Dr Luke Blades is a Research Fellow in WTECH, School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. He was awarded his PhD in 2015 from Queen’s University Belfast.

Luke is currently working within a multidisciplinary team of researchers on the EPSRC funded StreetZero programme, which is aimed at exploring the implications of a move towards increased electrification of public bus vehicles. His research involves drive cycle and powertrain modelling and simulation, for the performance prediction of candidate zero net emissions bus concepts with variable control strategies. The research involves the integrating of flexible powertrain models within a total cost of ownership framework, allowing for the rapid evaluation of component selection, charging strategy and the availability of energy storage in order to access the viability of vehicle configurations.

Luke’s previous research has included Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS) for city bus applications, dual-fuel technologies, waste heat recovery from anaerobic digestion, and automotive catalytic ageing.

AER3008: Aeronautical Engineering 3 - Aerodynamics

The course covers several principles in aircraft aerodynamics, performance and structural integrity, including: analytical and numerical methods to analyse aircraft aerodynamic behaviour and performance, extending to the prediction of aircraft stability and flying quality. The aerodynamics section of the course covers transonic flow and aerodynamics of 3D wings.

Bus, Public Transport, Electrification, Battery, Hydrogen, WTECH