He graduated in Mechanical Engineering from College of Engineering, Trivandrum (CET, 2000) and earned a Postgraduate degree in Aerospace Engineering with specialization in Aerodynamics from Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay (IIT-B, 2006). For a brief duration he worked as software developer with Geometric Software Solutions (GSSL), Pune devising Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) solutions for aerospace industries. He later joined as Management Trainee with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Bangalore and moved onto the position of Deputy Manager in 2010, until earning a scholarship to pursue research studies at Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV), Spain. As doctoral student with Prof. Joan Rosell Llompart and Prof. Jordi Grifoll i Taverna at Universitat Rovira i Virgili, he did research on developing numerical models for simulating droplet transport and evaporation in electrosprays. In 2013, the trio developed a fully coupled numerical model to include the effects of induced gas flow in the transport of charged droplets sprays moving under electric field. In the following year, the model was extended to include the effects of droplet evaporation and Coulomb explosions. Both works were marked a first in the field of electrospray simulations. Since joining RSET as Assistant Professor in Mechanical Engineering in 2015, his research has focused on experimental (wind tunnel) and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) studies on Wing-in-ground effect, Morphing wings, Leak detection models for water supply networks, Aerosol transport etc. He is a member of the Computer Aided Engineering (CAE) research group under Department of Mechanical Engineering at RSET. Dr. Ajith Kumar is an approved research guide for doctoral studies under Kerala Technological University (KTU).

Wing-in-ground effect: On flying at close proximity to ground, the pressure distribution over an airfoil surface gets modified and substantially affects its Lift to Drag (L/D) ratio. We have carried out wind tunnel experiments and CFD simulations to study these effects and are in the process of including morphed wing capabilities to such lift generating surfaces. Use of such studies can be in developing energy efficient aircraft wings for deep sea exploration.

Leak detection models for water supply networks: We have developed a robust numerical hydraulic model in combination with Extended Kalman Filtering (EKF) technique to detect and predict leakage rate and burst location in pipelines. We are scaling up this model to study the effects of hydraulic transients developed in a water supply distribution network. Part of the work has been completed under the technical requirements from Wipro Engineering Services division, Kochi.

Aerosol transport: The transport and deposition of fine particles under submicron size can be of interest to drug delivery by inhalation and (or) inhalation of harmful gases at hazardous workplaces. Since experimental studies are difficult to predict deposition of such particles in human lungs, CFD based models and simulations are very promising for such research. The complicated branched structure of airways, respiratory fluid dynamics, transport and deposition of micro particles under inhalation are of great interest and challenge. Project is in starting phase.

I am looking forward to meet talented students who want to join for research studies (PhD) under the Kerala Technological University (KTU), and also research collaborators form other institutes, institutions and research centers who are interested in any of the above mentioned research areas.

wing-in-ground effect, morphing wing, leak detection studies, pipe networks, aerosol inhalation, electrospray

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