Mehdi Raessi

faculty

Mehdi Raessi, PhD

Professor / Graduate Program Director

Mechanical Engineering

Curriculum Vitae
Raessi Research Group

Contact

508-999-8496

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Education

2008University of TorontoPhD in Mechanical Engineering
2003University of TorontoMS in Mechanical Engineering
1998University of TehranBS in Mechanical Engineering

Teaching

  • Thermal Systems Design
  • Ocean Wave Energy Conversion
  • Advanced Mechanics of Fluids
  • Heat Transfer with Phase Change
  • Computational Fluid Mechanics

Teaching

Programs

Teaching

Courses

Ocean Wave Energy Conversion

Visiting professors or members of the faculty present current topics of interest in their areas of expertise.

Fundamentals of heat transfer in fluid flows undergoing phase change. Thermodynamic equilibrium and stability during boiling/condensation is taught. Nucleation and bubble growth in homogeneous and heterogeneous regimes are presented. Distinct flow patterns and heat transfer characteristics in two-phase, boiling flows are discussed. Heat transfer in pool boiling and condensation is presented. Liquid-solid phase change is taught at an introductory level.

Thesis research on an experimental or theoretical project in mechanical engineering under a faculty advisor. A formal thesis must be submitted to fulfill the course requirements.

Research

Research activities

  • A comprehensive computational framework for analysis and optimization of wave energy converters, National Science Foundation, $368,221
  • Collaborative Research: Analysis and design of textured super-hydrophobic surfaces capable of preventing ice formation on wind turbine blades, National Science Foundation, $214,583
  • Evaporation sub-model development for Volume of Fluid (eVOF) method applicable to spray-wall interaction, Department of Energy & Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, $275,154
  • The role of scale in the development and evolution of stratified shear turbulence, entrainment and mixing, Office of Naval Research, $155,121 (Co-PI)
  • Rain-induced erosion in wind turbine blades, UMass President’s Office Science & Technology Initiative Fund, $136,000 (Co-PI)

Research

Research awards

  • $ 496,876 awarded by Office of Naval Research for UMassD MUST IV: Development of a Remotely Deployable MADWEC Wave energy Conversion System for Utilization with a Sonobuoy Deployed Balloon Communication Package
  • $ 290,547 awarded by Office of Naval Research for UMassD MUST II: Advanced Computational Investigation of Nose Curvature and Surface Hydrophobicity Effects in Water Entry of Solid Objects

Research

Research interests

  • Interfacial flows
  • Multi-phase flows with phase change
  • Energy systems (renewable/conventional)
  • Computational fluid dynamics and heat transfer
  • Scientific and High-Performance Computing

Select publications

See curriculum vitae for more publications

  • A. Pathak and M. Raessi (2018).
    Steady-state and transient solutions to drop evaporation in a finite domain: Alternative benchmarks to the d2 law
    International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, 127, 1147-1158.
  • D. Markt, A. Pathak, and M. Raessi (2018).
    Advanced computational simulations of surface impingement of a train of ethanol drops – A pathway to developing spray-wall interaction sub-models
    Computing in Science and Engineering, 20, 55-65.
  • A. Pathak, C. Freniere, and M. Raessi (2017).
    Advanced computational simulations of water waves interacting with wave energy converters
    European Journal of Computational Mechanics, 26, 172-204.

Mehdi Raessi joined the Mechanical Engineering Department in 2010 following a postdoctoral study at NASA-Stanford University's Center for Turbulence Research (CTR). He obtained his PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Toronto in 2008. During his graduate studies, he worked in the Centre for Advanced Coating Technologies (CACT).

Dr. Raessi's research is primarily focused on numerical simulations of interfacial flows and two-phase flows with phase change. Using numerical simulations, he has been studying the fluid flow and heat transfer in various applications including energy systems (renewable and conventional), materials processing, and environmentally friendly refrigeration systems. In addition to academic research and teaching, Dr. Raessi has industrial experience as a research and development (R&D) specialist and applied engineer.

Awards

  • Postdoctoral Fellowship, NASA-Stanford University’s Center for Turbulence Research
  • Industrial Research and Development Fellowship, Government of Canada
  • Queen Elizabeth II Graduate Scholarship in Science and Technology, Government of Ontario, Canada
  • CFD Society of Canada Graduate Scholarship
  • Early Career Teaching Award, University of Toronto

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