The Goal

The Mechanical Engineering has established a goal of preparing students to become leaders within fields related to energy and the environment while contributing to the solution of our Nation's Energy challenges.  Our goal is achieved through relevant, well-designed energy and environment coursework, a broad spectrum of energy related multidisciplinary senior design projects, co-op work experiences, and conducting extensive research in energy related fields. 

Undergraduate

Energy &

Environment

Option

The Energy and Environment Option exposes Mechanical Engineering students to the environmental and societal impacts of engineered systems related to energy; and is expected to prepare 30-35 BSME students each year to enter the energy and environment workplace or graduate studies. Students complete a required course on Contemporary Issues in Energy and the Environment, and select three technical electives chosen from a variety of offerings such as Direct Energy Conversion, Fuel Cell Technology, Advanced Thermodynamics, Heating Refrigeration and Air Conditioning, Renewable Energy Systems, Automatic Controls, Alternative Fuels and Energy Efficiency, and Sustainable Energy Management. Students also complete an energy systems design project in their capstone Senior Design I and II courses, and are expected to pursue co-op employment in a related field.

Graduate

Studies in

Sustainable

Energy

Systems

Graduate Students may pursue advanced courses such as Thermal Radiation Heat Transfer, Turbomachinery, Convective Phenomena, Intermediate Controls, and Advanced Controls. Students may purse graduate studies either in Mechanical Engineering, or in Sustainable Engineering (offered jointly by the Industrial and Mechanical Engineering Departments). Sustainable Engineering graduate courses include Fundamentals of Sustainable Engineering, Life Cycle Assessment and Costing, Design for the Environment, and Product and Process Design and Development. Graduate students pursue research in a wide variety of fields, and regularly publish their work with their faculty advisors.

RIT ME

Faculty Contributors

Dr. M. Bailey, Exergetic Analysis

Dr. R. Stevens, Thermoelectric devices

Dr. S. Kandlikar, Thermal Analysis & PEM Water Management

Dr. E. Hensel,  Product Development

Dr. Ali Ogut, Diesel Emissions

Dr. Frank Sciremammano, Emissions Modeling

Dr. Tuhin Das,  Dynamic System Controls

Dr. Jason Kolodziej,  Fault Detection

Collaborators

General Motors Corporation

IBM Corporation

NYSERDA

Dresser Rand Corporation

US Department Of Energy

US Office of Naval Research

US National Science Foundation

US Environmental Protection Agency

US National Park Service

Current Research Projects

Water Management in PEM Fuel Cells

Dynamic Hybrid Control

PEM Fuel Cell Water Management

Micro-scale Roughness Effects

Fuel Cell Micro-channel Analysis

 Thermo Electric Power Systems Simulator

Modeling and Characterization of Steam Reformer based Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Systems Leading to Control and Observer Designs

Model-based Performance Characterization and Control Design for Integrated Fuel Cell Systems

Application of atmospheric micro-plasma to fuel reforming

Human and Solar-Powered LED Lighting System for Use in the Developing World

Energy Audit at Fort Stanwix National Monument

Topping off Dresser-Rand's Power Generation Technologies with Thermo-electrics

Energy Efficient Circumferential UV Water Disinfection Systems

Self-Regenerating Particulate Trap Systems For Emissions

Energy Efficient Offset UV Water Disinfection Systems

Fault Detection and Diagnosis Experimental Rig in Small Scale Compressors

Solar Pasteurizer with Integral Heat Exchanger for Treating Water in Rural Areas

Long-life alternative energy power sources for small data collection systems

Development of the Rochester Energy-systems Experiment Station