Theoretical and Numerical Modeling Expert for Fluid Dynamics, Heat Transfer, and Mass Diffusion

Expertise

Analytical and Computational

• Theoretical and numerical modeling of fluid dynamic, thermal convection, and thermal conduction processes.
• Modeling and simulation of systems with thermal radiation, mass diffusion, natural convection, and two-phase heat transfer.
• Heat exchanger design, analysis, and simulation.

Experimental and Testing

• Measurements and testing in thermal systems including temperature, pressure, heat flux, and mass flow rate sensing.
• Measurements in high temperature and medium vacuum systems.
• Blast pressure and impulse measurements in the near-field blast region.
• Measurements of blast effects and blast structural response to detonations.
• High-speed photographic analysis of detonation and blast events.
• Chemical plasma reactor design, development, and testing.
• Calorimetric measurements in microwave plasma.
• Aftercooler and heat exchanger design and performance testing.
• Instrument and precision thermal sensor calibration.
• Data acquisition techniques.

Experience

Undisclosed Company, Senior Research Scientist, 2004 - Present

• Modeling, analysis, and testing of structural response to blast loading.
• Near-field measurements of peak pressure and blast impulse loading of structures.
• Thermodynamic modeling of post-detonation combustion processes.
• Simulation of shock-induced g-loading of near-blast transducers.
• Development and application of digital image correlation for blast effects testing and study.

BlackLight Power, Inc., Director, Plasma Cell Engineering, 1999 - 2004

• Plasma system design, modeling and testing.
• Calorimetric measurements in microwave and inductively-coupled plasma.
• Chemical reactor design and analysis.
• Spectroscopic measurements and analysis of gas and metal vapor discharge plasma.

General Air Products, Inc., Thermal Products Research and Development, 1997 - 1999

Research Engineer

• Design, simulation, testing and optimization of heat exchangers.
• Thermodynamic modeling of air compressor operation.
• Design, simulation, analysis and testing of shell and tube and crossflow heat exchangers and aftercoolers.
• Thermal/hydrodynamic modeling of combustion gas cooling and drying processes.

Florida Institute of Technology, Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, 1988 - 1997

Associate Professor

• Analytical/computational study of thermal convection and mass diffusion in porous media; radon gas infiltration.
• Experimental simulation of heat transfer and buoyancy-induced convection in attic-shaped enclosures; residential energy conservation.
• Study of leachate diffusion and convection in the vicinity of landfills; environmental flows.

University of Pennsylvania, Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics, 1982 - 1988

Assistant Professor

• Analytical/computational and experimental studies of buoyancy induced thermal convection in enclosures.

Honors & Publications

Academic and Professional Affiliations,

• The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
• Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM)
• The American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE)

Publications and Patents

• Numerous publications and presentations

Education

• Ph.D. Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA
• M.S Mechanical Engineering, Penn State University, University Park, PA
• B.S. Mechanical Engineering, Villanova University, Villanova, PA