This project is closed for international students.
Project summary
- Program
- PhD
- Location
- St Lucia
- Research area
- Engineering
Project description
UQ, UniSQ, Hypersonix Launch Systems and the European Space Agency have been awarded an ARC Discovery Project to investigate the benefits of expanding the operating envelope of scramjets to higher altitudes and speeds by enriching their fuel with oxygen. This is expected to enhance the performance and flexibility of hypersonic air-breathing engines designed to form the core of a more reliable and economical access to space system. Expected outcomes of this project are a validated understanding and mapping of how oxygen enrichment can augment scramjet thrust at high altitudes and speeds and a performance evaluation of a launch system optimised for this approach. This could provide significant benefits to the performance of reusable, air-breathing launch technology, where Australia is leading the push towards commercialisation.
There are three PhD topics planned as part of this Discovery Project, one of which will be supported by this UQ Earmarked PhD scholarship. The earmarked topic is to experimentally explore how oxygen enrichment can expand the scramjet operating envelope to low dynamic pressures and augment thrust at high Mach numbers. This investigation will be conducted in UQ's T4 Shock Tunnel. It will use a range of high-speed instrumentation and laser-based flow diagnostics to quantify and visualize the effects of oxygen enrichment on supersonic combustion.
Research environment
The proposed experimental research will be carried out within UQ’s Centre for Hypersonics (CfH), where all CIs are members. With some 30 academic staff, postdocs and PhD students, the CfH is the world’s leading university-based hypersonics research group (League of Scholars, 2018), having made many key contributions to the field. The CfH has experience in testing scramjets dating back to 1980 in shock tunnels, expansion tubes and flight. Since 2008, the CfH has graduated over 60 HDR students. Many of the graduates have progressed to careers in major aerospace research organisations around the world including NASA, DLR, Oxford University, Stanford University, the French Grand Ecoles and Boeing. Within Australia, our graduates and past RAs hold faculty positions at UQ, UNSW, Monash, QUT, USQ, RMIT, and UWS. Around two-thirds of alumni work outside the university sector; one group is the backbone of DST Brisbane, while others are employed at CSIRO and in the engineering consulting industry. The hypersonic inflow to oxygen-enriched scramjet model used for validation will be generated by UQ’s T4 Shock Tunnel. This facility will be operated at total enthalpies of 3-7 MJ/kg and provide conditions equivalent to flight at Mach numbers from 8-12.
Scholarship
This is an Earmarked scholarship project that aligns with a recently awarded Australian Government grant.
The scholarship includes:
- living stipend of $35,000 per annum tax free (2024 rate), indexed annually
- your tuition fees covered
- single overseas student health cover (OSHC).
Learn more about the Earmarked scholarship.
Supervisor
Principal supervisor
Preferred educational background
Your application will be assessed on a competitive basis.
We take into account your:
- previous academic record
- publication record
- honours and awards
- employment history.
A working knowledge of compressible flow and combustion would be of benefit to someone working on this project.
You will demonstrate academic achievement in the field(s) of aerospace or mechanical engineering and the potential for scholastic success.
A background or knowledge of experimental methods is highly desirable.
How to apply
This project requires candidates to commence no later than Research Quarter 4, 2024. To allow time for your application to be processed, we recommend applying no later than 30 June, 2024 31 March, 2024.
You can start in an earlier research quarter. See application dates.
Before you apply
- Check your eligibility for the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD).
- Prepare your documentation.
- Contact Professor Vincent Wheatley (v.wheatley@uq.edu.au) to discuss your interest and suitability.
When you apply
You apply for this scholarship when you submit an application for a PhD. You don’t need to submit a separate scholarship application.
In your application ensure that under the ‘Scholarships and collaborative study’ section you select:
- My higher degree is not collaborative
- I am applying for, or have been awarded a scholarship or sponsorship
- UQ Earmarked Scholarship type.