Energy Engineer

NARI SOUNDARRAJAN

*** ***** ***, ***** *******, PA 16801 Ph: 814-***-**** ******@***.***

HIGHLIGHTS

• A skilled analytical researcher with interdisciplinary engineering and mineral science background.

• An excellent team player with a proven ability to handle stressful tasks and balance multiple projects.

• Experienced with mentoring student groups for SEEMS program and undergraduate assistants in labs.

EDUCATION

Ph.D. Candidate (ABD) Energy and Geo-environmental Engineering (Current 3.56/4.0) May 2006- 2013

The Pennsylvania State University

Master of Science (thesis), Mechanical Engineering (3.74/4.0) May 2005

The Pennsylvania State University

Bachelor of Technology, Naval Architecture (Major GPA 7.80/10) August 1999

Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, India

TECHNICAL AND BUSINESS SKILLS

● Excellent presentation skills and ease of use with computer media, PowerPoint, new media, and stage presence.

● Modeling combustion chemistry, fluid mechanics and heat/mass transfer in CHEMKIN, FLUENT.

● Physical and chemical analysis of coal and biomass using ASTM standards and SEM, XRD, EDS and AES.

● High level of expertise in particle sizing (Laser diffraction, ImageJ, Gatan) and PIV.

● Hands-on laboratory experience and expertise in inventory management of equipment and chemicals.

WORK EXPERIENCE

Freelance Consulting (Engineering) Nov 2012-current

• Conducted comprehensive technical research on heat exchanger fouling for client working on flowback water

treatment in Marcellus shale.

• Conducted techno-economic analysis on Greenfield power projects for client and advised on equipment

purchase.

• Conducted detailed technical analysis and ghostwrote grant proposals for Solar PV and Biomass projects.

PhD work at Penn State & with NETL : July 2007- Dec 2013

Partitioning of mineral matter in coal to improve gasifier reliability and performance

● Characterized coal particles and chars by multiple characterization and analysis techniques SEM, EDS, XRD,

AES and Mossbauer spectroscopy. Conducted gasification experiments in lab scale reactors. Designed ceramic

coupons for ash deposition experiments.

● Identified and quantified mineral transformations occurring in the coal fractions during atmospheric gasification.

Matched the particle classes in coal that lead to flyash generation and carryover.

● Collaborated with multi –institutional teams by supplying crucial experimental data to modeling teams across

multiple disciplines. Analyzed and presented data to scientific peers at conferences.

Independent Work – Mining Engineering : Soil and rock testing for tunneling applications Oct 2011- Aug 2012

● Conducted abrasion experiments on steels cutter faces at various soil hardness and viscosities.

Pennsylvania IPP Contract : Prediction of ash split in fluidized bed combustors Jan 2005 – 2007

● Validation of a numerical model to predict bottom ash and flyash in waste-coal burning circulating fluidized bed

boilers enabling heat recovery and improving the energy efficiency.

● Analyzed and characterized coals, ashes and sorbents using techniques such as SEM, XRD and AES to

understand the combustion chemistry, equilibrium thermodynamics and ash particle transportation mechanics in

CFB combustors.

Summer Research: Exfoliation of Anthracite and Graphite Nanofibers (GNF) Summer 2004

● Developed experimental methods utilizing acid chemistry to modify the structure of carbon material in

anthracite and Graphite nanofibers.

● Designed an electrochemical cell for carbon intercalation of ions into the carbon electrodes.

● Characterized the treated samples using SEM and B.E.T. (surface area) to understand structure-property

relationships.

IT WORK EXPERIENCE

Teaching Assistant (Various courses) May 2006– Dec 2013

Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering, Penn State - University Park

● Supervised an undergraduate teaching assistant and assisted instructor in handling 3 large. Worked in fast paced

high pressure environments in handling multiple student queries and resolved issues successfully.

Instructor Assistant May 2004– Aug 2005

Information Technology Services, Training Services Division, Penn State - University Park

● Assisted seminar instructor in preparation of course materials for classes on Dreamweaver, Microsoft Access,

Adobe Suite of Applications, FilemakerPro, SPSS.

International Experience: HSG-Institute for Micro and Information Technology, Germany Summer 2002

Guest Scientific Researcher, Micromachining and Biomedical Device Testing

● Investigated air-liquid flows in micro-channels using experimental methods. Designed a microfluidic testing

channel in collaboration with technicians at Univ. of Freiburg. Tested the prototype for velocity profiles and

mixing capabilities.

● Tested and characterized microvalves in a commercial biomedical dosage system. Identified air leaks in system

and suggested modifications in design to fix the problem.

Microfluidics Systems Laboratory, UCSB, then Penn State Sep 1999-Dec 2004

• Sourced, negotiated and installed Fluoroscence Microscopy systems and Vibration Isolation tables for

microfluidics laboratory 1 and 2. Utilized PIV and Microscopy to understand microscale fluid mixing.

• Designed microscale flow experiments, supervised undergraduate students and prepared scientific reports.

CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS

Soundarrajan, N. and Pisupati, S.V. 2nd International Conference on Advances in Energy Engineering (ICAEE

2011) December 27-28, 2011, Bangkok, Thailand.

Soundarrajan, N., Gibson, L., Krishnamurthy, N., Shadle, L.J. and Pisupati, S.V. Presented at the 28 th International

Pittsburgh Coal Conference, Pittsburgh PA, Sep 2011.

Soundarrajan, N. and Pisupati, S.V. Poster - NETL 2011 Workshop on Multiphase Flow Science, Coraopolis PA.

Soundarrajan, N., Meinhart, C.D., Mezic, I.; Microscale Mixing using Transverse Momentum, 54th Annual Meeting of

the Division of Fluid Dynamics, American Physical Society, November 2001, San Diego CA.

REFEREED PUBLICATIONS

N. Soundarrajan, N Krishnamurthy, SV Pisupati, 2013, International Journal of Clean Coal and Energy 2, 58 .

LT Gibson, N Soundarrajan, J Spenik, J Ma, L Shadle, SV Pisupati, 2013, Energy & Fuels 27 (12), 7681-7695.

Soundarrajan, N., Rozelle, P. and Pisupati, S.; “Development and Use of a Method for Prediction of the Ash Split in a

CFBC Boiler to Improve the Energy Efficiency”, Fuel 102 (2012).

Soundarrajan, N., Krishnamurthy, N. and Pisupati, S.V., “Physical and Chemical Characterization of Coal Particles Used

as Entrained Flow Gasifier Feedstock: Heterogeneity in Mineral Matter Distribution”, Energy Procedia 14 (2012).

NARI SOUNDARRAJAN

Awards and Leadership Initiatives

Scott E. Castalez Scholarship 2007 - US Clean Heat and Power Association Travel Award.

Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant (2005-2006), EGEE Department.

Ask Science Lions Chair, Science Lions: A Penn State student club to promote science in K-12.

Member, Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) and American Chemical Society (ACS).

SEEMS group under my leadership won 2nd prize in the year 2010.

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