1.0