Contact Dr Pavlos Zachos
- Tel: +44 (0) 1234 754633
- Email: p.zachos@cranfield.ac.uk
Areas of expertise
- Computational Fluid Dynamics
- Gas Turbines & Propulsion
- Instrumentation, Sensors and Measurement Science
- Power Systems & Turbines
Background
Dr. Pavlos Zachos holds the position of Reader in Propulsion Aerodynamics at the Centre of Propulsion and Thermal Power Engineering. His professional credentials include being a Rolls-Royce Royal Academy of Engineering Industrial Fellow, a Chartered Engineer through the Institute of Mechanical Engineers, a Fellow of AdvanceHE, and a visiting scholar at the University of South Wales in Sydney, Australia.
Dr. Zachos completed his PhD in gas turbine performance and aerodynamics at Cranfield University in 2010, earning the Cranfield Kings Norton Medal for outstanding doctoral research that same year. Previously, he contributed to the Aerothermal Methods group at Rolls-Royce plc in Derby, where he worked as a turbine designer for the Trent engine family.
His research primarily investigates propulsion system integration and engine compatibility for current and future aircraft architectures, NetZero aero-engine design and optimization, high-speed propulsion system integration, air induction system technology, and inlet flow distortion. Since 2010, Dr. Zachos has led numerous applied propulsion aerodynamics programs, covering technology readiness levels from 3 to 6+. His research endeavors are supported by major industrial partners such as Rolls-Royce, Boeing, Airbus, and MBDA, alongside various UK research councils and the Royal Academy of Engineering. He has also secured major grants from the UK Government, the UK Ministry of Defence, and the European Commission. In his research, Dr. Zachos has pioneered advancements in propulsion system compatibility experimental testing by implementing non-intrusive optical flow diagnostic methods for inlet flow distortion measurements. His research findings have been instrumental in supporting aeroengine compatibility test campaigns within industrial settings as part of engine certification processes.
Regarding his teaching responsibilities, Dr. Zachos leads the delivery of the Turbomachinery and Blade Cooling module, a component of Cranfield's MSc program in Thermal Power and Propulsion. His teaching curriculum includes fundamentals of aerothermal science, compressible flow theory, gas dynamics, and the principles of turbomachinery design and performance. Furthermore, he serves as the owner and course director for the Axial Compressor Design and Performance continuous professional development program, and he contributes to several other related CPD courses. To date, Dr. Zachos has successfully supervised over 15 doctoral students since 2010.
Dr. Zachos is an active member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), a Senior Member of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), and a member of the Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS). His publication record includes more than 70 refereed articles in journals and conference proceedings, demonstrating his contributions to the fields of applied aerodynamics and propulsion system performance and integration.
Research opportunities
- Applied aeorodynamics of propulsion systems
- Propulsion system integration, engine compatibility and distortion
- Supersonic flow aerodynamics
- High- and low speed air induction system technologies
- Aerodynamic measurements
- Optical flow diagnostics
- Aerodynamic testing
- Applied computational fluid dynamics
Current activities
- Optical methods for propulsion aerodynamics
- Propulsion system integration
- Inlet flow distortion
- Novel propulsion concepts and design optimisation
- Test rig design for high-speed propulsion system integration
- Supersonic aerodynamics
Clients
- Rolls-Royce Holdings PLC
- Airbus SE
- Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd
- Defence Science and Technology Laboratory
