The Goal

The Mechanical Engineering is focused on a systems approach to vehicle technologies, with research in land, air, space, and sea vehicles. Current projects include extensive research into alternative propulsion systems such as PEM and SOFC fuel cells and hybrid vehicles. Our faculty also investigate how to reduce emissions from current land vehicles such as diesel trucks. Students work with faculty to design, build and fly small aircraft capable of carrying payloads ranging from several ounces to over a dozen pounds. Numerous projects are related to the development of a small scale open-architecture open-source robotics platform for a wide range of research applications, and for underwater  maintenance operations.

RIT ME

Faculty Contributors

Dr. Satish Kandlikar, PEM Fuel Cell Water Mgmt.

Dr. Jason Kolodziej, PEM Controls, Air Vehicle Systems

Dr. Jeff Kozak, Air Vehicle Systems

Dr. Tuhin Das, Hybrid Vehicle Control Systems

Dr. Alan Nye, High Performance FSAE Vehicles

Dr. Wayne Walter, Autonomous Land & Marine Vehicles

Dr. R. Stevens, Thermoelectric Energy Recovery

Dr. Ali Ogut, Diesel Emissions

Collaborators

General Motors Corporation

Delphi Corporation

Toyota Corporation

US Department of Energy

US Office of Naval Research

NYSERDA

Current Research Projects

Water Management in PEM Fuel Cells

Dynamic Hybrid Control

PEM Fuel Cell Water Management

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

Self-Regenerating Particulate Trap Systems For Emissions