Cyril Crua is a Professor at the Sir Harry Ricardo Laboratories within the Advanced Engineering Centre. He has 20 years’ experience in optical and laser-based diagnostics for experimental fluid dynamics, with a focus on spray formation and combustion.

My research focuses on experimental fluid dynamics, and particularly on the development of optical diagnostic techniques to investigate the physics of complex flows and atomisation. My current research interests include:

• Optical diagnostic techniques for sprays and combustion
• Spray formation and breakup
• Microscopic imaging of sprays
• Experimental fluid dynamics

Selected publications

Supercritical / transcritical mixing of fuels

Crua C, Manin J and Pickett LM (2017) On the transcritical mixing of fuels at diesel engine conditions Fuel 208. https://doi.org/b9s9

Primary breakup of fuels in engine

Crua C, Heikal MR, Gold MR (2015) Microscopic imaging of the initial stage of diesel spray formation. Fuel 157. https://doi.org/4F3

Measurement of droplet temperature and evaporation rate

Wu Y, Li H, Wu X, Gréhan G, Mädler L, Crua C (2019) Change of evaporation rate of single monocomponent droplet with temperature using time-resolved phase rainbow refractometry. Proceedings of the Combustion Institute 37(3). https://doi.org/czgp

Fuel emulsions

Ismael M, Heikal M, Aziz ARA, Syah F, Zainal E, Crua C (2018) The effect of fuel injection equipment on the dispersed phase of water-in-diesel emulsions. Applied Energy 222. https://doi.org/gdtdk3

Measurement of gas temperature in engines

Förster F, Crua C, Davy M and Ewart P (2019) Temperature measurements under diesel engine conditions using laser induced grating spectroscopy. Combustion and Flame 199. https://doi.org/cwsn

I am interested in supervising postgraduate research students in experimental fluid dynamics, including the development of optical measurement techniques for atomisation and other complex flows. These subjects are often linked to applications in energy (fuel efficiency, energy recovery, carbon capture), manufacturing (Minimum Quantity Lubrication) and medical devices (bioartificial organs, optical implants).

Since joining the University of Brighton I have supervised 1 MPhil and 12 PhDs to completion, and examined 20 PhDs in the UK, France, Denmark, Malaysia, and Australia. I am currently supervising 4 PhD students researching spray systems.