Md Nafiz Chowdhury BSc MSc PhD

Nafiz Chowdhury is a senior research associate at Oxford University. He manages the Engine Component Aerothermal Test (ECAT) Facility at the Oxford Thermofluids Institute.  This is a major engine-parts facility for high technology-readiness-level research, new technology demonstration, and engine component validation.

Nafiz earned his MS degree at the University of North Dakota (USA). He then joined Texas A&M University (USA) to undertake his PhD under the supervision of Professor Je-Chin Han. Nafiz’s research interests cover many aspects of gas turbine aerodynamics and heat transfer, including the investigation of novel cooling technologies. He is also interested in understanding the application of the Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) process in parts manufacturing at an engine scale including film cooling holes and internal cooling features. Nafiz specialised in a variety of advanced measurement techniques including Infrared thermography, Pressure Sensitive Paint (PSP), Temperature Sensitive Paint (TSP) and Liquid Crystal. Since 2010, his research has been performed in collaboration with many industrial partners – Rolls-Royce Holdings plc (UK), Solar Turbines Inc. (US), Siemens Energy Inc. (US), Honeywell Aerospace (US), Department of Energy (US) and Samsung Techwin (South Korea). He is active as a reviewer of articles for leading journals and conferences. He also holds a College Lecturership in engineering science at Lincoln College.

• Turbine Aerodynamics
• Gas Turbine Heat Transfer and Component Cooling
• Turbulence
• Measurement Techniques
• Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)
• Electric Component cooling

1. Michaud M., Ornano F., Chowdhury N. H. K., and Povey T., “Methodology for high accuracy infrared calibration in environments with through-wall heat flux,” J. of the Global Power and Propulsion Society. 4: 1–13.
2. Shiau C. C., Chowdhury N. H. K., Han J. C., Moghadam A. M., and Riahi A., “Transonic Turbine-Vane Film Cooling with Showerhead Effect Using Pressure-Sensitive Paint Measurement Technique”, AIAA J. of Thermophysics and Heat Transfer, 2018.
3. Chowdhury N. H. K., Qureshi S. A., and Han J. C., “Influence of Leading Edge Profile On Showerhead Film Cooling of Turbine Blade”, Int. J. of Heat and Mass Transfer, 2017.
4. Chowdhury N. H. K., Zirakzadeh H., and Han J. C., “A Predictive Model for Preliminary Gas Turbine Blade Cooling Analysis”, ASME J. of Turbomachinery, 2017; 139(9):091010-091010-12.
5. Chowdhury N. H. K., Shiau C. C. and Han J. C., Zhang L., and Moon H. K., “Turbine Vane Endwall Film Cooling with Slashface Gap and Upstream Inlet Leakage Flow Conditions,” ASME J. of Turbomachinery, 2017; 139(6):061003-061003-11.
6. Busche M. L., Moualeu L. P., Chowdhury N., Tang C., and Ames F. E., “Heat Transfer and Pressure Drop Measurements in High Solidity Pin Fin Cooling Arrays with Incremental Replenishment”, ASME J. of Turbomachinery, 2013; 135(4):041011-041011-9.

1. Texas A&M Energy Institute Fellowship (2016)
2. International Gas Turbine Institute Student Award, ASME, USA (2012 and 2016)
3. James J. Cain Outstanding Graduate Student Award (2016)
4. Charles W. Crawford Graduate Fellowship (2015)