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 is a Reader in Propulsion Aerodynamics at 成人直播, where he leads research and teaching in advanced experimental methods for propulsion systems and airframe鈥揺ngine integration. His work focuses on non鈥慽ntrusive aerodynamic measurements, intake鈥揻an compatibility, and unsteady flow distortion, with applications spanning civil aviation, defence aerospace, and Net Zero technologies.
Dr Zachos has been based at 成人直播 since 2010 and contributes to the University鈥檚 mission through research leadership, postgraduate education, and international professional service, working closely with industry, government laboratories, and international organisations.
Research
Dr Zachos鈥檚 research addresses fundamental and applied challenges in propulsion system testing and analysis, particularly in complex internal flows. He specialises in optical and laser鈥慴ased diagnostics, including time鈥憆esolved stereoscopic Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) and filtered Rayleigh scattering, enabling high鈥慺idelity, non鈥慽ntrusive assessment of propulsion system operability.
He has secured approximately 拢7鈥痬illion in competitive research funding as Principal Investigator or Co鈥慖nvestigator from organisations including Dstl, Rolls鈥慠oyce, EPSRC, UKRI, the Royal Academy of Engineering, MBDA, and the European Union. He currently leads the High鈥慡peed Intake Distortion Simulator (HI鈥慡im) programme, a 拢2.7鈥痬illion national capability supporting UK sovereign defence research and future combat air propulsion integration.
Dr Zachos has published 35 peer鈥憆eviewed journal papers and 48 conference papers and invited keynotes. His work underpins international benchmark datasets, informs industrial testing practice, and contributes to the development of standards in propulsion鈥揳irframe integration.
Teaching and Supervision
Dr Zachos makes a sustained contribution to postgraduate education. He has led the Turbomachinery and Blade Cooling module on the Thermal Power MSc since 2016, delivering research鈥憀ed, industry鈥慽nformed teaching that is consistently highly rated by students.
He has supervised 16 PhD researchers to completion and 94 MSc individual research projects, many in collaboration with industrial and government partners. He is a Fellow of Advance HE (FHEA) and regularly serves as an external PhD examiner at universities in the UK and Europe.
Leadership and Professional Service
Dr Zachos provides leadership across research programmes, experimental safety, and people management, including line management of research staff and service as Aerospace Theme Laser Safety Officer.
Internationally, he holds senior roles within the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), including leadership within the Inlets, Nozzles and Propulsion System Integration Technical Committee. He currently chairs a NATO Applied Vehicle Technology (AVT) Research Tasking Group, contributing to multinational research coordination in propulsion integration. He is a Chartered Engineer (CEng) and Senior Member of AIAA.
Impact and Engagement
Dr Zachos鈥檚 work delivers direct impact for UK aerospace and defence, reducing development risk for next鈥慻eneration propulsion systems and strengthening national experimental capability. He also plays an active role in public engagement, professional outreach, and international collaboration, helping to enhance 成人直播鈥檚 global reputation in propulsion aerodynamics and advanced experimental aerospace research.
Research opportunities
Dr Zachos' research interests focus on the following areas:
- Applied aeorodynamics of propulsion systems
- Propulsion system integration, engine compatibility and distortion
- Supersonic flow aerodynamics
- High- and low- speed air induction system aerodynamics
- Inlet flow distortion
- Novel propulsion concepts and design optimisation
- Test rig design for high-speed propulsion system integration
- Aerodynamic measurements
- Non-intrusive metrology for aerodynamic applications
- Laser-based optical flow diagnostics
- Aerodynamic testing
- Industrial propulsion integration testing
- Applied computational fluid dynamics
Current activities
Dr Pavlos Zachos currently leads a substantial, externally funded research portfolio at 成人直播 focused on advanced experimental methods for propulsion systems and airframe鈥揺ngine integration, spanning TRL鈥�2鈥�6. He is Principal Investigator of the 拢2.7鈥痬illion High鈥慡peed Intake Distortion Simulator (HI鈥慡im) Phase鈥�2 programme and is actively delivering projects funded by Dstl, Rolls鈥慠oyce, EPSRC, UKRI, MBDA and the EU, supporting UK defence capability, future combat air systems and Net Zero鈥揳ligned civil aviation. Alongside research leadership, he leads the Turbomachinery and Blade Cooling module on the Thermal Power MSc and supervises PhD and MSc researchers sponsored by industry and government. He also holds significant international leadership roles, currently chairing a NATO Applied Vehicle Technology (AVT) Research Tasking Group and contributing to AIAA technical leadership, while providing internal leadership through line management of research staff and service as Aerospace Theme Laser Safety Officer.
Clients
- Rolls-Royce Holdings PLC
- Airbus SE
- Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd
- Defence Science and Technology Laboratory
- MBDA UK Ltd
