Department of Mechanical Engineering
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Ranga Pitchumani


Ranga Pitchumani

John R. Jones III Professor

Mechanical Engineering
103 Randolph Hall
(540)-231-1776
(540)-231-9100 FAX

pitchu@vt.edu

Advanced Materials and Technologies Laboratory http://www.me.vt.edu/amtl

 

Education Research
Teaching
Experience
Honors
Publications

Education

Ph.D.
 Mechanical Engineering Carnegie-Mellon University 1992
M.E. Mechanical Engineering Carnegie-Mellon University 1988
B.S..
 Mechanical Engineering Indian Institute of Technology 1986

 

Research

  • Advanced Materials Processing
  • Heat Transfer, Fluid Mechanics
  • Intelligent Design/Processing of Materials
  • Fuel Cells and Alternative Energy Conversion Technologies
  • Microdevices, Micromanufacturing, Micro and Nanoscale Processes
  • Materials Processing Under Uncertainty
  • Composite Materials: Properites, Processing, Characterization

 

Teaching Activities

In the general area of thermal/fluid sciences

 

Experience

John R Jones III Professor Virginia Tech, Mechanical Engineering 2009 - Present
Department Head University of Connecticut, Mechanical Engineering 2004-2006
Professor University of Connecticut, Mechanical Engineering 2003-2008
Sabbatical Leave Micro and Nano Technologies Laboratory Sandia National Laboratories, Livermore, CA 2003
Associate Professor University of Connecticut, Mechanical Engineering 1998-2003
Director of Graduate Studies University of Connecticut, Mechanical Engineering 1998-2004
Assistant Professor University of Connecticut, Mechanical Engineering 1995-1998
Research Fellow Center for Composite Materials, University of Deleware 1992-1994
Consulting Engineer Carnegie Mellon Research Institute 1992
Technical Staff Larsen & Toubro, Ltd, Bombay, India 1986

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Honors

  • Elected Member of the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering, 2006
  • Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, 2004
  • Distinguished Professor of Engineering, University of Connecticut, 2003-2006
  • Outstanding Mechanical Engineering Faculty Award, University of Connecticut, 2000
  • Outstanding Junior Faculty Award, University of Connecticut, 1998
  • Young Investigator Award, Office of Naval Research, 1996
  • OLIN-UConn Faculty Award, OLIN Corporation, 1995

 

Editorships

  • Associate Technical Editor, ASME Journal of Heat Transfer (2004–2007)

  • Editorial Board Member, Journal of Thermoplastic Composite Materials (1/1998–)

  • Guest Editor, Polymer Composites, 2003

  • Guest Editor, Journal of Thermoplastic Composite Materials, 1998



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Publications

Dr. Ranga Pitchumani has authored 140 articles in archival journals and refereed conference proceedings, 7 edited book volumes, and 6 book chapters. Selected publications are listed below.

Book Chapters

  • "Computational Methods in Materials Processing", Chapter 24 in Handbook of Numerical Heat Transfer, Second Edition, W. Minkowycz, E. Sparrow, and J. Murthy, eds., pp. 785–819, Wiley, 2006 (ISBN: 0-471-34878-3)
  • "Transport and Electrochemical Phenomena", Chapter 4 in Fuel Cell Technology: Reaching Towards Commercialization (with F. Yang), N. Sammes, ed., pp. 69–163, Engineering Materials and Processes Series, Derby, Series ed., Springer-Verlag, 2006 (ISBN: 1-85233-974-8)
  • "Design of a Fusion Bonding Process for Fabricating Thermoplastic-Matrix Composites", Chapter 42 in Handbook of Heat Transfer Calculations, Myer Kutz, ed., pp. 42.1–42.22, McGraw Hill, 2005 (ISBN: 0-07141-041-4)
  • "Transport Phenomena in Materials Processing", Chapter 17 in Heat Transfer Handbook, (with R.N. Smith and C. Doumanidis), A. Bejan and A. Kraus, eds., pp. 1231–1307, Wiley, 2003 (ISBN: 0-47139-015-1)
  • "Processing of Thermoplastic Composites", Chapter 4 in Annual Review of Heat Transfer, C. L. Tien, V. Prasad, and F. P. Incropera, eds., Vol. XII, pp. 117–186, Begell House, 2002 (ISBN: 1-56700-166-1)

Refereed Journal Articles

  • A. Mawardi and R. Pitchumani, “Simulation of Sintering of Nanoparticulate Micropreforms in a Microfabrication Process,” Acta Materialia, doi:10.1016/j.actamat.2008.12.032, In Press, 2009.

  • R.J. Johnson and R. Pitchumani, “Active Control of Reactive Resin Flow in a VARTM Process,” Journal of Composite Materials, 42(12), 1205–1229, 2008.

  • A. Mawardi, Y. Xiao and R. Pitchumani, “Theoretical Analysis of Capillary-driven Nanoparticulate Slurry Flow During a Micromold Filling Process,” International Journal of Multiphase Flow, 34(3), 227–240, 2008.

  • A. Mawardi and R. Pitchumani, “Numerical Simulations of an Optical Fiber Drawing Process Under Uncertainty,” IEEE Journal of Lightwave Technology, 26(5), 580–587, 2008.

  • R.J. Johnson and R. Pitchumani, “Flow Control Using Localized Induction Heating in a VARTM Process,” Composites Science & Technology, 67(3–4), 669–684, 2007.

  • Y. Zhang and R. Pitchumani, “Numerical Studies on an Air-breathing Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) Fuel Cell,” International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, 50(23–24), 4698–4712, 2007.

  • Y. Zhang, A. Mawardi, and R. Pitchumani, “Numerical Studies on an Air-breathing Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) Fuel Cell Stack,” Journal of Power Sources, 173, 264–276, 2007.

  • F. Zhang, A. Mawardi, E. Santos, Jr., R. Pitchumani, and L.E.K. Achenie, “Examination of Load-Balancing Methods to Improve Efficiency of a Composite Materials Manufacturing Process Simulation Under Uncertainty using Distributed Computing,” Future Generation Computer Systems—The International Journal of Grid Computing: Theory, Methods and Applications, 22(5), 571–587, 2006.

  • C. Acquah, I. Datskov, A. Mawardi, F. Zhang, L.E.K. Achenie, R. Pitchumani, E. Santos, Jr., “Simulation and Analysis of a Composite Fabrication Process using a Critical Point Model and a Sampling-based Model,” Computers and Chemical Engineering, 30(6–7), 947–960, 2006.

  • Y. Xiao, F. Yang, and R. Pitchumani, “A Generalized Analysis of Capillary Flows in Channels,” Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, 298(2), 880–888, 2006.

  • Y. Yan and R. Pitchumani, “Numerical Study on the Dopant Concentration and Refractive Index Profile Evaluation in an Optical Fiber Manufacturing Process,” International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, 49(13–14), 2097–2112, 2006.

  • A. Mawardi and R. Pitchumani, “Effects of Parameter Uncertainty on the Performance Variability of Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells,” Journal of Power Sources, 160(1), 232–245, 2006.

  • C. Acquah, I. Datskov, A. Mawardi, F. Zhang, L.E.K. Achenie, R. Pitchumani, and E. Santos, Jr., “Optimization of an Optical Fiber Drawing Process Under Uncertainty,” Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research, 45(26), 8475–8483, 2006.

  • R.J. Johnson and R. Pitchumani, “Simulation of Active Flow Control based on Localized Preform Heating in a VARTM Process,” Composites A: Applied Sci. and Manufacturing, 37(10), 1815–30, 2006.

  • Y. Zhang, A. Mawardi, and R. Pitchumani, “Effects of Operating Parameters on the Uniformity of Current Density Distribution in Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells,” ASME Journal of Fuel Cell Science and Technology, 3(4), 464–476, 2006.

Conference Publications and Presentations

  • R.J. Johnson and R. Pitchumani, “Chemorheology and Cure Kinetics of a Carbon Nanotube Filled Epoxy System,” ICCM-17 17th International Conference on Composite Materials, 27–31 Jul 2009, Edinburgh, UK.

  • R.J. Johnson and R. Pitchumani, “Localized Induction Heating Based Control of Reactive Resin Flow in the VARTM Process,” Invited Paper, 9th International Conf. on Flow Processes in Composite Materials (FPCM9), July 8–10, 2008, Montreal, Canada.

  • Y. Zhang, A. Mawardi, and R. Pitchumani, “Novel Designs of Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) Fuel Cells,” Keynote Presentation, Special Symposium in Honor of Professor Suhas P. Sukhatme (Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay), Hyderabad, India, Jan. 2, 2008; in A Festschrift in Honour of Professor Suhas P. Sukhatme, U.N. Gaitonde, S.G. Kandlikar, and S.K. Mitra, eds., pp. 23–26, Research Publishing, Singapore, 2008.

  • A. Mawardi, R. Pitchumani and A.M.Morales “Multiscale Simulation of Sintering of Nanoparticulate Micropreforms in a Microfabrication Process,” Invited Presentation, Paper No. MNC2007-21575 ASME International Conference on Integration and Commercialization of Micro and Nanosystems, Sanya, Hainan, China, Jan 10–13, 2007, ISBN 0-7918-3794-7, ASME, NY.

  • Y. Xiao, A. Mawardi and R. Pitchumani, “Flow of Nanoparticulate Slurry During a Microcasting Process for the Fabrication of Metallic and Ceramic Microstructures,” in Proceedings of the 13th International Heat Transfer Conference, August 13–18, 2006, Sydney, Australia, CD ROM Volume, Paper No. NAN-04, 12 pp. ISBN 1-56700-226-9, Begell House, Inc., Redding, CT

 

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