Research Labs

Energy, Environment, Sustainability

Air Quality Research Laboratory

This lab is used in support of field-based environmental monitoring of air pollutants. Measurement of environmental contaminants in the ambient atmosphere and indoors is conducted using state-of-science compliance grade monitors for ozone, fine particulate matter, oxides of nitrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, volatile organics, and toxic compounds.

Faculty: Kuruvilla John

Computational Fluid Dynamics Lab (CFD)

The computational fluid dynamics lab focuses on the development of numerical methods including turbulent flow modeling using large-eddy simulation and detached eddy simulation methods, two-phase free-surface flow modeling, particulate flow modeling, fluid-structure interactions, higher-order discretization methods such as spectral difference, non-traditional CFD approaches such as Lattice Boltzmann Method, deterministic and stochastic simulation-based design and optimization, uncertainty quantification (UQ), and high-performance computing methodology.

Faculty: Hamid Sadat
Website: https://engineering.unt.edu/me/resaerch/labs/cfd/

Thermal Managemant Laboratory (TML)

The lab performs research in two major areas:

High heat flux thermal management with two-phase cooling techniques

  • Immersion Cooling
  • Spray Cooling
  • Enhenced Surfaces
  • Heat Spreaders

with applications in computing, power electronics and electro-optics

Stirling cycle-based energy conversion

  • Innovative Rotary Displacer Stirling Engine

with applications in distributed power generation and waste heat recovery

Faculty: Huseyin Bostanci
Website: https://engineering.unt.edu/me/research/labs/tml/

Dynamics and Controls

Photonics Micro-Devices Fabrication Lab

The lab focuses on research in the following areas:

  • Sensor development
  • Instrumentation and flow diagnostics
  • Biomedical micro-devices

Faculty: Maurizio Manzo
Website: https://sites.google.com/site/photonicsdevfabricationlab/

Smart Materials Laboratory (SML)

The lab is focused on design, analysis, and experiments for piezoelectric devices used for sensing, energy harvesting, and structure health monitoring applications. This group has conducted research in high-temperature material test methodology, modeling and experiment of novel sensing and energy harvesting mechanism, and structure health monitoring in harsh environments.

Faculty: Haifeng Zhang
Website: https://engineering.unt.edu/me/research/labs/sml/

Cold-Formed Steel Research Center

Our research focuses on Thin-Walled, Cold-Formed Steel Structures: Research and Development, Computational Mechanics, Earthquake Engineering, Structural Dynamics and Control,Structural Stability, Building Information Modeling, and Construction Technology.

Faculty: Cheng Yu
Website: https://engineering.unt.edu/me/research/labs/structures/

Materials, Manufacturing, Mechanics

Composites Pre-processing Laboratory

This lab is used for fabrication and study of bio products which can include wood products, bio composites, activated carbon, and any materials made from renewable resources.

Faculty: Sheldon Q. Shi

Digital Manufacturing Laboratory

The lab's research focuses on the following:

  • Profilometry for Surface Characterization
  • 3D Printing with UV Projection in Biocompatible Materials
  • Mold and Die Manufacturing with High-Speed Machining
  • Computer-Aided Engineering and Topology Optimization
  • Nano and Micro Scale Surface Mechanics by Nanoindentation
  • Rapid Fabrication for Biomedical and Aeronautical Applications

Faculty: Hector R. Siller
Website: https://sites.google.com/view/digitalmanufacturinglab

Materials Technology Laboratory (MTL)

Materials: iron oxides and hydroxides; magnetic materials (magnetite); cubic boron nitride; diamond coatings; diamond like carbon, silicon; nanocomposites

Applications: corrosion resistance coatings; rust transformers formulation; durable flat panel display; micro-electro mechanical systems (MEMS); thermal management in electronic packaging; advanced tooling for materials processing

Processes: physical vapor deposition (electron beam evaporation); hot filament chemical vapor deposition; micro and nano surface engineering; materials characterization; failure analysis; electron microscopy

Faculty: Seifollah Nasrazadani
Website: https://engineering.unt.edu/me/research/labs/mtl/

Nanoscale Energy Transport Laboratory (NET)

The lab focuses on the following:

  • Understanding nanoscale heat transfer phenomena, by modeling quantum interactions and electrodynamics of atomic-scale energy carriers, such as electrons, phonons, and photons. Outcomes in theoretical methods for optical and infrared properties of ultra-thin films, heat conduction in 2D materials and nanotubes/wires, and thermoelectric/piezoelectric effect for waste heat recovery.
  • Characterization of materials for aerospace systems, including optical reflectors, radiators, thermal switches, interfaces, electronics, etc. Supporting student-led CubeSat design and testing team for NASA space flights.

Faculty: Richard Z. Zhang
Website: https://engineering.unt.edu/me/research/labs/net/

Polymer and Composites Performance Laboratory

This lab is used for material characterizations including, mechanical properties, thermal, acoustic, electrical, surface properties, specific surface area, and porosity, biodegradability, flammability, and etc. This lab contains a large amount of equipment that is used to determine the properties of the different materials that are brought to our department or made within the department.

Faculty: Sheldon Q. Shi

Smart Materials Laboratory (SML)

The lab is focused on design, analysis, and experiments for piezoelectric devices used for sensing, energy harvesting, and structure health monitoring applications. This group has conducted research in high-temperature material test methodology, modeling and experiment of novel sensing and energy harvesting mechanism, and structure health monitoring in harsh environments.

Faculty: Haifeng Zhang
Website: https://engineering.unt.edu/me/research/labs/sml/

Thermo-Fluids

Air Quality Research Laboratory

This lab is used in support of field-based environmental monitoring of air pollutants. Measurement of environmental contaminants in the ambient atmosphere and indoors is conducted using state-of-science compliance grade monitors for ozone, fine particulate matter, oxides of nitrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, volatile organics, and toxic compounds.

Faculty: Kuruvilla John

Biothermal Cancer Detection Research Group (BCD)

Our research is focused on cellular level thermal characterization to understand the pathogenesis of the disease and translational implications. We apply principles of materials science such as thermodynamics and heat transfer to human cells, considering “the cell as a material” combined with the biological sciences, such as the cell cycle.

Faculty: Taeyul Theo Choi
Website: https://biothermalcancerdetection.unt.edu/

Computational Fluid Dynamics Lab (CFD)

The computational fluid dynamics lab focuses on the development of numerical methods including turbulent flow modeling using large-eddy simulation and detached eddy simulation methods, two-phase free-surface flow modeling, particulate flow modeling, fluid-structure interactions, higher-order discretization methods such as spectral difference, non-traditional CFD approaches such as Lattice Boltzmann Method, deterministic and stochastic simulation-based design and optimization, uncertainty quantification (UQ), and high-performance computing methodology.

Faculty: Hamid Sadat
Website: https://engineering.unt.edu/me/research/labs/cfd/

Nanoscale Energy Transport Laboratory (NET)

The lab focuses on the following:

  • Understanding nanoscale heat transfer phenomena, by modeling quantum interactions and electrodynamics of atomic-scale energy carriers, such as electrons, phonons, and photons. Outcomes in theoretical methods for optical and infrared properties of ultra-thin films, heat conduction in 2D materials and nanotubes/wires, and thermoelectric/piezoelectric effect for waste heat recovery.
  • Characterization of materials for aerospace systems, including optical reflectors, radiators, thermal switches, interfaces, electronics, etc. Supporting student-led CubeSat design and testing team for NASA space flights.

Faculty: Richard Z. Zhang
Website: https://engineering.unt.edu/me/research/labs/net/

Small Scale Instrumentation Lab (SSI)

The Laboratory of Small Scale Instrumentation (LSI) has been served for several research projects including thermal characterization of one dimensional, two dimensional and three-dimensional materials. One dimensional materials are carbon nanotubes, boron nitride nanotubes, and silicon carbide nanowires. Their thermal conductivities were characterized by using either 3-omega or thermal conductance method. Recent advances in micropipette-based thermal sensors have been used to measure thermal conductivities of 2D materials such as graphene and carbon nanotube thin film.

Faculty: Tae-Youl Choi

Thermal Management Laboratory (TML)

The lab performs research in two major areas:

High heat flux thermal management with two-phase cooling techniques

  • Immersion Cooling
  • Spray Cooling
  • Enhenced Surfaces
  • Heat Spreaders

with applications in computing, power electronics and electro-optics

Stirling cycle-based energy conversion

  • Innovative Rotary Displacer Stirling Engine

with applications in distributed power generation and waste heat recovery

Faculty: Huseyin Bostanci
Website: https://engineering.unt.edu/me/research/labs/tml/

Also check College of Engineering Research Centers

Teaching Labs

Department Teaching Laboratory

The Lab F158 is an undergraduate teaching lab for MEEN 3240 Lab I and MEEN 3242 Lab II courses. The Lab is equipped with the following apparatus to offer MEE undergraduate students with hands-on experiments covering a broad spectrum of topics of in instrument and measurements, thermodynamics, fluid mechanics and heat transfer.

Subsonic wind tunnel with completed modules (manometer, pitot tube, pressure cylinder, lift and drag balance, aerofoil, pressure wing, pressure cylinder and boundary layer plates). Computer controlled heat transfer teaching equipment (linear heat conduction, combined convection and radiation, extended surface heat transfer, unsteady state heat transfer, free & forced convection). Viscometer, cup viscometers, air viscosity measurement equipment, thermocouples, thermistor, RTD and data acquisition system.

Faculty/Staff: Xiaohua Li

Manutacturing Laboratory

The Manufacturing Lab is used for the class 3100 Manufacturing Processes as well as the capstone design classes. Students will study the manufacturing processes and their capabilities, analysis and economics. Study of the fundamentals of engineering processes in manufacturing as related to design and production and materials properties. Traditional and non-traditional manufacturing process and selection optimization. Students are given laboratory assignments in material removal, forming, casting, joining, forging and computer-aided machining.

Faculty/Staff: Mark Wasikowski

Senior Design Laboratory

Senior Design is the capstone undergraduate design project of the Department of Mechanical and Energy Engineering. Seniors are able to apply their knowledge and showcase their abilities through the completion of challenging, real-world design problems. Students will research and select an issue, then design a project with the guidance of advisors and sponsors. In Design II, student ideas are brought to life by prototype construction, testing and final analysis. Senior Design culminates with Design Day, a college-wide event where teams from each engineering department present projects to engineering faculty members and industry leaders.

Faculty/Staff: Mark Wasikowski