Biography
Cristian joined the Thermal Propulsion Systems Research Group in 2024. His DPhil research explores the frost formation and deposition on heat transfer surfaces, with a particular focus on heat exchangers. His work involves capturing the frost nucleation phenomenon at the microscale through molecular dynamics simulations, with the aim of creating an extensive dataset that will train a machine learning model. The latter will link the microscale frosting behaviour with the macroscale phenomena, which will be modelled via computational fluid dynamics.
Prior to his studies at the University of Oxford, Cristian earned a First-Class Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from City, University of London. Subsequently, he obtained a Master’s degree with Distinction in Automotive Engineering at Cranfield University. Since his completion of the Bachelor's degree, he has been involved as a research engineer in a startup developing innovative heat exchanger designs.
Research Interests
- Fundamental modelling of multiphase flows (including condensation and ice nucleation)
- Molecular dynamics of droplet and ice nucleation on heat transfer surfaces
- Fluid dynamics (including phase change and multiphase flows)
- CFD and ML
Current Projects
Frost formation physics and aerodynamics optimisation for air-source heat pump application, numerical modelling and experimental research
