Dr. Ece Aylı

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ece Aylı is a faculty member in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Çankaya University, Turkey. She received her BSc (2010), MSc (2012), and PhD (2016) degrees in Mechanical Engineering from TOBB University of Economics and Technology. She was awarded the title of Associate Professor in 2021.

Her academic expertise lies at the intersection of computational modeling, experimental methods, and artificial intelligence applications in engineering. Throughout her career, she has actively contributed to national and international research projects, authored over 35 peer-reviewed journal publications, and presented her work at numerous prestigious conferences.

Research Areas and Contributions

• Hydropower and Turbomachinery Design
  Dr. Aylı has extensively studied the design and optimization of Francis turbines, focusing on runner geometry, cavitation effects, and prototype-model correlation. Her PhD thesis included CFD-based optimization and model testing strategies for BUSKİ and KEPEZ-1 HEPPs.
  Key Publications:

  • Ayli et al., Engineering Applications of Computational Fluid Mechanics, 2016

  • Celebioglu et al., Energy Sources Part A, 2023

  • Seydim et al., Proc. IMechE Part C: J. Mech. Eng. Sci., 2025

  • Ayli et al., Ocean Engineering, 2025

• Artificial Intelligence in Thermal and Fluid Systems
  She pioneers the integration of AI models such as ANN, ANFIS, and regression techniques to predict heat transfer, turbine performance, cavitation, and flow-induced noise.
  Key Publications:

  • Ayli & Kocak, J. Mech. Sci. Tech., 2022, 2023

  • Cogun & Ayli, Arabian J. Sci. Eng., 2025

  • Kocak et al., ASME J. Therm. Sci. Eng. Appl., 2021

  • Celebioglu et al., J. Process Mech. Eng., 2024

• Aerodynamics and Aeroacoustics
  Her work includes numerical and experimental studies on rod-airfoil configurations, bio-inspired airfoils, and cavity flows, with a focus on reducing drag and noise.
  Key Publications:

  • Guzey et al., J. Mech. Eng. Sci., 2023

  • Kocak & Ayli, Proc. IMechE Part G: Aerospace Engineering, 2025

  • Ayli et al., Journal of Thermal Engineering, 2021

• Icing Phenomena in Aerodynamics
  Her ongoing projects explore icing behavior on aerodynamic surfaces using CFD-ANN hybrid methods, contributing to safer and more efficient designs in aerospace and energy applications.

• Electronic Cooling
  Dr. Aylı has developed experimental setups and predictive models to improve heat dissipation in electronic devices, enhancing thermal performance in constrained environments.
  Key Publications:

  • Ayli & Bayer, Int. J. Therm. Sci., 2016

  • Ayli et al., J. Therm. Sci. Eng. Appl., 2020

• Renewable Energy Systems
  She has investigated performance enhancement in solar chimneys, axial fans, and wind tunnels, utilizing machine learning for efficient system design.
  Key Publications:

  • Ulucak et al., ASME J. Energy Resour. Technol., 2021

  • Ozgirgin & Ayli, J. Mech. Eng. Sci., 2023

  • Ayli et al., ASME J. Comput. Inf. Sci. Eng., 2022

Dr. Aylı also contributes to education and research infrastructure development, having taken part in the design and implementation of hydraulic turbine test centers. She has co-authored invited book chapters for Elsevier and IET, and actively reviews for international journals.