Instructors

The instructors have a combined total of over 100 years of experience with facilities in operation, design, testing, and troubleshooting. They have written ten practical books detailing this experience as well as numerous technical papers and reports. They have presented more than 500 workshops concerned with reducing facility operating costs. During this period they have gained extensive, hands on experience in evaluating money saving opportunities at hundreds of facilities. They also hold three patents and have several patents pending on equipment to reduce facility operating costs.

The instructors are known for their teaching style which combines a sound technical presentation in an enjoyable and easy to understand approach. The program will appeal strongly to all persons involved with facilities regardless of their educational and experience background.

 

 
David Dyer, Ph.D., P.E

Professor of Mechanical Engineering,
Auburn University

Education
BS University of Tennessee, 1962
MS Georgia Institute of Technology, 1964
PhD Georgia Institute of Technology, 1965
Post Doctoral Imperial College, London, 1966-1967

Experience
1965 - 1969 Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Auburn University
1969 - 1977 Associate Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Auburn University
1972 - 1973 Liaision Scientist, Office of Naval Research, London, England
1977 - 1996 Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Auburn University
1996 - now Professor and Chair, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Auburn University

Specialty Areas
Energy Utilization, Combined Heat and Mass Transfer, HVAC, Power, Combustion, Industrial Water Treatment

Research Summary
Dr. Dyer developed analytical solutions and performed experimental studies on sublimation dehydration during his early career 1963-1970. This work resulted in some 20 refereed papers. During 1966-1967, he was a NSF postdoctoral fellow with Professor Brian Spalding at Imperial College studying application of numerical analysis to combined heat and mass transfer problems. This work involved some pioneering efforts with the Spalding team from 1966 to 1980. A contract with the US Army to study blast effects on hypervelocity vehicles based on these numerical methods was on going for many years. Beginning in the early 1970's Dyer teamed with Dr. G. Maples on many large projects which included a national wood stove testing and research program, and development of training programs for operators and engineers involved with boilers, HVAC systems and electrical systems. In conjunction with this activity, this team obtained one of the ten original grants for operating a state energy extension service. The Maples/Dyer team has been very active in doing research into improved methods of energy auditing and developing and testing patentable ideas for improved energy use in such diverse fields as high temperature heat pumps, reverse osmosis, concrete curing, insulation systems, home heating, and low temperature heat recovery in power plants.

 
Thomas E. Burch, Ph.D., P.E.

Chief Engineer for Boiler Efficiency Institute

Educational Background
Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering, Louisiana State University, May 1990
M.S.M.E., Mechanical Engineering, Auburn University, 1982
B.S.M.E., Mechanical Engineering, Auburn University, 1979

Research Experience
Graduate Research Assistant: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Louisiana State University; Conducted experimental research on the formation and destruction of nitric oxide in fuel-rich environments using both a bench-scale flow reactor and a large-scale down-fired furnace. The effects of fuel type, stoichiometric ratio, and temperature on fixed nitrogen specification were studied. Also, nitrogen tracking using isotopically labeled N15O was used to study the interaction of fuel-bound nitrogen with gas phase No. The analytical techniques necessary for quantifying various fixed nitrogen specifics were developed. Various gas analysis techniques including infrared, chemilu-minescruse, paramagnetic, GC, GC/MS, and specific-ion probes were used. 1987-1990.

Graduate Research Assistant: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Louisiana State University; Conducted theoretical research on the model¬ing of buoyant laminar flow in a heated vertical channel with finitely conducting walls. Effects of wall height, wall width, and wall conductivity, wall temperature, and channel width were studied. 1984-1985.

Graduate Research Assistant: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Auburn University conducted experimental research on high temperature industrial heat pumps for steam generation from industrial waste heat streams. 1981-1982.