Biography
Dr Nicholls was an undergraduate at Hertford College between 2012 and 2016 studying Engineering Science. He moved to Lincoln College for his DPhil in Active Flow Control at the Oxford Thermofluids Institute in 2016. He became a PDRA in 2021, then an SRA in 2023. He became a Junior Research Fellow at Trinity College in 2022. His research interests lie at the intersection of fluid mechanics and control theory.
Research Interests
• Fluidic device development and control
• Acoustically-excited flows
• Fluid jets
• Modulation of fuel and cooling flows
• Control of aerodynamics
Current Projects
Fluidic oscillator control and development – fluidic oscillators are no-moving-parts valves that produce an oscillating jet when provided with a pressurised fluid. They have applications in the control of aerodynamics and unsteady heat transfer. I am investigating the fundamental working mechanisms of these devices, and developing methodologies that use acoustics to manipulate their operation and bring them under closed-loop control. I am also developing them for use as sensors to measure flow rate.
Separation and post-stall control – this project is investigating the use of flow injection for boundary layer control in wind tunnel experiments. Blowing air from an aerofoil into the flow can re-energise the boundary layer and prevent stall (separation). It can also be used to manipulate the flow structures over an aerofoil in the deep stall state.
Liquid Hydrogen Gas Turbine (LH2GT) - a £31.4 million project funded by Innovate UK, combining expertise from academic partners the University of Oxford, Cranfield University, and University College London, as well as industrial partners Rolls-Royce, Heathrow Airport, Easyjet, Manufacturing Technology Centre and Reaction Engines. In this project, crucial new technologies needed for zero-carbon, hydrogen-fuelled aviation engines are being developed at Oxford, including a novel fuel pump, the hydrogen-air heat exchanger and fuel flow control and metering valves.
Research Groups
Related Academics
Publications
An analytical model of the dynamics of reattaching jets
Nicholls CJ, Tang BMT, Turner J & Bacic M (2023), Physics of Fluids, 35(11)
BibTeX
@article{ananalyticalmod-2023/11,
title={An analytical model of the dynamics of reattaching jets},
author={Nicholls CJ, Tang BMT, Turner J & Bacic M},
journal={Physics of Fluids},
volume={35},
number={115134},
publisher={AIP Publishing},
year = "2023"
}
Reattaching jet response to transverse acoustic excitation
Nicholls C, Chakravarthy K, Tang B, Williams BA & Bacic M (2023)
BibTeX
@inproceedings{reattachingjetr-2023/6,
title={Reattaching jet response to transverse acoustic excitation},
author={Nicholls C, Chakravarthy K, Tang B, Williams BA & Bacic M},
booktitle={AIAA AVIATION 2023 Forum},
year = "2023"
}
Investigations of Switched Vortex Valves with Ideal Gases
Proudfoot J, Tang B, Nicholls C & Bacic M (2023)
BibTeX
@inproceedings{investigationso-2023/6,
title={Investigations of Switched Vortex Valves with Ideal Gases},
author={Proudfoot J, Tang B, Nicholls C & Bacic M},
booktitle={AIAA AVIATION 2023 Forum},
year = "2023"
}
Fluidic oscillator with active phase control
Nicholls CJ & Bacic M (2023), AIAA Journal
BibTeX
@article{fluidicoscillat-2023/3,
title={Fluidic oscillator with active phase control},
author={Nicholls CJ & Bacic M},
journal={AIAA Journal},
publisher={American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics},
year = "2023"
}
Shear layer response to overmodulated acoustic perturbations
Nicholls C, Chakravarthy K, Tang BMT, Williams B & Bacic M (2023), Physics of Fluids, 35(1)
BibTeX
@article{shearlayerrespo-2023/1,
title={Shear layer response to overmodulated acoustic perturbations},
author={Nicholls C, Chakravarthy K, Tang BMT, Williams B & Bacic M},
journal={Physics of Fluids},
volume={35},
number={015113},
publisher={AIP Publishing},
year = "2023"
}
Nonlinear Dynamic Inversion Flight Control of a Tiltwing VTOL Aircraft
Panish L, Nicholls C & Bacic M (2023)
BibTeX
@inproceedings{nonlineardynami-2023/1,
title={Nonlinear Dynamic Inversion Flight Control of a Tiltwing VTOL Aircraft},
author={Panish L, Nicholls C & Bacic M},
booktitle={AIAA SCITECH 2023 Forum},
year = "2023"
}
On acoustically modulated jet shear layers and the Nyquist–Shannon sampling theorem
Nicholls C, Chakravarthy K, Tang B, Williams B & Bacic M (2022), Physics of Fluids, 34(11)
BibTeX
@article{onacousticallym-2022/10,
title={On acoustically modulated jet shear layers and the Nyquist–Shannon sampling theorem},
author={Nicholls C, Chakravarthy K, Tang B, Williams B & Bacic M},
journal={Physics of Fluids},
volume={34},
number={115106},
publisher={AIP Publishing},
year = "2022"
}
Novel operating mode of a fluidic oscillator
Nicholls CJ, Tang BMT, Turner J & Bacic M (2022), Journal of Fluids Engineering, 144(7)
BibTeX
@article{noveloperatingm-2022/2,
title={Novel operating mode of a fluidic oscillator},
author={Nicholls CJ, Tang BMT, Turner J & Bacic M},
journal={Journal of Fluids Engineering},
volume={144},
number={71501},
publisher={American Society of Mechanical Engineers},
year = "2022"
}
Identification and Closed-Loop Control of a Backwards Facing Step by Opposite Side Acoustic Excitation
Sinclair O, Turner J, Nicholls C, Tang B & Bacic M (2022)
BibTeX
@inproceedings{identificationa-2022/1,
title={Identification and Closed-Loop Control of a Backwards Facing Step by Opposite Side Acoustic Excitation},
author={Sinclair O, Turner J, Nicholls C, Tang B & Bacic M},
booktitle={AIAA SCITECH 2022 Forum},
year = "2022"
}
Fluidic oscillator with active phase control
Nicholls C & Bacic M (2022)
BibTeX
@inproceedings{fluidicoscillat-2022/1,
title={Fluidic oscillator with active phase control},
author={Nicholls C & Bacic M},
booktitle={AIAA SCITECH 2022 Forum},
year = "2022"
}
