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Dave Rothamer youtube
November 7, 2023

Faculty Focus: David Rothamer

Written By: Caitlin Scott

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Dave Rothamer is the Robert Lorenz Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Director of the Engine Research Center and Associate Dean for Research in the College of Engineering. His group researches engine combustion, laser diagnostics, fuel property impacts, and particulate filtration and emissions. The group is part of the Engine Research Center, one of the largest academic research centers focused on internal combustion engines.

View Prof. Rothamer’s faculty research video feature >>

Mechanical Engineering Research – Dave Rothamer

IN TECHNICAL TERMS

What one project are you most excited about working on right now?

One of the areas I am most excited about right now is work we have focused on energy-assisted compression-ignition (EACI) combustion. This work is focused on developing a combustion approach that can be used for a wide range fuels with a focus on enabling broader use of sustainable and renewable fuels in engines for applications that are hard to electrify. This work has focused on studying both the assistance of ignition of one or more fuel jets and utilizing the chemical to sensible energy conversation from the fuel jets whose ignition has been assisted to achieve complete, efficient, combustion for the remaining fuel injected in-cylinder. To date we have primarily studied thermal energy deposition by an ignition assistant to assist combustion, but we will be exploring other approaches including plasma and laser ignition in the near future.

What do you think the impact will be on tech and society?

The approach has excellent potential to enable combustion of hard to ignite renewable fuels (methanol, ethanol, hydrogen, ammonia, SAFs, etc.) in high-efficiency compression-ignition engines with minimal engine modifications. This would enable use of these fuels in a wide range of hard to electrify applications such as farming, construction, aviation, and rail and marine shipping. With suitable low net GHG emission fuels this would allow for significant reductions in GHG emissions for these applications in the next decade.