Dayton Thermal Applications (DaTA) Laboratory
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
University of Dayton
Dayton, Ohio, USA
Kettering Laboratories 144
We are a group of researchers pursuing engineering solutions to real problems through application of the thermal sciences. Located on the University of Dayton campus, our facility is a place where faculty, graduate students and undergraduate students work together to create prototypes, experiments and mathematical models of energy systems.
Applications we have explored include: concentrating solar thermal systems, hypersonic vehicles, spacecraft thermal control, photovoltaic system optimization, solar thermal spacecraft propulsion, building energy conservation, solar desalination, biochar production, geothermal heat exchangers and radiative fin optimization.
Directors
Dr. Rydge Blue Mulford
Dr. Mulford received his BS and PhD in Mechanical Engineering from Brigham Young University. An assistant professor at the University of Dayton since 2019, Dr. Mulford has explored sustainability and aerospace projects while teaching thermal sciences classes including heat transfer, fluid dynamics and thermodynamics.
Dr. Andrew Jeffrey Schrader
Dr. Schrader earned his BS in Mechanical Engineering ('14) from Valparaiso University. Dr. Schrader earned his MS ('17) and PhD ('19) in Mechanical Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology. Dr. Schrader was awarded a post-doctoral research appointment at the Georgia Institute of Technology to investigate high-temperature granular flows. Dr. Schrader has explored solar thermochemistry, solar-thermal, and aerospace projects while teaching thermal sciences classes including heat transfer and thermodynamics.