Advances and Opportunities of Integrating Heat Pipe Concepts in Active and Passive Energy by Prof. Amir Faghri

Abstract: As we approach the quarter century point of the 21st century, we will see the development of a wide range of both active and passive energy and thermal devices with application in energy management and power sources, electronic cooling, energy storage and bioengineering.  Although these energy and thermal devices are effective, they are often inefficient and can be improved significantly by integrating heat pipe concepts in their design to enhance efficiency or make them completely passive (no moving parts). Innovations and opportunities in integrating heat pipe concepts into three energy technologies – Thermal Energy Storage, Cooling Towers, and Fuel Cells — are discussed. Both numerical and experimental simulation of thermal physical phenomena including the effects of multiphase, multicomponent, and phase change are presented.

Biosketch: Amir Faghri currently holds the titles of Distinguished Professor of Engineering and Distinguished Dean Emeritus of Engineering at the University of Connecticut. He joined the University of Connecticut in 1994 and served as Head of the Mechanical Engineering Department from 1994-1998, and as the Dean of the School of Engineering from 1998-2006. He has authored five books, more than 350 archival technical publications (including over 230 journal papers), and thirteen U.S. patents. He has served as a principal investigator conducting research in the area of thermal management and multiphase transport phenomena for applications ranging from advanced cooling systems to alternative energy systems, including heat pipes, fuel cells, solar energy systems and thermal energy storage devices.  He has received many honors and awards, including the American Institute of Aeronautics & Astronautics (AIAA) Thermophysics Award in 1998, the American Society of Mechanical Engineering (ASME) Heat Transfer Memorial Award in 1998, the ASME James Harry Potter Gold Medal In 2005, the ASME/AIChE Max Jakob Memorial Award in 2010, which is the highest honor in the field of heat transfer, and  he will be the recipient of the George Grover Medal Award, to be given at the 19th International Heat Pipe Conference in Pisa, Italy in June of 2018.  He has served as a consultant to several major research centers and corporations, including the Los Alamos and Oak Ridge national laboratories, Exxon Mobil, and Intel Corporation. He presently serves on the boards of directors of both publicly-traded and private companies.

Dr. Faghri received his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of California at Berkeley, and a B.S with highest honors from Oregon State University.

 

Date/Time:
Date(s) - Feb 02, 2018
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Location:
38-138 Engineering IV
420 Westwood Plaza Los Angeles CA 90095