Dr. P. Muthukumar

Professor

Room No. C- 303,
Department of Mechanical Engineering

IIT Guwahati, Guwahati. Pin:781039.

Tel:+91-361-2582673 (O)
+91-361-2584673 (R)
Fax: +91-361-2690762

pmkumar@iitg.ac.in

Currently at Department of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Tirupati
pmkumar@iittp.ac.in

Date  of Birth: 15-06-1975

Place of Birth:

Desavilakku, Salem District, Tamil Nadu, INDIA

Nationality: Indian

Marital Status: Married

  • Ph.D. Mechanical Engineering, Studies on metal hydride based thermal devices for compression and storage of hydrogen, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, India, December 2004.
  • M.E. Mechanical Engineering, Specialization in Refrigeration & Air Conditioning, Coimbatore Institute of Technology, Bharathiyar University, February 1999.
  • B.E. Mechanical Engineering, University of Madras, April 1996.
  • Refrigeration
  • Thermal energy storage
  • Hydrogen energy (storage and applications)
  • Metal hydride based thermal machines
  • Sorption heating and cooling systems
  • Porous medium combustion, etc.
  • Details of employment (past & present)

    Organization/ Institute

    Position Held

    Nature of work

    Date of Joining

    Date of Leaving

    IIT Guwahati

     Professor

    Teaching / Research

    28-01-2015

    Continuing

    IIT Guwahati

    Associate  Professor

    Teaching / Research

    9-01-2010

    27-01-2015

    IIT Guwahati

    Assistant Professor

    Teaching / Research

    27-01-2006

    8-01-2010

    IIT Madras

    Project Officer

    Research

    July 2004

    Jan. 2006

    Details of Overseas Professional Experiences

    Organization/ Institute

    Position Held

    Nature of work

    Date of Joining

    Date of Leaving

    Wichita State University

    Visiting Professor under Fulbright Fellowship

    Teaching / Research

    1st March 2018

    29th June 2018

    University of South Florida

    Visiting Professor under BASE fellowship

    Teaching / Research

    3rd June 2014

    29th Nov 2014

    University of Stuttgart Germany

    Visiting Faculty under DAAD Fellowship

    Research and Teaching

    1st June - 31st July 2008

    4th June - 31st July 2010

    10st July – 30th July 2012

    University of Stuttgart Germany

    Scholar Exchange

    Research

    Sept 2000

    Dec 2000

    • BIRAC-Innovation Challenge Award-SoCH Stage –2 2020-21 from Department of Biotechnology, Govt of India
    • Abdul Kalam Technology Innovation National Fellowship 2020-2021 from Indian National Academy of Engineering (INAE)
    • Outstanding Engineering Service Award from Institution of Engineers (India), Rajasthan State on 15th September 2021
    • Appeared in the World’s Top 2 % Scientist in 2020 published by Stanford University, USA 2020.
    • BIRAC-Innovation Challenge Award-SoCH 2020-21 from Department of Biotechnology, Govt of India.
    • Expert Member, Applied Research Solar Stream”: Mechanical/Thermal - SERD 2019, DST, Govt of India.
    • Eminent Engineer 2019 from “The Institution of Engineers (India)”, Assam State Centre, 15th Sep 2019.
    • National Award in Mechanical Engineering Design, from National Design & Research Forum (NDRF) of Institute of Engineers (India), 21st Dec 2017.
    • Fulbright-Nehru Academic & Professional Excellence Award (Teaching & Research) 2017 from Indo - U.S. Science and Technology Forum. Visited Wichita State University, USA form March – May 2018.
    • President,Indian Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ISHRAE), Guwahati sub-chapter from April 2016 – March 2017
    • Fellow, Institute of Engineers (India), September 2015 onwards.
    • Chartered Engineer, The Institution of Engineers (India), 2015 onwards
    • Er. M.P. Baya National Award 2015 for outstanding Mechanical Engineerfrom Instituted by “The Institution of Engineers (India)”, Udaipur.
    • President (Elect),Indian Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ISHRAE), Guwahati sub-chapter from March 2015 –March 2016.
    • Bhaskara Advanced Solar Energy Fellowship (BASE Fellowship), Indo - U.S. Science and Technology Forum, Visited Clean Energy Research Centre, University of South Florida, USA from June – November 2014.
    • Young Engineer Award -2012, from Senior Engineers Forum of Greater Guwahati.
    • DAAD Research Awards: DAAD Research Awards received 3 times for visiting German Universities during 1st June - 31st July 2008, 4th June - 31st July 2010 and 10st July – 30th July 2012.
    • Commission Member from India to work with the International Institute of Refrigeration (IIR) commission in different fields of refrigeration.
    • Represented India in Spain at Indo-Spain joint Workshop on Renewable Energy during 1st - 4th March 2011, Sevilla, Spain.
    • DAAD Research Award for visiting University of Stuttgart during 4thJune - 31st July 2010
    • IEI Young Engineer Award -2010 in Mechanical Engineering, from “The Institution of Engineers (India)”.
    • DAAD Research Award for visiting University of Stuttgart during1st June - 31st July 2008
    • SERC Fast Track Project Grant -2007 for Young Scientist by Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, New Delhi.
    • DST – DAAD Fellowship for visiting University of Stuttgart, Germany during Sept. 2000 to Dec. 2000.
    • Fellow, Institute of Engineers (India), Fellow No: F-120185-5.
    • Chartered Engineer, The Institution of Engineers (India), No F-120185-5.
    • Life Member, Indian Society of Heating Refrigerating and Air-conditioning Engineers, Membership No: 12096.
    • Life Member, Indian Society of Heat and Mass Transfer, Membership No: 548.
    • Life member, Indian Society of Solar Energy, Membership No: LM/1633/2011.
    • Life member, International society for Energy, Environment and Sustainability.
    • Associate Dean, Industrial Interactions and Special Initiatives, 1st Oct 2020 – continuing
    • Chairman, Hostel Affair Board, 1st October 2019 to 30th September 2020
    • Chairman, Institute Air-conditioning Committee, 2013- 2017.
    • Warden, Dihing Hostel, IIT Guwahati, July 2009 - August 2012.
    • Lab In-charge , Thermal Science and Turbo Machines Labs, Mechanical Engineering Department, June 2006 to March 2012.
    • Secretary, Department Postgraduate Program Committee , Mechanical Engineering, March 2009 -March 2011.
    • Member, Department Postgraduate Program Committee, Mechanical Engineering, May 2006 - March 2009.

    Name of the Journal

    Impact factor

    Number of Paper published

    Int J Hydrogen Energy

     5.8

    35

    Applied Thermal Engineering

     5.3

    7

    Solar Energy

     5.7

    10

    Energy

     7.12

    4

    J Energy Storage

     6.5

    4

    Applied Energy

     9.75

    3

    Energy Conversion and Management

     9.7

    5

    Sustainable Energy Technologies and Assessments

     5.3

    3

    Energy for Sustainable Development

     5.4

    1

    J Cleaner Production

     9.3

    1

    Fuel

     6.6

    1

    Building and Environment

     6.5

    1

    J Food Process Engineering

     2.35

    3

    Int J of Energy Research

     3.74

    2

    Int J Green Energy

     2.45

    2

    Heat and Mass Transfer

     5

    2

    Int Communications in Heat and Mass Transfer

     5.7

    1

    Thermal Science and Engineering Progress

     4.4

    3

    J Petroleum Science and Engineering

     4.3

    3

    Int J Refrigeration

     3.6

    2

    Int J Thermal Sciences

     4.01

    2

    Sadhana

     1.18

    3

    J Alloys and Compounds

     5.3

    3

    J Building Engineering

     5.3

    1

    Numerical Heat Transfer Part A: Applications

     3

    1

    J Energy Engineering - ACSE

     1.13

    1

    Int J Energy and Environment

     1.43

    2

    Int Energy Journal

     1

    1

    Broad Area of Research

    No. of student projects / Publications

    Major Contributions

    Development of porous radiant burner for LPG domestic and commercial cooking stoves

     6 Ph.D 12 M.Tech 4 Project Staff Publications:20 Patents : 3 (PCRA and IMPRINT projects)

    Designed and developed LPG cook stoves with porous radiant burners (PRB) for domestic and commercial cooking applications. The reported fuel saving of the newly developed PRBs are 17% and 45% for domestic and commercial cooking applications, respectively. Measured CO and NOx emissions of the LPG stoves with PRBs are much less (one fourth) in comparison with conventional cooking stoves.

    Payback period of these burners are less than 4 months for domestic and 1 month for commercial applications. Commercialization of these burners are under process in coordination with an industrial partner through MHRD sponsored under IMPRINT Project scheme.

    Development of porous radiant burner for domestic kerosene cooking stove.

     1 Ph.D 3 M.Tech 1 Project Staff Publications:8 Patents : 2 (PCRA and IMPRINT projects)

    Designed and developed energy efficient PRBs for domestic kerosene cooking applications and reported 10% and 15% fuel savings with normal kerosene and 0.2 wt % TiO2 blended kerosene, respectively.

    Development of porous radiant burner for bio-gas operated domestic cooking stove.

     1 PhD 2 M.Tech 1 Project Staff 1 national patent is filled. Publications: 5

    Developed working prototypes of porous radiant burners (PRB) fueled with bio-gas for domestic cooking stoves. Achieved 15 % improved in thermal efficiency compared to conventional bio-gas operated stoves.

    Commercialization of the above-mentioned product is under process.

    Development of combined metal hydride based combined cooling and thermal energy storage systems.

     2 PhD 2 M.Tech Publications:3

    Designed and developed MH based combined thermal energy storage system of capacity 25 kW-hr and cooling system of capacity 15 kW-hr. Fabrication and testing of working prototype is under progress.

    Development of Metal hydride based hydrogen storage devices for stationary and on-board applications.

     5 Ph.D 10 M.Tech 4 Project Staff Publications:25 (MNRE and IMPRINT projects)

    Developed several lab-scale prototypes of metal hydride based hydrogen storage devices of different storage capacities and tested their performances at different operating conditions.

    Designed, fabricated several pre-industrial scale prototypes of hydrogen storage reactors of about 1000 – 22000 lit capacity for automobile and industrial applications, and their performances were tested at different operating conditions.

    Development of metal hydride based hydrogen purification system.

     1 Ph.D 2 M.Tech Publications:2 (NTPC project)

    Designed and tested MH based hydrogen purification system of 7000 lit capacity and integrated with Electrical Generator of a Thermal power plant (one of the NTPC). Developed device is capable of purifying hydrogen from 70-80 % (impurities are CO2, CO, CH4, NO2, H2O) to 99.99 % purity. Cyclic stability of the system under real time operation is under progress.

    Heat and mass transfer studies in metal hydride reaction beds.

     10 M.Tech and 1 PhD student Publications:25

    Investigated the hydriding and dehydriding characteristics of several metal hydride alloys at different operating conditions employing a coupled heat and heat transfer model in cylindrical coordinates. Evaluated the thermos-physical properties and reaction kinetics data of some metal hydride alloys in close coordination with IKE, University of Stuttgart, Germany.

    Performance investigation of metal hydride based heat pump.

     1 PhD and 3 M.Tech Publications:18

    Predicted the performances of metal hydride based single-stage and double-stage cooling systems using coupled heat and mass transfer models.

    Developments of metal hydride based heat transformer and hydrogen compressor.

     1 PhD and 2 M.Tech Publications:15

    Developed several prototypes of metal hydride based hydrogen compressor and heat transformer. Their performances were tested at different conditions.

    Designed and tested working prototypes of MH based hydrogen compressors and heat transformers. Using a single-stage heat transformer, a heat input of 120 ºC has been upgraded up to 170ºC. With double – stage heat transformer, the same heat input has been upgraded up to 210ºC.

    Development of compression driven cooling system.

     2 PhD and 4 M.Tech Publications:4

    Tested a working prototype of compression driven MH based cooling system for automobile applications and achieved the COP in the range of 2.2 to 2.6.

    Development metal hydride based lab-scale thermal energy storage system.

      3 M.Tech Publications:5 (DST Fast-track project)

    Investigated the performances of a metal hydride based thermal storage device using thermodynamic and heat and mass transfer models. Developed a prototype of metal hydride based thermal energy storage device and tested its performance at different operating conditions.

    Development of thermal storage systems for solar thermal power plant .

     4 PhD and 6 M.Tech Publications:20 (Solar PAN-IIT and DST Projects)

    Designed and tested several sensible and latent heat storage prototypes of 10-15 MJ capacities.

    Designed, fabricated and successfully commissioned 1.3 GJ steam accumulator embedded with PCM heat storage cartridges with the solar thermal power plant. Carried out the cyclic charging and discharging tests in the temperature range of 220 – 280ºC.

    Development of high temperature thermal storage systems for solar thermal power plant.

     2 PhD and 3 M.Tech Publications:4 (Solar PAN-IIT and DST Projects)

    Developed various thermal models for predicting the performances of high temperature sensible, latent and thermochemical heat storage systems, and predicted their performances at various operating conditions.

    Performances at various operating conditions. Design and fabrication of lab-scale working prototypes of high temperature (400-700 ºC) thermal storage systems are under progress.

    Development Solar hybrid dryers with thermal energy storage system .

     3 PhD and 4 M.Tech 3 B.Tech Publications:15

    Developed several solar dryers of different configurations with thermal energy storage system, for drying high value agricultural products and medicinal plants.

    Design and fabrication of large –scale solar dryers for local farmers in being carried out.

    Confirmation of nucleation site formation during solidification of water.

      2 B.Tech Groups Publications:2

    Investigated the various parameters affecting the formation of nucleation site during solidification of water with experiments. Developed a mechanism “static electricity discharge” which confirms the formation of nucleation in water with 95% reliability. Using this technique the nucleation temperature of water was enhanced from -8ºC to -2 ºC.

    • Reviewer of more than 75 energy, refrigeration and thermal science related International Journals. Some of the important ones are;

      • Int J Hydrogen Energy

      • J Alloys and Compounds

      • Applied Thermal Engineering

      • Energy Conversion and Management

      • Applied Energy

      • Int J Refrigeration

      • Energy

      • Renewable & Sustainable Energy Reviews p>

      • Int J Heat and Mass Transfer

      • Materials Science and Engineering

      • Fuel

      • Solar Energy

      • Renewable Energy

      • Experimental Heat Transfer

      • Int J Thermal Sciencep>

      • Numerical Heat transfer

    • Evaluated over 80 PhD Theses from IITs, NITs, BARC and various state and central universities from India.
    • Evaluated over 150 research proposals from DST, MNRE, CSIR and Qatar Research Board.

    Sr. No.

    Course Name

    Number of Student Guided

    1

     Heat and Mass Transfer

    B. Tech: 120 students

    2

     Applied thermodynamics

    B. Tech; 80-90 students

    3

     Mechanical Measurements

    B. Tech; 80-90 students

    3

     Mechanical Measurements

    B. Tech; 80-90 students

    4

     Thermodynamics Minor

    B. Tech; 20 students

    5

     Refrigeration and Air-conditioning

    B. Tech, M. Tech and Ph. D; 50-70 students

    6

     Sorption Heating and Cooling Systems

    B. Tech, M. Tech and Ph. D; 30-60 students

    7

     Experimental Methods

    M. Tech and Ph. D; 35-50 students

    8

     Convective Heat and Mass Transfer

    B. Tech, M. Tech and Ph. D; 40-60 students

    9

     Energy Storage

    M.Tech, MS and PhD; 25 students

    10

     Fluid Mechanics Laboratory

    B. Tech; 60-70 students

    11

     Turbomachines Laboratory

    B. Tech; 60-70 students

    12

     Thermal Science Laboratory

    B. Tech; 60-70 students

    13

     Engineering Drawing (Tutor)

    B. Tech; 30-40 students

    1. Design of Thermal Systems (along with Dr. C Somayaji)
    2. Mechanical Measurements

    Recent Publications

    Student Achievements

    • Mr. Lav Kumar Kaushikreceived SERB – ITS Travel Grant (2018) for Young Scientist/Research Scholar for attending “International Conference on Green Energy for Sustainable Development. Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand(ICUE 2018)” from Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India (File Number: ITS/2018/004761)
    • Mr. Nithin N Raju was selected for Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) Travel grant (File No. 10043, July 2018) to present paper at 10th International Conference on Applied Energy (ICAE 2018)
    • Mr. Mrinal Bhowmik received best paper award for Conference paper “Mrinal Bhowmik, P. Muthukumar, R Anandalakshmi “Numerical Study on Dehumidification Performance of a Cross-Flow Liquid Desiccant Adiabatic Dehumidifier with Various Halide Salt desiccants” 5th International Conference on Computational Methods for Thermal Problems, IISc Bangalore, India.”

    Latest News

    • Recieved Abdul Kalam Technology Innovation National Fellowship 2020-2021 from Indian National Academy of Engineering (INAE)
    • Research positions:
    • Post doc preferably with Thermal Engineering background. The candidate should have proven research record in terms of publication. Candidate should look after several on-going projects related to thermal science
    • Junior research fellow: M.Tech / ME in Mechanical Engineering with thermal engineering specialization with strong computational skills, to work in thermal energy storage project
    • Junior research fellow: B. Tech / BE in Mechanical Engineering with minimum CPI of above 7.5 or 70 % marks with good subject knowledge and communication skill
    • Recieved Abdul Kalam Technology Innovation National Fellowship 2020-2021 from Indian National Academy of Engineering (INAE)
    • Research positions:
    • Post doc preferably with Thermal Engineering background. The candidate should have proven research record in terms of publication. Candidate should look after several on-going projects related to thermal science
    • Junior research fellow: M.Tech / ME in Mechanical Engineering with thermal engineering specialization with strong computational skills, to work in thermal energy storage project
    • Junior research fellow: B. Tech / BE in Mechanical Engineering with minimum CPI of above 7.5 or 70 % marks with good subject knowledge and communication skill