Expand the Number of Faculty Working in Wind Energy
Project Leads:
Wind Energy Supply Chain - Dr. Bayram Yildirim, Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, College of Engineering, Wichita State University
Co-Generation Technologies (PEM FuelCells) - Dr. T.S. Ravigururajan, Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, Wichita State University
The long-year goal of this project is to expand the number of faculty in the CoE working in wind energy systems. The one-year goal of the project is to develop two additional areas of expertise related to wind energy (fuel-cell energy storage and more efficient wind-system supply chains) by providing faculty with seed funding. The project is significant for several reasons: First, by expanding on the expertise within the CoE, this unit will better serve the state of Kansas in its efforts to promote wind energy and the wind-energy industry in general. Second, for large-sized wind turbines, the transportation and logistics costs may be as much as 25 percent of the building/implementation cost of the project initial cost. Finally, co-generation technologies (PEM fuel cells) will figure greatly in dealing with the high variability in energy generation at low-wind sites. The approach is to provide seed funding for two faculty to develop research agendas in the areas of wind system supply chains/logistics and PEM fuel cells. Seed funding will be used to establish partnerships with industry, to establish contacts at NREL/Sandia, and to develop a research agenda with short- and long-term objectives.
The milestones and deliverables for this one year project are as follows:
- Establish industrial partnerships, national laboratory contacts, and research objectives.
- Refine research objectives, plan for research, and provide a document outlining the research agenda.
Contact Information:
Bayram Yildirim, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering
College of Engineering
Wichita State University
bayram.yildirim@wichita.edu
T. S. Ravigururajan, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering
College of Engineering
Wichita State University
ts.ravi@wichita.edu
Supported by the Department of Energy
DOE DE-FG36-08GO88149
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