MAE Energy Seminar Series
As part of the MAE Energy Seminar Series, Dr. Johnson has collaborated with researchers from industry and academic to present two seminars with a focus on Vehicles and Emissions.
Dr. Kelly Senecal: Co-founder and Owner of Convergent Science
Thursday April 21, 2022, 4-5 p.m.
Presenting: “The IC Engine’s Role in our Race Toward Zero”
Virtual Session through Zoom Meeting ID: 966 4332 6561
Abstract:
During this seminar, Dr. Senecal will discuss the importance and challenges of
decarbonizing the transportation sector. He will untangle the myths of internal
combustion and argue that, although the use of electrification will continue to
rise, the ICE holds a firm place in both future transportation applications and
various industrial sectors. With continued research and development in combustion
systems, hybridization, renewable fuels, and computer modeling techniques, low-carbon
ICE should remain at the heart of transportation systems for years to come.
This seminar will introduce the research taking place globally to dramatically reduce the carbon footprint of propulsion systems. Particular focus will be placed on advanced combustion strategies, bio- and electro-fuels, electrification, and how computational fluid dynamics, high-performance computing, and artificial intelligence are being leveraged to turn these new systems into reality. If you are curious how transportation technologies can be further improved—and as a result, fit into a low-carbon future—this seminar is for you.
Bio:
Dr. Kelly Senecal is a co-founder and owner of Convergent Science. He is a visiting
professor at the University of Oxford, an adjunct professor at the University of
Wisconsin-Madison, and a co-founder and director of the Computational Chemistry
Consortium (C3). Kelly is a Fellow of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE)
and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). He is a member of the
executive committee of the ASME ICE Division, a member of the board of advisors
for the Central States Section of the Combustion Institute, and the 2019 recipient
of the ASME Internal Combustion Engine Award.
Kelly has long been an advocate of creating cleaner propulsion systems, with particular focus on CFD and HPC to enable faster design. Starting with his TEDx talk in late 2016, he has been promoting a diverse mix of transportation technologies through invited talks, articles, and social media. Kelly is co-author of the new book “Racing toward zero: the untold story of driving green,” available from SAE.
Dr. Mahdi Darzi: Lead Systems Simulation Engineer at Volvo Group in Hagerstown, MD
Wednesday March 2, 2022, 4-5 p.m.
Presenting: “The Path to Sustainable Heavy-Duty Transportation”
Virtual Session through Zoom, Meeting ID: 963 2314 1434
Abstract: We hear the word sustainability frequently these days especially regarding to transportation. The idea of sustainability is mostly presented as a general concept and media seems focused on the final stage of sustainable future without paying attention to objective solutions for different applications. We do not hear much about our current status and how we can practically transition into a near fully sustainable future. Part of it, of course, is because predicting future technologies is very difficult but we see the transportation industry is focused on electrification as the dominant sustainable solution. So, we should be able to discuss how will it work in reality, what it takes to make it happen, and what the solution is during the transition period. Battery electric vehicles (BEV) and fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEV) are prime electrified powertrains which will replace the internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. However, that does not mean we can stop improving the ICE in the interim given that more than 98% of our current fleet are running on ICEs. We are dealing with fast-paced development work while improving existing solutions. In this environment we have to make decisions based on regulations, societal acceptance, business sense, infrastructure, and customer satisfaction among others. This talk’s focus will be on current developments in heavy-duty transportation including ICE, BEV, FCEV. My focus will be on practical solutions available in the near term while keeping our final sustainability goal in mind. The problem must be examined with an objective mindset to find the most practical solutions near term and long-term solutions.
Bio: Dr. Mahdi Darzi is a Lead Systems Simulation Engineer at Volvo Group in Hagerstown, MD, and an adjunct faculty member at West Virginia University. His work at Volvo focuses on System Optimization using Data Analytics, 1D Simulations, and Software-in-the-Loop Simulations. Dr. Darzi completed his PhD in Mechanical Engineering at WVU in 2019. His work at the Center for Alternative Fuels, Engines and Emissions (CAFEE) focused on conducting experimental and modeling research on novel internal combustion engines as funded by the Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E). Dr. Darzi obtained is Master’s in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Tehran where he conducted research at the Vehicle, Fuel, and Environment Research Institute.