Faculty
Prof. Ann Dowling
Title: Professor
Group: Fluid Mechanics
Division: Turbomachinery, energy and fluid mechanics
Publications: List from the Department's publications database
E-mail:
apd1@cam.ac.uk
Telephone:
+44 1223 3 32739
Web: Home page
Research Interests
Ann Dowling’s research aims to enable society to have power and transport without environmental damage or excessive noise. There are two main themes, one associated with efficient, low-emission combustion, and the second with understanding, modelling and reducing the noise from cars, helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft. A key element of the low-noise research has been the ‘Silent Aircraft Initiative’ www.silentaircraft.org, started in collaboration with colleagues at MIT. This led to the development of a conceptual design for a novel, ultra-low noise, fuel-efficient aircraft and has help to set the scene for NASA’s long-term vision. The project also identified areas where technological advances and improved modelling is required and has led to further research on some of the major noise sources and their mitigation, including jet and combustion noise, undercarriage noise and optimised acoustic liners. The drive for low emissions is causing aero and industrial gas turbine combustors to operate on the verge of instability. Professor Dowling’s research is predicting the onset, frequency and limit cycle amplitudes of the resulting self-excited oscillations. Both passive and active means of control are investigated, and various successful approaches have been demonstrated. Ann Dowling is chairman to the University Gas Turbine Partnership (UGTP) with Rolls-Royce in which a range of technologies are researched for the next generations of aero and industrial gas turbines. She was one of the founders of the Energy Efficient Cities initiative (EECi) in Cambridge www.eeci.cam.ac.uk