Background

Clare joined the Rolls-Royce University Technology Centre at Loughborough University in 2009.  She was appointed to the post of Lecturer in Gas Turbine Aerothermal Engineering in 2014.  Clare’s research interests are in the application and development of experimental methods for studying aerothermal problems related to gas turbine engines.

Qualifications

• PhD in Gas Turbine Instrumentation, Loughborough University (2015)
• MEng in Aeronautical Engineering, Loughborough University (2009)
• Chartered engineer, Institution of Mechanical Engineers (2016)
• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (2017)

Patents

• “Dual Skin Total Temperature and Pressure Probe Invention”, Ref: 5113 VJA (pending)

Outline main research interests 

More than 10 years of experience in the experimental investigation of heat and fluid flows within gas turbine engines.  Major areas of research include:

• Low pressure combustion systems
• Injector fuel galleries (coking)
• Combustor internal cooling
• Gas-path instrumentation

Current and recent research grants:

• Reacting flow test facility development, Rolls-Royce (2020-2022)
• Centre for Doctoral Training in Future Propulsion and Power, EPSRC (2019-2027)
• Fuel injector heat transfer, ELECT, Innovate UK (2017-2019)
• Combustor radiation measurement, iCORE, Innovate UK (2017-2018)
• Methods for internal cooling effectiveness evaluation, Rolls-Royce plc (2017)
• Temperature recovery factor uncertainty, Rolls-Royce (2015-2020)
• Centre for Doctoral training in Gas Turbine Aerodynamics, EPSRC (2014-2022)
• Temperature measurement in unsteady flows, STARGATE, EU (2012-2015)
• Gas-path temperature, SILOET, TSB (2009-2013)

Current teaching responsibilities 

• Fixed and Rotary Wing Aircraft Performance (TTB209)
• Gas Turbine Design 1 & 2 (TTC050 & TTC011)
• Experimental Fluid Mechanics (TTD014)
• Part C and D Individual Projects

 Les, C., Brend, M.A., Bonham, C., Carrotte, J.F. (2018) Quantifying ageing effects in thermochromic liquid crystal thermography as applied to transient convective heat transfer experiments. Measurement Science and Technology, 29(11). https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6501/aadb24

Bonham, C., Brend, M., Spencer, A., Tanimizu, K., Wise, D. (2018) Impact of flow unsteadiness on steady-state gas-path stagnation temperature measurements. Journal of Engineering for Gas Turbines and Power, 140(12). https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4040285

Bonham, C., Thorpe, S.J., Erlund, M.N., Stevenson, R.J. (2018) Combination probes for stagnation pressure and temperature measurements in gas turbine engines. Measurement Science and Technology, 29(1). https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6501/aa925c

Bonham, C., Thorpe, S.J., Erlund, M.N., Stevenson, R.D. (2014) Stagnation temperature measurement using thin-film platinum resistance sensors. Measurement Science and Technology, 25(1). https://doi.org/10.1088/0957-0233/25/1/015101

 View central admin publications database

External roles and responsibilities 

• Member of the Rolls-Royce UTC in Combustion System Aerothermal Processes
• Member of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers
• Peer reviewer for international journals
• External PhD examiner

External Collaborators:

• Rolls-Royce
• Rolls-Royce Control Systems
• National Physical Laboratory
• ITP Aero