Dr. Durgesh Chandel

Postdoctoral Associate

BACKGROUND

I obtained my Ph.D. degree in Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics from the University of Minnesota, and a Bachelor’s and Master’s dual degree in Aerospace Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur.

RESEARCH

My current research is focused on the design of electrified propulsor system for NASA’s hydrogen fuel-cell powered civil aircraft concept under the CHEETA (Center for Highly-Efficient Electrical Technologies for Aircraft) program. I utilize the concepts of boundary layer ingestion, distributed propulsion and multidisciplinary optimization to design ultra-efficient propulsors. During my doctoral research, I developed advanced techniques for high-fidelity computations of hypersonic nonequilibrium flows pertinent  to spacecraft atmospheric entry missions. As a summer intern at NASA Ames Research Center,  I performed computations of high enthalpy shock tube experiments in their Electric-Arc Shock tube (EAST) facility. Prior to graduate studies, I worked at GE Aviation, India, contributing on the design and analysis of aircraft engines, thermal systems and combustors.

EXPERTISE

• Electrified Aircraft

• Air-breathing Propulsion

• Aerothermodynamics

• Nonequilibrium Flows

• Advanced Numerical Methods

• Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)