Thomas Confrey, BEng, MIEI
PhD Research Postgraduate (2007-2010)

e: thomas.confrey@ul.ie

t: +353-61-202471

Thomas W. Confrey graduated with a BEng in Computer-Aided Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering from Dublin City University in 2006. He completed his six month student placement in plastic injection moulding company Mouldpro International Ltd in Dublin. Thomas has been awarded an Enterprise Partnership scholarship co-funded by AIRBUS and IRCSET to study at Stokes Research Institute.

PhD Project Title: A Transient Analysis of Natural Convection in Aircraft Compartments

The project focuses on the behaviour of heat transfer within the wing boxes of aircraft. Of specific interest are the temperature distribution and velocity profiles within the enclosure. Transient analyses of the variables are being carried out using theoretical dimensional analysis methods and experimental techniques such as thermocouple measurements, flow-visualisation and particle image velocimetry (PIV). The experimental results can then be compared to Computational Fluid Dynamics simulations (CFD).

The work has industrial application in the design of aircraft inorder to improve design methodologies through increased knowledge of heat transfer within composite wing boxes. This is necessary to avoid over-design by introducing unnecessary cooling solutions and weight with overly thick structures, or under-design by incorrectly approximating temperatures within the enclosure.

                 Flow-Visualisation of Natural Convection Flow in an Enclosure