Phillip J Ansell

For More Information

• Aerospace Faculty in Focus: Phillip Ansell
• Center for High-Efficiency Electrical Technologies for Aircraft
• Center for Sustainable Aviation
• Aerodynamics and Unsteady Flows Research Group Website

Education

• BS, The Pennsylvania State University, Aerospace Engineering, 2008
• MS, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Aerospace Engineering, 2010
• Ph.D., University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Aerospace Engineering, 2013

Academic Positions

• Assistant Professor, Department of Aerospace Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Jan. 2015-Aug. 2021
• Associate Professor, Department of Aerospace Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Aug. 2021-Present

Resident Instruction

• AE 598 UA (Unsteady Aerodynamics)
• AE 515 (Wing Theory)
• AE 498 SA (Sustainable Aviation)
• AE 419 (Aircraft Flight Mechanics)
• AE 416 (Applied Aerodynamics)
• AE 311 (Incompressible Flow)

Research Interests

• Applied aerodynamics, sustainable aviation, distributed propulsion, flow control, aircraft electrification, atmospheric flight sciences, unsteady aerodynamics

Selected Articles in Journals

• Jois, H., Hong, A.S., and Ansell, P.J., "High-Lift Aerodynamics of Integrated Distributed Propulsion Systems with Thrust Vectoring," Journal of Aircraft. https://doi.org/10.2514/1.C037902
• Shmilovich, A., Khodadoust, A., Colletti, C.R., and Ansell, P.J., "Steady versus Unsteady Pneumatic Flow Control and Aspects of Practical Integration," Journal of Aircraft. https://doi.org/10.2514/1.C037673
• Collazo Garcia, A. and Ansell, P.J., "Airfoil Design Framework for Optimized Boundary-Layer Integral Parameters," Journal of Aircraft. https://doi.org/10.2514/1.C037713
• Ansell, P.J., "Review of sustainable energy carriers for aviation: Benefits, challenges, and future viability," Progress in Aerospace Sciences, Vol. 141, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paerosci.2023.100919
• Hristov, G.K., Ansell, P.J., Zimmerman, J.W., and Carooll, D.L., "Air Interactions of Magnetically Driven Plasma Discharges in Crossflow," AIAA Journal, 2023. https://doi.org/10.2514/1.J063052
• Waddington, E., Merret, J.M., and Ansell, P.J., "Impact of Liquid Hydrogen Fuel Cell-Electric Propulsion on Aircraft Configuration and Integration," Journal of Aircraft, Vol. 60, No. 5, pp. 1588-1600, 2023. https://doi.org/10.2514/1.C037237
• Ortiz-Melendez, H.D., Long, E., Colletti, C.R., Toth, G., Perkins, C., Keely, K., Ansell, P.J., and Coder, J.G., "Design and Characterization of High-Lift Capabilities for Slotted, Natural-Laminar-Flow Airfoils," Journal of Aircraft, Vol. 60, No. 4, pp. 1238-1256, 2023. https://doi.org/10.2514/1.C037160
• Yu, D.B. and Ansell, P.J., "Design of Rotary Wings with Passive Mitigation of Coherent Tip Vortex Roll-Up," Journal of Aircraft, Vol. 60, No. 2, pp. 533-545, 2023. https://doi.org/10.2514/1.C036857
• Perry, A.T., Bretl, T.W., and Ansell, P.J., "System Identification of a Sub-Scale Distributed Electric Propulsion Aircraft," Journal of Aircraft, Vol. 60, No. 3, pp. 702-715, 2023. https://doi.org/10.2514/1.C036616.
• Colletti, C.R. and Ansell, P.J., "Airfoil Morphed Leading Edge Design for High-Lift Applications using a Genetic Algorithm," Journal of Aircraft, Vol. 60, No. 1, pp. 160-171, 2023. https://doi.org/10.2514/1.C036755
• Podlaski, M., Vanfretti, L., Khare, A., Sumption, M., and Ansell, P.J., "Multi-Domain Modeling and Simulation of High Temperature Superconducting Transmission Lines under Short Circuit Fault Conditions," IEEE Transactions on Transportation Electrification, Vol. 8, No. 3, pp. 3859-3869, 2022, https://doi.org/10.1109/TTE.2021.3131271.
• Collazo Garcia, A. and Ansell, P.J., "Design of Control-Assisted Transonic Pressure Recovery Profiles Using Vortex Generators," AIAA Journal, Vol. 60, No. 4, pp. 2207-2222, 2022. https://doi.org/10.2514/1.J060875
• Collazo-Garcia, A.R., Ranjan, P., Chen, K.J., James, K.A., and Ansell, P.J., "Flight Trajectory Optimization of a Sailplane after Rope Break," Journal of Aircraft, Vol. 58, No. 6, pp. 1229-1241, 2021, https://doi.org/10.2514/1.C036013
• Perry, A.T., Bretl, T.W., and Ansell, P.J., "Aero-Propulsive Coupling Effects on a General-Aviation Aircraft with Distributed Electric Propulsion," Journal of Aircraft, Vol. 58, No. 6, pp. 1351-1363, 2021, doi: 10.2514/1.C036048
• Chen, S., Chamorro, L.P., and Ansell, P.J., "On the H-type transition to turbulence - Laboratory experiments and reduced-order modeling," Physics of Fluids, Vol. 33, 2021.
• Gupta, R. and Ansell, P.J., "Flow Evolution and Unsteady Spectra of Dynamic Stall at Transitional Reynolds Numbers," AIAA Journal, Vol. 58, No. 8, 2020, pp. 3272-3285. doi: 10.2514/1.J059040
• Hristov, G., Ansell, P.J., Zimmerman, J.W., and Carroll, D.L., "Experimental Characterization of a Novel Cyclotronic Plasma Actuator," AIAA Journal, Vol. 58, No. 2, 2020, pp. 747-756. doi: 10.2514/1.J058708
• Ansell, P.J. and Mulleners, K., "Multi-Scale Vortex Characteristics of Dynamic Stall from Empirical Mode Decomposition," AIAA Journal (Invited), Vol. 58, No. 2, 2020, pp. 600-617. doi: 10.2514/1.J057800
• Collazo Garcia, A. and Ansell, P.J., "Characterization of a Griffith-Type Transonic, Laminar-Flow Airfoil," Journal of Aircraft, Vol. 56, No. 4, 2019, pp. 1597-1609. doi: 10.2514/1.C035221
• Andreu Angulo, I. and Ansell, P.J., "Influence of Aspect Ratio on Dynamic Stall of a Finite Wing," AIAA Journal, Vol. 57, No. 7, pp. 2722-2733, 2019. doi: 10.2514/1.J057792
• Wroblewski, G.E. and Ansell, P.J., "Mission Analysis and Emissions for Conventional and Hybrid-Electric Commercial Transport Aircraft," Journal of Aircraft, Vol. 56, No. 3, 2019, pp. 1200-1213. doi: 10.2514/1.C035070
• Gupta, R. and Ansell, P.J., "Unsteady Flow Physics of Airfoil Dynamic Stall," AIAA Journal, Vol. 57, No. 1, 2019, pp. 165-175. doi: 10.2514/1.J057257
• Ranjan, P., Ansell, P.J., and James, K., "Optimal Hyper Elliptic Cambered Span Configurations for Minimum Drag," Journal of Aircraft, Vol. 56, No. 1, 2019, pp. 356-368. doi: 10.2514/1.C034992
• Thirumalaisamy, M.R. and Ansell, P.J., "Fast and Adaptive Empirical Mode Decomposition for Multidimensional, Multivariate Signals," IEEE Signal Processing Letters, Vol. 25, No. 10, 2018, pp. 1550-1554. doi: 10.1109/LSP.2018.2867335
• Dean, T.S., Wroblewski, G.E., and Ansell, P.J., "Mission Analysis and Component-Level Sensitivity Study of Hybrid-Electric General Aviation Propulsion Systems," Journal of Aircraft, Vol. 55, No. 6, 2018, pp. 2454-2465. doi: 10.2514/1.C034635
• Perry, A.T., Ansell, P.J., and Kerho, M.F., "Aero-Propulsive and Propulsor Cross-Coupling Effects on a Distributed Propulsion System," Journal of Aircraft, Vol. 55, No. 6, 2018, pp. 2414-2426. doi: 10.2514/1.C034861
• Hong, J. and Ansell, P.J., "Influence of Freestream Velocity on Tiltrotor Fountain Effect," Journal of Aircraft, Vol. 55, No. 4, 2018, pp. 1742-1745. doi: 10.2514.1.C034599
• Ranjan, P. and Ansell, P.J., "Computational Analysis of Vortex Wakes without Near-Field Roll-Up Characteristics," Journal of Aircraft, Vol. 55, No. 5, 2018, pp. 2008-2021. doi: 10.2514/1.C034782
• Hristov, G. and Ansell, P.J., "Post-Stall Hysteresis and Flow Field Unsteadiness on an NACA 0012 Airfoil," AIAA Journal, Vol. 56, No. 7, 2018, pp. 2528-2549. doi: 10.2514/1.J056774
• Gupta, R. and Ansell, P.J., "Closed-Loop Trailing-Edge Separation Control System using Empirical Mode Decomposition," AIAA Journal, Vol. 56, No. 1, 2018, pp. 121-131. doi: 10.2514/1.J056157
• Ansell, P.J. and Balajewicz, M.J., “Separation of Unsteady Scales in a Mixing Layer using Empirical Mode Decomposition,” AIAA Journal, Vol. 55, No. 2, 2017, pp. 419-434. doi: 10.2514/1.J055120
• Wroblewski, G.E. and Ansell, P.J., “Prediction and Experimental Evaluation of Planar Wing Spanloads for Minimum Drag,” Journal of Aircraft, Vol. 54, No. 5, 2017, pp. 1664-1674. doi: 10.2514/1.C034156
• Perry, A.T. and Ansell, P.J., “Crossflow Fan Power Requirements for Boundary-Layer Suction in Transonic Flow,” Journal of Aircraft, Vol. 54, No. 3, 2017, pp. 1217-1220. doi: 10.2514/1.C034193
• Ansell, P.J. and Bragg, M.B., "Unsteady Modes in Flowfield About Airfoil with Horn-Ice Shape," Journal of Aircraft, Vol. 53, No. 2, 2016, pp. 475-486. doi: 10.2514/1.C033421
• Ansell, P.J. and Bragg, M.B., "Characterization of Low-Frequency Oscillations in the Flowfield about an Airfoil with a Horn-Ice Shape," AIAA Journal, Vol. 53, No. 3, 2015, pp. 629-637. doi: 10.2514/1.J053206
• Pomeroy, B.W., Diebold, J.M., Ansell, P.J., and Selig, M.S., "A Study of Burst Wakes in a Multielement Airfoil Flowfield," AIAA Journal, Vol. 52, No. 4, 2014, pp. 821-831. doi: 10.2514/1.J052680
• Ansell, P.J. and Bragg, M.B., "Measurement of Unsteady Flow Reattachment on an Airfoil with a Leading-Edge Ice Shape," AIAA Journal, Vol. 52, No. 3, 2014, pp. 656-659. doi: 10.2514/1.J052519
• Ansell, P.J., Kerho, M.F., and Bragg, M.B., "Application of a Hinge-Moment-Based Envelope Protection System on a Wing," Journal of Aircraft, Vol. 51, No. 6, 2014, pp. 2038-2042. doi: 10.2514/1.C032703
• Ansell, P.J., Bragg, M.B., and Kerho, M.F., "Stall Warning Using Flap Hinge Moment Measurements," Journal of Aircraft, Vol. 48, No. 5, 2011, pp. 1822-1844. doi: 10.2514/1.C031435.

Patents

• Zimmerman, J., Carroll, D.L., Ansell, P.J., and Hristov, G., "Cyclotronic Plasma Actuator with Arc-Magnet for Active Flow Control," EU Patent, EP3596343, 12 June 2023.
• Ansell, P. J., Hristov, G., Zimmerman, J. W., and Carroll, D.L., “Cyclotronic Plasma Actuator with Arc-Magnet for Active Flow Control – Continuation in Part,” U.S. Patent No. 10,446,373, 15 October 2019.
• Ansell, P.J., Hristov, G., Zimmerman, J.W., and Carroll, D.L., "Cyclotronic Plasma Actuator with Arc-Magnet for Active Flow Control," United States Patent, U.S. Patent No. 10,332,724, 25 June 2019.
• Kerho, M.F., Bragg, M.B., Ansell, P.J., “Detector Function and System for Predicting Airfoil Stall from Hinge Moment Measurements,” Unites States Patent, US 2013/0345910 A1.

Professional Societies

• AIAA Electrified Aircraft Technology Technical Committee, Chair (2020-2023)
• AIAA Aircraft Electrification of Propulsion and Power Working Group, Chair (2020)
• AIAA Aircraft Electrification of Propulsion and Power Working Group, Member (2016-2020)
• Sigma Gamma Tau (National Aerospace Engineering Honor Society), Member
• APS, Member
• AIAA Forums Advisory Committee (2018-2020)
• AIAA Applied Aerodynamics Technical Committee, Chair of Honors and Awards Subcommittee (2017-2020)
• AIAA Applied Aerodynamics Technical Committee, Member (2015-2020)
• AIAA, Associate Fellow

Teaching Honors

• Rose Award for Teaching Excellence (2024)
• College of Engineering Teaching Excellence Award (2022)
• AIAA (University of Illinois Undergraduate Student Chapter) Teacher of the Year (2020)
• Engineering Council Outstanding Advising Award (2015)
• List of Teachers Ranked Excellent by their Students (Fall 2012, Fall 2015, Spring 2016, Fall 2016, Spring 2017, Spring 2018, Fall 2019, Fall 2020, Spring 2021, Fall 2023)

Research Honors

• AIAA Lawrence Sperry Award (2023)
• Allen Ormsbee Faculty Scholar (2022)
• Dean's Award for Excellence in Research (2019)
• Allen Ormsbee Faculty Fellow (2019)
• ARO Young Investigator Award (2017)
• AFOSR Young Investigator Award (2015)

Other Honors

• AIAA Associate Fellow (2024)
• Penn State Engineering Alumni Society Young Alumni Achievement Award (2021)
• Forbes 30 Under 30 (Science) (2016)

Recent Courses Taught

• AE 416 - Applied Aerodynamics
• AE 419 - Aircraft Flight Mechanics
• AE 498 ONC (AE 498 ONL, AE 498 SA, AE 498 SAO) - Sustainable Aviation
• AE 515 - Wing Theory