ASHRAE Grant Supports Student Research at LTU
How do you turn classroom theory into career inspirations? For Choongbae Park, PhD, assistant professor of mechanical robotics and industrial engineering, the answer lies in hands-on experiments!
The ASHRAE Grant: Objectives and Implementation
Park recently received a $5,000 grant from the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) for an undergraduate project. The one-year grant intends to increase undergraduate students’ awareness of the HVAC&R industry.
Park currently teaches a senior-level thermal science laboratory course with six experiments focused on fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, and heat transfer. The laboratory runs two sections per semester, with a maximum of 12 students per session. Students work in groups of three to four to conduct experiments, collect data, and perform analysis. The funds will be used to purchase a fluid-controlling system for students to develop two new experiments: one on transient cooling and another on heat exchangers.
Designing the Future
Park uses these experimental modules to introduce foundational thermal science concepts to first- and second-year students to attract them to specialize in mechanical engineering, specifically in fluid mechanics and heat transfer.
A successful example is Pedro Aguiar de Souza Lima, a sophomore with a 3.96 GPA. He was referred to Park after showing an interest in undergraduate research; his strong interest and positive attitude led to his involvement in the experiments with faculty support and funding from the dean’s office.
“Students start with simple designs, then develop transient cooling and heat exchanger systems. Through hands-on work with sensors and equipment, they gain a practical understanding of heat transfer and fluid mechanics,” Park explained.
Park envisions expanding the lab’s capabilities to provide students with additional hands-on opportunities. “I plan to apply for a larger ASHRAE grant to acquire an environmental chamber. This chamber will simulate precise temperature and humidity conditions, enabling experiments on condensation, frosting, and heating that aren’t possible in a typical lab. It will build on our existing equipment, like the flow controller, and provide students with research opportunities to support their interest in the HVAC industry,” Park explained.
Park is currently developing a cooling system to be used for smartphone cooling—a topic of high interest amongst students. Participants will gain practical, interdisciplinary engineering experience by collaborating with faculty and peers, an opportunity not available in many standard lectures or lab settings.
“Our department—mechanical, robotics, and industrial engineering—is the largest in LTU’s College of Engineering,” Park said. “These projects provide students with a culminating, hands-on experience to apply theory to real-world problems. Once complete, it will provide valuable research experience for current students and serve as a source of engaging experiments to spark curiosity and interest in mechanical engineering,” Park added.
Park hopes these projects can also be used for high school outreach to attract future students to mechanical engineering.
By: Nurzahan Rahman
