Dr Tao Zhang

Lecturer in Flight Sciences (Autonomous Systems & Connectivity)
Affiliate (School of Engineering)

Biography

Dr Tao Zhang (MRAeS and FHEA) is a Lecturer in Flight Sciences. He is a member of the Flight Sciences Group, Autonomous Systems & Connectivity(ASC) Division, James Watt School of Engineering.

My research mainly focuses on 1) high-fidelity computational aerodynamics methodologies and closely related aero-acoustic and aero-elastic modelling; 2) multi-disciplinary, multi-fidelity, gradient-/data-driven optimisation methods for complex systems; and 3) aerodynamics/noise/structural analysis and design of future flight aerial systems, including eVTOLs (electrical Vertical Take-off & Landing), Advanced Air Mobility, helicopters, propellers/rotors, and drones.

I was awarded the prestigious Gareth Padfield Award 2023 for the 49th European Rotorcraft Forum, for my research on the Skybus multi-rotor eVTOL in collaboration with GKN Aerospace. I also won the Dr Alan Stirling Brown 2023 from the University of Glasgow for my doctoral research on ducted propeller and compound rotorcraft aerodynamics, noise, and optimal design, in close collaboration with Leonardo Helicopters and the GARTEUR group. Over the past 5 years, I have published about 30 research papers in top aerospace journals and forums. You can find my latest publications on ResearchGate.

I obtained my PhD degree in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Glasgow in 2022. Upon graduation, I was appointed as a Lecturer in Engineering at the University of Leicester (UoL) in 2022. During 2022-2024, I served as the Deputy Programme Director of Aerospace Engineering(UG) at UoL. I was awarded the UoL Citizen Recognition Scheme twice in 2022 and 2024 for my contributions to teaching, research, and collegial service. In 2024, I returned to the University of Glasgow and was appointed as a Lecturer in Flight Sciences.

I am a Global Talent endorsed by the Royal Academy of Engineering in 2024. I am also a member of the EPSRC Peer Review College. I am the University Correspondance and Media Officier of the Vertical Flight Society UK Chapter. I am a steering committee member of the UK Vertical Lift Network. I am also a full member of the Royal Aeronautical Society(MRAeS). I am a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy(FHEA).

Research interests

I am keen to collaborate in: computational fluid dynamics(CFD), computational aero-acoustics(CAA), multi-disciplinary analysis and optimisation (MDAO), and sustainable future flight systems and rotorcraft development and operation including Advanced Air Mobility(AAM), eVTOLs, drones, helicopters, and propeller/rotor/rotary-wing analysis, and wind/tidal energy.

My research interests and topics include (not limited to):

Novel computational fluid dynamics methods (including mesh-free approaches and AI-driven physics modelling)
High-fidelity multi-physics modelling methods (forward and inverse engineering problems)
Multi-disciplinary analysis and optimisation methods
Data-/gradient-driven design optimisation methods (for aerodynamic shapes, noise emission, and trajectory)
Rotorcraft and sustainable Future Flight aerial systems (eVTOLs, AAMs, drones, helicopters)
Rotary-wing (propellers, helicopter rotors, tilt-rotors) design, analysis, and optimisation
Multi-rotor/distributed propulsion system aerodynamics, noise, and aero-elastics
Wind/tidal energy

Publications

List by: Type | Date

Jump to: 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019

Number of items: 25.

2024

Zhang, T. , Barakos, G. N. , Filippone, A. and Furqan, (2024) High-fidelity aero-acoustic evaluations of a heavy-lift eVTOL in hover. Journal of Sound and Vibration, 584, 118453. (doi: 10.1016/j.jsv.2024.118453)

Chronis, T., Usov, D., Filippone, A., Zhang, T. and Barakos, G. (2024) Numerical Simulations of a Heavy-lift eVTOL. In: 50th European Rotorcraft Forum, Marseille, France, 10-12 Sep 2024, (Accepted for Publication)

Zhang, T. and Barakos, G. (2024) Towards Automated, Adaptive, and Mesh-free CFD Modelling for Rotorcraft: Point Cloud Generation. In: 50th European Rotorcraft Forum, Marseille, France, 10-12 Sep 2024, (Accepted for Publication)

Qiao, G., Zhang, T. and Barakos, G. (2024) Numerical simulation of distributed propulsion systems using CFD. Aerospace Science and Technology, 147, 109011. (doi: 10.1016/j.ast.2024.109011)

Zhang, T. and Barakos, G. N. (2024) Assessment of implicit adaptive mesh-free CFD modelling. International Journal for Numerical Methods in Fluids, (doi: 10.1002/fld.5266) (Early Online Publication)

2023

Zhang, T. and Barakos, G. N. (2023) Assessment of Implicit and Adaptive Mesh-free CFD Modelling. In: 2023 AIAA Aviation Forum, San Diego, CA, USA, 12-16 Jun 2023, AIAA 2023-4330. ISBN 9781624107047 (doi: 10.2514/6.2023-4330)

Zhang, T. , Barakos, G. N. , Furqan, and Foster, M. (2023) High-fidelity aerodynamic and acoustic design and analysis of a heavy-lift eVTOL. Aerospace Science and Technology, 137, 108307. (doi: 10.1016/j.ast.2023.108307)

Zhang, T. , Barakos, G. N. , Furqan, and Foster, M. (2023) Multi-fidelity aerodynamic design and analysis of propellers for a heavy-lift eVTOL. Aerospace Science and Technology, 135, 108185. (doi: 10.1016/j.ast.2023.108185)

2022

Qiao, G., Higgins, R. J. , Barakos, G. N. and Zhang, T. (2022) CFD Study of eVTOL Distributed Propulsors. In: Royal Aeronautical Society Applied Aerodynamics Conference 2022, London, UK, 13-15 Sep 2022, (Accepted for Publication)

Zhang, T. , Higgins, R. J. and Barakos, G. N. (2022) Optimisation of Distributed Propulsion Using CFD. In: AIAA Aviation 2022 Forum, Chicago, IL, USA, 27 June - 1 July 2022, ISBN 9781624106354 (doi: 10.2514/6.2022-3299)

Zhang, T. , Barakos, G. , Furqan, and Foster, M. (2022) Multi-fidelity Aerodynamic and Acoustic Design and Analysis of a Heavy-lift eVTOL. In: 48th European Rotorcraft Forum, Winterthur, Switzerland, 6-8 September 2022, (Accepted for Publication)

Zhang, T. , Higgins, R. and Barakos, G. (2022) High-fidelity numerical investigation of complex propeller flows. In: Vertical Flight Society's 78th Annual Forum & Technology Display, Fort Worth, Texas, USA, 10-12 May 2022, ISBN 9781713854265

Zhang, T. and Barakos, G. N. (2022) High-fidelity numerical investigations of rotor-propeller aerodynamic interactions. Aerospace Science and Technology, 124, 107517. (doi: 10.1016/j.ast.2022.107517)

Zhang, T. and Barakos, G. N. (2022) Toward vehicle-level optimization of compound rotorcraft aerodynamics. AIAA Journal, 60(3), pp. 1937-1957. (doi: 10.2514/1.J061032)

Boisard, R. et al. (2022) Rotor / Rotor Aerodynamic Interactions – A Garteur Action Group. In: 33rd Conference of the International Council of the Aerospace Sciences (ICAS22), Stockholm, Sweden, 4-6 September 2022,

Zhang, T. and Barakos, G. N. (2022) High-fidelity numerical analysis of ducted propeller aerodynamics and acoustics. In: Knoerzer, D., Periaux, J. and Tuovinen, T. (eds.) Advances in Computational Methods and Technologies in Aeronautics and Industry. Series: Computational methods in applied sciences (57). Springer: Cham, pp. 89-103. ISBN 9783031120183 (doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-12019-0_7)

2021

Zhang, T. , Qiao, G., Smith, D.A. , Barakos, G.N. and Kusyumov, A. (2021) Parametric study of aerodynamic performance of equivalent ducted/un-ducted rotors. Aerospace Science and Technology, 117, 106984. (doi: 10.1016/j.ast.2021.106984)

Zhang, T. and Barakos, G. N. (2021) Aerodynamic Simulation and Adjoint-based Optimisation of Rotorcraft Configurations. 47th European Rotorcraft Forum, 07-09 Sep 2021.

Zhang, T. and Barakos, G. (2021) High-fidelity numerical analysis and optimisation of ducted propeller aerodynamics and acoustics. Aerospace Science and Technology, 113, 106708. (doi: 10.1016/j.ast.2021.106708)

Zhang, T. and Barakos, G. (2021) Numerical Simulation of Ducted Fan Aerodynamics and Aeroacoustics. 8th European Congress on Computational Methods in Applied Science and Engineering (ECCOMAS 2020) & 14th World Congress on Computational Mechanics (WCCM XIV), 11-15 Jan 2021. ISBN 9788412110173

Zhang, T. and Barakos, G. N. (2021) High-fidelity CFD validation and assessment of ducted propellers for aircraft propulsion. Journal of the American Helicopter Society, 66(1), pp. 1-28. (doi: 10.4050/JAHS.66.012008)