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Sarwan S. Sandhu

Professor

Full-Time Faculty

School of Engineering: Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering

Contact

Email: Sarwan Sandhu
Phone: 937-229-2648
Kettering Laboratories Room 508

Bio

After working in the capacity of combustion scientist and chemical engineer at the Energy Laboratory of Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Mass., for three years, 1977-1980, Dr. Sandhu joined the Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering at the University of Dayton in Dayton, Ohio, in August 1980. Since then, he has been teaching the graduate- and undergraduate-level courses in the department.

Professor Sandhu has been involved in research and scholarship activities since his graduate study research work. His activities have been supported by the University of Dayton, the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR), Aero Propulsion and Power Directorate (combustion and battery divisions), Materials Directorate (nonmetallic materials division), Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, and the U.S. Department of Energy under the Oak Ridge Associated Research Program. Details and results of these investigations have been reported in the form of theses, dissertations, technical reports, journal and conference/symposium proceeding publications, technical meeting presentations, etc.

His published works have appeared in various refereed journals: Combustion and Flame, Journal of Scientific Instruments, AICHE Journal, Chemical Engineering Education (CEE) Journal, Journal of Material Science Letters, Journal of Power Sources, Carbon, and Electrochemical Acta. He is a frequent presenter at international and national conferences and symposia, such as those sponsored by the AICHE, AIIA, MRS, ISE, IIChE (Indian Institute of Chemical Engineers), etc. 

Degrees

  • Ph.D., University of London, England, 1973
  • D.I.C., Imperial College, London, England, 1973
  • M.Sc.E., Chemical Engineering, University of New Brunswick, Canada, 1970
  • B.Sc., Chemical Engineering, Punjab University, India, 1966
  • B.Sc., Science, Punjab University, India, 1961

Selected Publications

  • Sandhu, S. S. (2023, March). Shrinking Core Model Formulation for the Electrochemical Performance Analysis of a Lithium/Carbon Monofluoride Cell. RA Journal of Applied Research 09(03), (ISSN: 2394-6709), doi.org/10.47191/rajar/v9i3.02 
  • Sandhu, S. S. (2023, April). Formulation for the Performance Analysis of a Lithium-Carbon Monofluoride Cell. RA Journal of Applied Research 09(04), (ISSN: 2394-6709),              doi.org/10.47191/rajar/v9i4.04
  • Sandhu, S. S., Chen, P., Fellner, J. P. (2022, January). On the diffusion-controlled transport and accumulation of lithium in an electrode of a lithium-based galvanic cell. RA Journal of Applied Research, 08(01), 41-46. doi: 10.47191/rajar/v8i1.08
  • Sandhu, S. S., Kosir, S. T., Fellner, J. P. (2021, September). Thermal energy production and heat exchange between an electrochemical cell and its surroundings. RA Journal of Applied Research, 07(09), 2497-2502 (ISSN: 2394-6709). doi: 10.47191/rajar/v7i9.03
  • Sandhu, S. S., Kosir, S. T., Fellner, J. P. (2021, October). Thermal energy production in an electrochemical cell and heat transfer to its dark surroundings. RA Journal of Applied Research, 07(10), 2559-2562, (ISSN: 2394-6709). doi: 10.47191/rajar/rajar/v7i10.05
  • Sandhu, S. S., & Kosir, S. (2020). Rate-law application to simulate lithium-based cell experimental data. RA Journal of Applied Research, 6(12), 2806-2809. https://doi.org/10.47191/rajar/v6i12.06
  • Sandhu, S. S., Fellner, J. P. (2020). Paper 60af- Development of high performance organic-based cathodes. Extended abstract published in the Proceedings of the 2020 AIChE Spring National Meeting.
  • Sandhu, S. S., & Shane, K. (2020, August). Overall semi-empirical rate-law formulation of a lithium-based cell or battery. RA Journal of Applied Research, 6, 2708-2712. http://www.rajournals.in/index.php/rajar/article/view/592
  • Sandhu, S. S., & Fellner, J. P. (2020, January-February). Ab-initio calculations for lithium/diquinoxalinylene battery. Invention Journal of Research Technology in Engineering & Management, 4(1), 06-10, (ISSN: 2455-3689). https://w.w.w.ijrtem.com/current%201ssue.html
  • Sandhu, S. S., et al. (2019). Modeling and experimental investigations of lithium-copper phthalocyanine based cells/batteries. RA Journal of Applied Research, 5(02), 2311-2316, ISSN: 2394-6709. doi: 10.31142/rajar/v5i2.05
  • Sandhu, S. S., et al. (2019). Mathematical model for lithium-ion intercalation into the cathode active material of a lithium-based cell/battery. RA Journal of Applied Research, 5(02), 2324-2328, ISSN: 2394-6709.
  • Sandhu, S. S., et al. (2018). Theoretical and experimental characterizations of a rechargeable hybrid cathode for lithium-based batteries. Paper number 49b in the 2018 AIChE Annual Meeting Proceedings, ISBN:978-0-8169-1108-0.
  • Sandhu, S. S., et al. (2018). Modeling and experimental investigations of lithium-copper phthalocyanine based cells/batteries. Paper ID number: 578. Abstract published in the 2018 CHEMCON Abstract Booklet (CD) of the 71st Annual Session of the Indian Institute of Chemical Engineers.

Selected Technical Reports

  • Sandhu, S. S. (2019). The U.S. Air Force 2019 SFFP Technical Report: Copper phthalocyanine electrical conductivity as a function of lithium intercalation. AFRL/RQ, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio.
  • Sandhu, S. S. (2018, January). Technical Report: Electrochemical characterization of high charge storage capacity cathode active materials for lithium-based batteries. Theoretical Formulation-Appendix A in report number: AFRL-RQ-WP-TR-2018-0010.
  • Sandhu, S. S. (2018, August). The U.S. Air Force 2-18 SFFP Technical Report: Theoretical characterization of cathode active materials for lithium-based batteries.

Selected Presentations

  • Sandhu, S. S., & Fellner, J. P. (2020, August). Development of high performance organic-based cathodes. Paper number: 60af. The AIChE Spring National Meeting (virtual).
  • Sandhu, S. S., et al. (2018, November). Theoretical and experimental characterizations of a rechargeable hybrid cathode for lithium-based batteries. AIChE National Meeting, 28, Pittsburgh, Pa.
  • Sandhu, S. S. (2018, December). Modeling and experimental investigations of lithium-copper phthalocyanine based cells/batteries. CHEMCON 2018, 71st Annual Session of Indian Institute of Chemical Engineers, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar National Institute of Technology, Jalandhar-144011, Punjab, India. (invited lecture)
  • Clayton, C. (supervisor: Professor Sarwan S. Sandhu). (2018, April). Study of lithium intercalation towards the development of an electrochemical kinetic model for lithium/copper phthalocyanine cell. The Brother Joseph W. Stander Symposium, University of Dayton, Dayton, Ohio.

Selected Honors and Awards

  • Fundamental investigations to develop the lithium-based high charge and energy-density cell/battery, Propulsion Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio., U.S. Government Contract Number: FA 8650-16-C-2612, compensated 100% of my salary during the Summer of 2020, May 16 through August 15.
  • Indian Institute of Chemical Engineers: Alkyl Amines Dr. B.D. Tilak CHEMCON Distinguished Speaker Award 2018. In appreciation of Dr. Sandhu's impressive achievements in diverse areas of chemical engineering. Award Date: December 29, 2018.  Award Place: Dr. B.R. Ambedkar NIT (National Institute of Technology), Jalandhar, Punjab, India.
  • U. S. Air Force Office of Scientific Research, 2018 Summer Faculty Fellowship Program (SFFP) Award, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, May16-August 8, 2018.
  • Sandhu, S. S. Fundamental investigations to develop the high-charge and energy-density lithium/CFx - CuPc battery. Propulsion Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, U.S. Government Contract Number: FA 8650-16-C-2612, USD 44500.00 (approx.), UDRI number: LD0132.

Graduate Courses Taught

Advanced Thermodynamics, Advanced Chemical Engineering Kinetics, Advanced Reactor Analysis, Advanced Transport Phenomena, Advanced Topics in Transport Phenomena including Turbulence, Fundamentals of Combustion, Synthetic Fuels, Air Pollution Engineering I and II, Advanced Chemical Engineering Calculations I and II, Special Problems: Fluidization, Electrochemical Engineering Science and Systems

Courses Taught in 2018

Advanced Chemical Engineering Kinetics, CME 542-01; Fundamentals of Air Pollution II, CME 575-01; Fundamentals of Combustions, CME 565-01; Advanced Thermodynamics, CME 507-01; Advanced Applied Mathematics for Chemical Engineers (old: Advanced Chemical Engineering Calculations I), CME 581-01; Supervision of a student project work on the high-charge storage capacity lithium ion battery cathode development,CME 595

Undergraduate Courses Taught

Material and Energy Balances, Chemical Kinetics and Reaction Engineering, Thermodynamics, Transport Phenomena I and II, Transport laboratory, Unit Operations I (Fluid Flow and Heat Transfer), Experimental Methods (and Seminars)

Research and Scholarship

Flame Speed on a Porous Bed (Experimental as well as Modeling); A Laser Interferometric Study of heat Transfer in D.C. Electric Fields; Emission of Oxides of Nitrogen from Fluidized Bed Combustion of Coal; Dynamic Behavior of a Bluff-Body Diffusion Flame; Simultaneous Heating and Devolatilization of a Single Coal Particle in a Hot Gas Environment; A Thermodynamic Simulation of a Hydrogen/Oxygen Fuel Cell; A heat and Mass Transfer Analysis for an ideal Hydrogen/Oxygen Fuel Cell; Foaming of a Mesophase Carbon Precursor; Carbon-Carbon Surface Oxidation Protection; Chemical Kinetic Model of the Pyrolysis Process for Carbon-Carbon Composites; Transient Heat and Mass Transfer Modeling Aspects of Rechargeable Lithium/Polymer Electrolyte Batteries; Thermodynamic Equations for A Model Lithium-Ion Cell; Testing a Lithium-Ion 1865 Cells and Characterizing/Predicting Cell Performance; Fuel Cell and Lithium/Air Battery Research and Development; Lithium-Ion and Lithium/Air Cell Modeling; Model Formulation and Simulation of a Solid-State Lithium-Based Cell; Characterization of Iron Phthalocyanine as the Cathode Active Material for Lithium-Ion Batteries; Modeling and Characterization of a Lithium/Hybrid Cathode Lithium-Ion Battery; Modeling and Experimental Investigations of Lithium-Copper Phthalocyanine Based Cells/Batteries (continuing).

Professional Activities

  • American Institute of Chemical Engineers
  • Combustion Institute
  • Mathematical Association of America
  • Materials Research Society
  • American Association of Engineering Societies
  • Technical paper reviewer for the journals: Power Sources, Electrochimica, Acta, Chemical Engineering Science, Hydrogen Energy, Membrane Science, etc.
  • Weekly scientific and technical discussion with Dr. J. P. Fellner of the Power Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base
  • Reviewed three papers submitted by authors for publication in the Journal of Power Sources
  • Member of the School of Engineering promotion and tenure committee plus member of the various departmental committees.

Research Interests

The entire spectrum of research topics requiring the application of the following major subjects: Advanced Thermodynamics, Advanced Chemical Engineering Kinetics and Reactor Analysis, Advanced Transport Phenomena including Turbulence, Fundamentals of Combustion, Synthetic Fuels, Air Pollution Engineering, Advanced Applied Chemical Engineering Mathematics and Numerical Analysis, Electrochemistry, Electrochemical Engineering Science Fundamentals and Systems, and Quantum Mechanics

Ongoing Research Work

Fundamental work in the development of high-charge storage capacity lithium-ion based cells/batteries