Larry Theller has been recognized by the GIS Certification Institute as GIS Professional or GISP. This requires completing a portfolio-based certification process requiring years of service, publications, or projects, and with a strong public service component. Congratulations, Larry Theller, GISP!

Professor Shweta Singh was awarded the Best Student Paper at the AIChE Annual Meeting held in Atlanta, GA, November 17-21, 2014. Her paper was presented in the Sustainable Engineering Forum: "Accounting for the Biogeochemical Cycle of Nitrogen in Input-Output Life Cycle Assessment," Environ Science & Technology. 

Awards are presented to "full-time undergraduate or graduate students who prepare the best technical papers that describe results related to engineering and sustainability." Dr. Singh's paper was the only one selected for award this year. Congratulations, Dr. Singh!

Maha Graduates

On November 6, 2014, Andrew Schenk held his Ph.D. defense, presenting his work on a highly advanced model for simulating the slipper-swashplate lubrication interface of axial piston machines. This model will allow for future design studies geared toward improving the efficiency of these piston machines. Andrew also spent significant time developing and running a test rig to measure gap heights in this lubrication interface with the help of former Maha master’s student Natalie Spencer. The test rig will enable future researchers to further study the complex behavior of this important lubricating interface of swash plate type pumps.

On December 3^rd, Ashley Wondergem obtained her master’s degree. Ashley’s research focuses on improving the performance and efficiency of axial piston machines through the micro surface shaping of the piston-cylinder lubrication interface. During her defense, Ashley presented the simulation results she observed in terms of leakage and power loss for numerous different piston surface shapes. Her research is a first step towards novel designs of axial piston pumps that can help to improve the overall system efficiency of various hydraulic systems, and will especially further improve the performance of displacement controlled actuation and hydraulic hybrids.

On December 4^th, Pulkit Agarwal defended his master’s thesis. He has developed a model that simulates the behavior and losses associated with the lubricating interfaces of radial piston pumps. In the future, this model can be used to run studies to minimize the losses and optimize the efficiency of these pumps. In a laboratory that focuses heavily on axial piston pumps and external gear machines, the radial piston pump presented an entirely new challenge, and through Pulkit’s work, has endowed the Maha Research Center with new knowledge and expertise.

On December 5^th, Timothy Opperwall held his preliminary defense, discussing his research on the noise emission of external gear machines. In carefully measuring and working to understand the noise emitted, especially in terms of its frequency content, Tim’s research is opening the door to future measures for reducing pump noise. Noise reduction is crucial to the advancement of hydraulics because of the extreme discomfort and even health risks that can result from the noise produced by hydraulic machines if not properly handled.

Congratulations Andrew, Ashley, Pulkit and Tim!

Maha Awards

Prof. Monika Ivantysynova has been inaugurated into the Purdue Innovator Hall of Fame for her work in designing efficient hydraulic systems, specifically the development of an energy-saving steer-by-wire system and the technical advancements made in decreasing the fuel consumption of construction machinery. She was awarded a plaque for her patent (US Patent 8474254) on the “System and method for enabling floating of earthmoving implements.” Congratulations Prof. Ivantysynova!

And while we are congratulating Professor Ivantysynova, the ABE 49000 class found an effective way to honor her during her in-class presentation on Thursday, December 11 (which just happens to be her birthday)!

Hani Mansour, visiting Post-Doc Research Fellow in ABE, is the editor of a new book in the Research Advances in Sustainable Micro Irrigation book series, Closed Circuit Trickle Irrigation Design. Available Summer, 2015, the book "presents a diverse collection of research on closed circuit irrigational technology and design and provides studies of its use on such crops as wheat, maize, yellow corn, soybeans, rice, and snap peas." Congratulations, Dr. Mansour!