Priyank Goel Araes

Project Engineer @Oxford Thermofluids Institute

Oxford, GB

Working on the development of a first-of-its-kind European research facility designed to replicate high-altitude ice crystal icing conditions inside jet engines. The project supports advanced aero-engine research in collaboration with Rolls-Royce and the UK National Wind Tunnel Facility (NWTF), enabling controlled experimentation on ice accretion under realistic atmospheric conditions.As part of the Oxford Thermofluids Institute, I contribute to the design, engineering, commissioning, and experimental operation of the Icing at Altitude Wind Tunnel (IAWT) — a research facility combining high subsonic flow (up to Mach 0.6), low-pressure altitude simulation (~0.1 bar), and controlled ice particle generation.• Contributing to the design and development of a new turbine working section and associated instrumented experimental measurement systems for high-fidelity aerodynamic and icing experiments.• Performing engineering analysis and system design for critical facility infrastructure, including vacuum systems, flow management, and thermal conditioning required for altitude simulation.• Supporting experimental campaigns investigating ice crystal ingestion and icing behaviour in aero-engine-relevant flow environments, working closely with researchers, technicians, and DPhil students.• Contributing to the integration, commissioning, and validation of a new experimental wind-tunnel capability within the UK’s National Wind Tunnel Facility programme.