 |
The CSIR’s computational aerodynamics group, led
by Kaven Naidoo,
contributes to the achievement of a peaceful and safe South
Africa, the Southern African Development Community (SADC)
and the rest of the continent through the expert application
and development of computational methods and tools, significantly
impacting the areas of aerodynamic test and evaluation,
aerodynamic design, analysis and optimisation.
The group has expertise in the fields of applied computational
aerodynamics, aircraft design, computational algorithm development,
aircraft structures, aero elasticity, aerodynamics test
and evaluation, gas turbine technologies, modelling and
simulation, helicopter aerodynamics, experimental aerodynamics
and access to strategic research infrastructure (wind tunnels,
high performance computing clusters). The group is strategically
positioned to significantly impact aerodynamic test and
evaluation activities, as well as aerodynamic design, analysis
and optimisation for the South African National Department
of Defence and South African defence-related industries.
Skills and competencies
The group has a broad range of experience in:
- Fluid mechanics
- Expert application and development of computational
methods
- Subsonic, transonic and supersonic aerodynamics expertise
- Aircraft design and optimisation
- Flight dynamics
- Computational mechanics
Current research activities and interests
- Development of computational methods for the safe integration
and clearance of aircraft stores
- Application of computational methods for prediction
of flows in turbomachinery applications
- Prediction of aerodynamics on helicopters and fixed
wing configurations
- Providing aerodynamic expertise for air weapons development
- Development and validation of computational methods
for prediction of unsteady, supersonic aerodynamics of
steady and manoeuvring aerodynamic objects
- Application of computational methods for analysis and
optimisation of flows in industrial processes ranging
from mine headers, mine skips, separators, heating, ventilation
and air-conditioning, magneto-hydrodynamic flows, etc.
- In-house code development for aircraft design and optimisation
- Airfoil/wing design and optimisation
- Unmanned aerial vehicle design
- Test and evaluation of control systems for fly-by-wire
aircraft
- Algorithm and code development for computational fluid
dynamics (CFD) solver research and development. These
include development of generic edge-based discretisation
for various mesh type, mesh movement schemes and fast
and efficient matrix free solution strategies
Track record
- Development of computational methods for stores release
for South African Air Force (SAAF)
- Aerodynamics investigation for air weapons development
- Co-development of separation technologies for Multo-tec
- Mine header evaluation and development for Voest Alpine,
Austria
- Optimal rudder design for South African Americas Cup
yacht: Shosholoza
- CFD for Volvo Aero Corporation, Sweden
- Helicopter flow simulation technology development for
SAAF
- Denel Aviation Rooivalk Attack Helicopter design
- Application of CFD to the solution of various heating,
ventilating and air conditioning problems
Contact details:
Kaven Naidoo
Tel: +2712 841 3833
Fax: 012 349 1156
Email: knaidoo@csir.co.za
|
