Variable Geometry Cooling Intakes for Passenger Vehicles. Cars reject engine heat via air forced through the grille, radiator and engine bay. The associated "cooling drag" increases total aerodynamic drag by 10-15% hence increasing fuel consumption. The highest heat load that needs to be rejected by the engine determines the quantity of cooling air, resulting in systems that are over designed for typical driving. This research provides a strategy of adjusting the cooling airflow to match the ....Variable Geometry Cooling Intakes for Passenger Vehicles. Cars reject engine heat via air forced through the grille, radiator and engine bay. The associated "cooling drag" increases total aerodynamic drag by 10-15% hence increasing fuel consumption. The highest heat load that needs to be rejected by the engine determines the quantity of cooling air, resulting in systems that are over designed for typical driving. This research provides a strategy of adjusting the cooling airflow to match the engine requirements (via variable geometry intakes that can be under the control of the engine management computer) offering substantial reductions in fuel consumption and emissions.Read moreRead less
Using solar photocatalytic oxidation processes to treat organic pollutants in wastewater. The proposal is to use physical-chemical and solar engineering approaches to increase the efficiency of solar photons in the photocatalytic oxidation process applied to the detoxification of organic pollutants in wastewater. New photocatalyists and the effects of photocatalysts's superficial characteristics on the treatment perfomance will be studied. A specific structure for a solar collector for the proce ....Using solar photocatalytic oxidation processes to treat organic pollutants in wastewater. The proposal is to use physical-chemical and solar engineering approaches to increase the efficiency of solar photons in the photocatalytic oxidation process applied to the detoxification of organic pollutants in wastewater. New photocatalyists and the effects of photocatalysts's superficial characteristics on the treatment perfomance will be studied. A specific structure for a solar collector for the process will be developed. A more efficient way to use solar photons in the process and a better conceptual design of solar collector will be two main outcomes expected from the project.Read moreRead less