Experience

Simpson Gumpertz & Heger

August 2019 - Present

  • Developing fully validated computational fluid dynamics simulations using StarCCM+ for the design and analysis of large-scale public facilities, enhancing performance and operational efficiency
  • Conducting comprehensive thermal and structural analyses on critical infrastructure projects, identifying and mitigating potential failure points to ensure safety and reliability in compliance with industry standards
  • Spearheading the integration of high-performance computing resources into the simulation workflow, increasing project completion speed by 500%
  • Coordinating project requirements between internal team members and clients as a lead engineer, managing schedules to ensure deliverables are completed on time and within budget
  • Writing detailed proposals for clients, including internal budgets, project phasing, and task plans, ensuring clear communication and alignment with client expectations

Notable Projects

  • Fusion Reactor Cooling System Design and Assessment
    • Sized reactor coolant channels to maximize heat transfer efficacy while mitigating buoyancy-driven flow instability effects, increasing the average convective heat transfer coefficient by 75% relative to the base design
    • Assessed the efficacy of the cooling system under normal operating and hotspot conditions using transient simulations in StarCCM+, ensuring optimal performance of all channels
    • Created graphical representations of pressure, mass flow rate, and temperature to justify design decisions in monthly meetings with the design team
  • Fission Reactor Seismic Loading Assessment
    • Analyzed coolant flow behavior under seismic loading conditions using a VOF transient simulation in StarCCM+, comparing coolant sloshing height to local safety regulations
    • Characterized proper coolant flow rate through the reactor using a provided pump curve and a submodel-derived system curve
    • Proposed design solutions to mitigate sloshing based on simulation results and discussions with the design team
  • Airport Parking Garage Natural Ventilation Design and Assessment
    • Developed a comprehensive CFD model using StarCCM+ to evaluate the necessity of an HVAC system in a 6-story parking garage, confirming that natural ventilation is sufficient to maintain vehicular CO emissions within acceptable EPA limits and leading to an 80% reduction in overall design costs
    • Evaluated total vehicular CO emissions levels considering factors such as average vehicle speed, projected number of electric vehicles, impact of reformulated gasoline, and expected vehicle starts per hour
    • Collected publicly available DMV registration records to extrapolate the number of electric vehicles, using Python to fit 20 years of data to logistic curves
    • Aggregated local wind speed, wind direction, temperature, and relative humidity data to obtain average seasonal weather conditions over 10 years using Python
    • Ran 3D transient simulations over peak traffic hours to optimize the inlet area needed for natural ventilation, improving ventilation design efficacy by 40% relative to the base design
  • Large-Scale Museum Condensation Risk and Occupant Comfort Assessment
    • Assessed condensation risk on interior glazing and evaluated occupant comfort in a new 18,000 square foot museum under worst-case heating and cooling conditions
    • Optimized air supply placement and throw in sensitive regions to mitigate air stratification and minimize glazing condensation, reducing condensation risk by 68% relative to the base design
    • Modeled internal air spaces, internal heat generation, air supplies and returns, fenestration components, occupant heat and moisture loads, lighting heat loads, and solar heat loads with steady-state simulations in StarCCM+, generating graphical representations of temperature, relative humidity, flow streamlines, and glazing surfaces with a high risk of condensation
    • Provided consulting advice and design assistance to the design team on HVAC strategies to reduce condensation risk and maintain occupant comfort while meeting space setpoint requirements
  • Large-Scale Residential Condensation Risk Assessment
    • Conducted a condensation risk assessment using ANSYS Workbench for a new 96,000 square foot residential building
    • Created a 3D steady-state thermal model considering night sky radiation, local ASHRAE design temperatures, and exterior wind speeds
    • Performed an interior convection coefficient sensitivity study and advised the design team on HVAC strategies to mitigate condensation potential, reducing condensation potential to 35 nonconsecutive hours per year

CFD Undergraduate Researcher: University of Alabama

May 2018 - August 2018

  • Developed and validated a CFD model using particle image velocimetry to predict airflow patterns and in-cylinder tumble in a 2.4-liter Chrysler Cirrus engine, achieving close agreement between PIV and CFD results
  • Utilized advanced PIV imaging techniques to visualize and analyze airflow velocity vectors, applying multi-pass iteration schemes, median filters, and smoothing filters for high-resolution vector fields
  • Successfully presented findings at the 71st annual meeting of the APS Division of Fluid Dynamics, demonstrating accurate prediction of nondimensional tumble numbers and velocity vector magnitudes within a 95% confidence interval

FEA Engineering Intern: Harris Corporation

May 2017 - August 2017

  • Modeled and physically tested radar jammer components to meet structural, vibrational, and thermal criteria using ANSYS Mechanical APDL and CREO Parametric, integrating component design into the overall assembly