Riley Barta

Adjunct Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering

Location: West Lafayette

bartar@purdue.edu

Websites

Degrees

  • B.S., Purdue University, '16
  • Ph.D., Purdue University, '20

Research Interests

  • Modeling and Analysis of Thermal Systems
  • Heat Pumping, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Technologies
  • High Performance Buildings
  • Refrigerant and Lubricant Properties

Fundamental Research Area(s)

Application Area(s)

Awards and Recognitions

  • Outstanding Faculty Mentor Award, College of Engineering (2026)
  • ASHRAE New Investigator Award (2024)
  • DKV-Young Talent Award for Ph.D. Dissertation (Nachwuchs-Ehrung)(2022)
  • Alexander von Humboldt Research Fellowship (2021)
  • William E. and Florence R. Perry Graduate Teaching Fellowship (2019)
  • ASHRAE Grant-in-Aid Recipient with Life Member Club Distinction (2019)
  • Bottomley Undergraduate Research Fellowship (2016)

Selected Publications

Parmar, Y.S., Liang, C., Yana Motta, S., Liu, H., Groll, E.A., and Barta, R.B. (2026), “Experimental and Numerical Framework for Scroll Compressor Technology Development for Refrigerants with Global Warming Potential < 150,” Applied Thermal Engineering. 10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2026.132583

Hartzell, A.J. and Barta, R.B. (2026), “Comparison and analysis of various numerical and machine learning methods for prediction of thermal management system performance and design,” Energy Conversion and Management. 10.1016/j.enconman.2026.122002

Hassan, R., Gadagkar, D., and Barta, R.B. (2026), “Multi-scenario assessment of waste heat recovery retrofits in modern passenger ships: a fleet-wide case study,” Energy. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2026.128030

Gadagkar, D., Hoess, A.J., Ziviani, D. and Barta, R.B. (2026), “Modeling of High-Temperature Heat Pump Cycles for Industrial Applications Using Moving Boundary Heat Exchangers and Advanced Cycle Architectures,” Applied Thermal Engineering. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2025.129039

Hassan, R., Reich, E.M., Costello, B., McCarthy, J.E., and Barta, R.B. (2026), “Comparative Analyses of Recuperator Integration in PEMFC Air Systems,” Applied Energy. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2025.127219

Cop, M., Barta, R.B., Thomas, C., and Hesse, U. (2023), "Experimental Investigation of a Heat Pump Tumble Dryer with a Zeotropic Refrigerant Mixture," International Journal of Refrigeration. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrefrig.2023.11.018

St?ckel, K., Nosbers, R., Barta, R.B., and Thomas, C. (2023). "Measurement of Vapour Pressure, Miscibility and Thermal Conductivity for Binary and Ternary Refrigerant Lubricant Mixtures in the Context of Heat Pump Tumble Dryers," International Journal of Refrigeration. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrefrig.2023.04.016

Ossorio, R., Navarro-Peris, E., and Barta, R.B. (2022). “Impact of Lubricant in the Performance of Variable Speed Heat Pumps Working with R290,” International Journal of Refrigeration. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrefrig.2022.10.003

Karaefe, R.E., Post, P., Venzik, V., Wotzka, P., Barta, R.B., Di Mare, F., and M?ller, D. (2022). “On Integrated Fluid Screening and Turbomachinery Design for Optimized Industrial Heat Pumps,” Journal of Engineering for Gas Turbines and Power. GTP-22-1422, https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4055795

Barta, R.B., Dhillon, P., Braun, J.E., Ziviani, D., and Groll, E.A. (2021). "Design and Optimization Strategy for Ejector Applied in Refrigeration Cycle," Applied Thermal Engineering. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2021.116682