The ME-EM Graduate Seminar guest speakers on Thurs. Jan. 30at 4:00 in 103 EERC will be Dr. Samveg Saxena from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
Title: ‘Powertrain Technologies for a Climate Constrained World: Advanced Engines, Vehicle Electrification and Vehicle-Grid Integration’.
Advanced Engines, Vehicle Electrification and Vehicle-Grid Integration Vehicle transportation accounts for ~23% of global energy use, significant greenhouse gas emissions, and a substantial amount of harmful urban pollutants. Many competing technology options exist to mitigate the growing transportation challenges, and this seminar presents a high-level overview of research at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in various powertrain technology areas.
In engines: Low temperature combustion (LTC) is one promising direction for high efficiency and low emission engines for vehicles of the future. This seminar presents an overview of a recent review article in the journal “Progress in Energy and Combustion Science” which can be found at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.pecs.2013.05.002. The article reviews fundamental phenomena governing the performance of LTC engines and uses this as a foundation to discuss promising directions in LTC engine technology and gaps in current literature.
In vehicle electrification and vehicle-grid integration: This seminar introduces the LBNL Vehicle-to-Grid Simulation (V2G-Sim) platform, which provides a systematic framework for understanding how vehicles impact the electricity grid and how vehicle charging and V2G can be controlled to enable optimal grid integration. In powertrain innovations for the developing world: This seminar discusses how powertrain simulation can be used to design better vehicles for rapidly growing developing world markets.
Dr. Saxena is a research scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) where he leads a vehicle powertrain research program. Sam completed his Ph.D in Mechanical Engineering at UC Berkeley in 2011 where he led several studies on innovative engine technologies for higher efficiency combustion, including LTC, microwave-assisted spark ignition, and cylinder deactivation strategies. Using this experience, Dr. Saxena has provided the technical foundation to secure over $2.8 Million in engine and powertrain research funding from the US DOE, California Energy Commission and other agencies. In early 2012, Dr. Saxena joined LBNL working on modeling of vehicle powertrain systems. Prior to beginning his Ph.D, Dr. Saxena worked in industry on engine and vehicle powertrain research at the Toronto-based companies: Magna Powertrain Engine Technologies Group, and Multimatic Technical Center. Dr. Saxena has been recognized in the Canadian House of Commons for his leadership excellence and has several awards for his demonstrated excellence in teaching and research, including the NSERC Canada Graduate Scholarship, and serves as a reviewer, session organizer, and editorial board member for leading conferences and journals in combustion, engines and powertrain technologies. After hours, Sam enjoys trail runs in the hills around LBNL.