Research Associate, University of Manchester

Biography

Diego Araya completed his PhD in Mechanical Engineering at The University of Manchester, focusing on computational fluid dynamics and wind energy research. His work involved implementing an actuator disk model in OpenFOAM for uncertainty quantification of offshore wind farms using RANS turbulence models. The model was rigorously validated against experimental data and benchmarked with alternative modelling approaches, demonstrating its robustness and applicability to industry-scale problems. After completing his PhD, Diego worked for two years as a thermohydraulic engineer, applying CFD to optimise the design of a 4th-generation molten salt nuclear reactor. His contributions included enhancing reactor component designs and supporting the coupling of thermohydraulics with reactor physics codes. Diego’s expertise lies in computational fluid dynamics, renewable energy systems, and multidisciplinary modelling, with a strong foundation in offshore wind energy and advanced simulation techniques.