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Industrial Interactions
The Engineering Diagnostics Team has a long history of interaction with engineers and scientists who need diagnostics to help solve their problems. Technology transfer is facile when a user feels comfortable enough to describe the project and the needs for information.
A series of diagnostics for engineering problems and a short course on Practical Aspects of Process Analytical Chemistry have resulted from this interaction.
Many of these interactions have resulted in scientific papers and presentations, and those interested in further description are encouraged to peruse the list of publications and the papers and presentations page.
United Technologies Research Center
Lynn Melton worked at United Technologies Research Center in 1981-82, in the Laser Diagnostics Group headed by Dr. Alan Eckbreth. Work on the Laser Induced Incandescence of soot laid the foundation, in the 1990's, to a method for quantitative imaging of the soot volume fraction a key parameter in the determination of combustion performance. Through interaction with the Combustion Group, he learned of problems in imaging the fuel vapor concentrations, both in gas turbine and in diesel engines. In response to this challenge, he created the "exciplex method", in which the vapor fluoresces purple and the liquid fluoresces green. This method, and its descendents, has become the standard method for studying real time evaporation of hydrocarbon fuel sprays.
In addition, this research program yield fluorescent diagnostics for the liquid phase temperature, a method for demonstrating internal circulation in 500 micron droplets, a method for imaging of nanosecond fluorescent lifetimes (with applications to imaging of equivalence ratios and vapor phase temperature), images of the transient temperature field within a 500 micron hydrocarbon droplet, and a method for imaging of the fuel film thickness on the walls of an engine cylinder.
The hydrocarbon-based diagnostics research has been supported by United Technologies Research Center, the United States Army Research Office, and the United States Air Force Office of Scientific Research.
In 1998-99, Lynn Melton worked, as part of a Special Faculty Development Assignment, at the Dow Chemical Company Corporate R&D, Fluid Mechanics and Mixing Group, in Freeport, Texas, in close collaboration with C.W. Lipp. There, he expanded his diagnostic development interests to include both immediate process-related problems and longer range process development tools. He led the development of a inexpensive reaction-based colorimetric diagnostic for mixing times ( DISMT) and a reaction-based fluorescent diagnostic for generation of data which could be used to evaluate sub-grid turbulence mixing models used in CFD calculations. The research on advanced diagnostics for industrial mixing problems has continued at UT-Dallas. Current research problems include colorimetric and fluorescent systems for " formation of byproducts", methods for quantitative fluorescence imaging, reaction-based fluorescent diagnostics which produce signal only in the reaction/mixing zone, and diagnostics for oxygen distribution in model bio-reactors.
The mixing diagnostics research has been supported by Dow Chemical Company and by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, Advanced Technology Program.
While at Dow Chemical Company, Lynn Melton also worked with the Process Analytical Chemistry Group to develop a short course, Practical Aspects of Process Analytical Chemistry. The course materials are now available on CD-ROM. In January 2001, UT-Dallas, Dow Chemical Company, and Air Products and Chemicals collaborated to offer a one week intensive workshop for college faculty, so that they could learn about process analytical chemistry and incorporate the material into their own courses. The workshop was held at the Dow Chemical Company site in Freeport, Texas and made use of the plant site for field trips. Additional workshops will likely be held, at Dow and at other sites, in the future. Interested faculty and companies should contact Lynn Melton.
Last Updated: September 17, 2001
Designed by Allison Weiner and maintained by Laura Melton.