• School of Engineering and Applied Science, Aston University

      B4 7ET Birmingham

      United Kingdom

    Accepting PhD Students

    PhD projects

    > Compact and responsive sorption systems - Thermal energy storage, cooling, desalination.
    > Renewable-powered cooling
    > Quantum Refrigeration

    Personal profile

    Contact Details

    Email:  [email protected]

    Phone number:  +44 (0)121 204 3601

    Office: MB154L

    Biography

    I am a Senior Lecturer of Thermal-Fluid Sciences in Mechanical Engineering, and his mainstream research is in sustainable & Zero-carbon heating and cooling technologies and heat storage. I joined Aston University in November 2017 and have been undertaking research nationally and in collaboration with other countries (e.g., Rwanda, Kenya, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Ghana and Egypt) on these research topics. I am a principal investigator at the Energy and Bioproducts Research Institute (EBRI) and lead the sustainable process research at the Engineering for Sustainable Development Centre. My PhD/DPhil in adsorption cooling systems was awarded in December 2012. I have extensive first-hand research experience in thermal systems modelling and optimisation. I developed several adsorption/desiccant systems modelling approaches, which other researchers have widely adopted. I also worked in Industrial Research with Prof John Allport at the University of Huddersfield concerning 1D engine modelling to study and optimise the electrification of turbochargers, which also included 3D Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) turbine modelling and coupled 1D/3D-FCD modelling.

    I am keen to collaborate on industrially-focussed projects as well as academic ones.

    Current Team Members:

    • Sadri Shadabi, Full Time PhD on geothermal energy storage (Main Supervisor).
    • Armin Esmaeilzadeh - Visiting PhD researchcher.
    • Simon Mwangi, Full Time PhD on cooling (Associate Supervisor).
    • Dr Ainul Nadirah Izaharuddin, KTP Research Associate, Aston University.
    • Nathaniel Essilfie, Africa KTP Research Associate in Ghana, Aston University & University of Cape Coast & Global Starch Company Ltd.
    • Syed Iqrar, Research Associate on mobile refrigeration.
    • Durga Prasad, Project coordinator of REnewable Energy access for Future UK Net-Zero Cooling (Reef-UKC).

    Team Alumni:

    • Dr Handsome Banda, Full Time PhD on addressing heat and mass transfer limitations in adsorption bed for cooling and water desalination applications. Completed in (Main Supervisor).
    • Dr Yohan Engineer, PhD on losses modelling in axial flow turbines for organic Rankine cycle application, Aston University. Completed in (Main Supervisor).
    • Dr Mohamed Mito, PhD on Optimising the Operation of Renewable Energy-Driven Reverse Osmosis Desalination. Completed in (Associate Supervisor).
    • Mr Mohammed Rahmani - Research Assistant on sustainable cooling transport.
    • Dr Chukwuma Azimoh, Full-Time Research Associate, Aston University.
    • Rory Fulwell, Full-Time Research Engineer (Project Co-I).
    • Dr Ehsan Baniasadi, Full-Time Research Associate, Aston University.
    • Dr Marzia Alam, Full-Time Research Associate, Aston University (Project Co-I).
    • Ovie Ophori, Africa KTP Research Associate, Aston University & University of Port Harcourt (Project Co-I).
    • Dr Ahmed Alammar, Research Associate, Aston University.
    • Julia Fernando, Research Associate (Business), Aston University.

    Employment

    2017 - Current: lecturer, Senior lecturer - College of Engineering and Physical Science, Aston University, Birmingham.

    2015-2017: Research fellow - School of Computing and Engineering, University of Huddersfield with Prof John Allport.

    2014-2015: Assistant Professor - Mechanical Engineering, Alexandria University, Egypt.

    2013-2014: Lecturer - Mechanical Engineering, Yanbu Industrial College, Saudi Arabia.

    Teaching Activity

    I teach across the breadth of Mechanical Engineering with a main focus on Thermal Fluid sciences.

    Membership of Professional Bodies

    • Senior Fellow of Higher Education Academy (SFHEA).
    • Chartered Engineer (CEng).
    • Member of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers (MI-IMechE).
    • Member of the Academic Assessment Committee of IMechE (AAC-IMechE).

    Research Interests

    • Sustainable and renewable-powered cooling technologies.
    • Thermal energy storing and upgrading.
    • Heat pump and refrigeration.
    • Heat recovery systems design and optimisation.
    • I am interested in the emerging quantum cooling technologies.

    Professional/editorial offices

    I am a member of the editorial board for the Renewable and Sustainable Energy Technology (RSET) Journal.

    Research Projects/Collaborations

    2025 - 2026

    British Council - International Science Partnerships Fund (ISPF) - £195,000

    Eco-friendly Hybrid Desalination System via integrating Solar and Geothermal Energy with Biomaterials (PI)

    2024 - 2026

    EPSRC - Network funding to discover the next generation of renewable energy technologies - £500,000

    Network funding to discover the next generation of renewable energy technologies (PI)

    2024 - 2025

    Efficiency for Access - AgriTech - £280,000

    RADiCool -Low-cost mobile refrigerated transportation for perishable goods in Africa (PI)

    2024 - 2025

    Innovate UK - Zero Emission Generators (ZE-Gen) Accelerator - £150,000

    Hybrid Wind Solar Generator technology (WiST) in Nigeria (PI)

    2023 - 2024

    Innovate UK - Energy Catalyst Round 10 - £1,300,000

    CoolRun Malawi, project on fast precooling and cooling transport in Malawi (Co-I)

    2023 - 2026

    Innovate UK - Africa KTP - £234,891

    Collaboration with the University of Cape Coast, Ghana, on developing sustainable modular desiccant food dryers (PI)

    2023 - 2024

    GCRF - Networking Grant - £25,000 

    Cold chain mapping towards nature-assisted cooling in East Africa: Networking and capacity building (UK-PI)

    2023 - 2024

     QR - Pump Priming fund - £20,000

    Fundamental research on optimising ionic liquids for sorption heat storage (Co-I)

    2023 - 2024

    Innovate UK - Energy Catalyst Round 9 - £299,000

    Hybrid Energy Powered Smart Irrigation System for Smallholder Farmers in Pakistan (Co-I)

    2023 - 2024

    Innovate UK - Energy Catalyst Round 9 - £280,000

    Off-grid modular cold rooms and precoolers for remote and dry areas in Ethiopia (PI)

    2022 - 2023

    BISE - Industrial Energy Transformation Fund - £140,000

    Waste heat recovery through the rotary heat exchanger in the aggregate processing industry (Co-I).

    2023 - 2026

    Innovate UK - KTP - £252,145

    New range of modular energy-efficient furnaces in the aluminium scrap industry (PI).

    2021 - 2022

    STFC Food Network - £10,000

    Project on developing a smart cold box connected to the food supply chain in collaboration with Kenya and Uganda (PI).

    2021 - 2023

    The Royal Society - International Exchange - £11,680

    Project on studying the new sorption composites for cooling in collaboration with Kyushu University Japan

    2020 - 2021

    Innovate UK - Africa Knowledge Transfer Partnership - £238,040

    Project on solar-driven precoolers for post-harvesting food preservation. Aston University (UK) and University of Port Harcourt & ColdHubs Ltd (Nigeria) (Co-I).

    2020 - 2021

    Innovate UK - GCRF - demonstrate impact in meeting the sustainable development - £77,000

    Project on producing clean water in rural villages in Pakistan (led by AIR PUREX LTD) (Co-I).

    2019 - 2020

    QR - research England - £50,000

    Cooling for Life in Sub-Saharan Africa, an interdisciplinary research project on developing a sustainable cooling package to preserve post-harvesting perishable foodstuff in Rwanda (PI).

    2019 - 2021

    Academy for Science and Technology JESOR - £50,000

    Development of off-grid solar-driven adsorption water-desalination system (An application to brackish coastal groundwater) (UK-PI).

    2018 - 2019

    QR - Institute of Material Research - £1,500

    Investigating the potential use of graphene to intensify the heat transfer performance of adsorption systems (PI).

    2017

    QR – University of Huddersfield - £33,000

    Building a baseline thermal-driven adsorption cooling system as energy recovery research (PI).

    2015 - 2017

    STDF - Egyptian National Challenges Program - £75,000

    Design and pilot testing of a novel efficient solar-driven Silica Gel/Water Adsorption Cooling system.

     

     

    Media Contributions

    Education/Academic qualification

    PG Cert, PGCert in L&T for higher education, Aston University

    Award Date: 1 Jan 2019

    PhD, Adsorption cooling systems, University of Birmingham

    Award Date: 31 Dec 2012

    MSc, Centrifugal chillers, Alexandria University

    Award Date: 30 May 2008

    BSc, Mechanical Engineering, Alexandria University

    Award Date: 31 May 2004

    External positions

    IMechE - Academic Assessment Committee Member

    2020 → …

    Keywords

    • TJ Mechanical engineering and machinery

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