PRASAD SONAR

Scientist,

CSIR-Central Food Technological Research Institute

I am a Mechanical Engineer specializing in granular materials and fluid mechanics. I am currently working at CSIR-CFTRI, developing post-harvested food processing technologies. Before this, I was a post-doctoral researcher (Fluid mechanics) in the Tagawa Lab at Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology (TUAT). I also conducted post-doctoral research (powder fluidization, cratering, and erosion) in the Katsuragi Lab at Osaka University.

I earned my Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, where I developed a deep interest in understanding the complex behaviors of fluids and granular materials.

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Experience

Jan. 2025 - Present: Scientist at CSIR-Central Food Technological Research Institute, India.

June 2023 - Jan. 2025: Post-doctoral researcher at Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology (TUAT), Tokyo, Japan.

Dec. 2020 - June 2023: Post-doctoral researcher in the Department of Earth and Space Sciences, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan.

Feb. - Nov. 2020: Project associate at Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, India.

July 2014 - Nov. 2018: Research Scholar at Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, India.

July - Dec. 2009: Trainee Engineer at Ansys Fluent India Pvt. Ltd., Pune, India.

Education

November 2019 Ph.D., Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur, UP, India. Thesis: Granular flows over rigid inclined bases that are either spring-supported or externally vibrated. Advisors: Prof. Ishan Sharma & Prof. Jayant Singh

May 2012 M.E., Design Engg., Birla Institute of Technology and Sciences, Pilani, India. Thesis: Design of Robotic Exoskeleton for Rehabilitation Engineering. Advisor: Prof. B. K. Rout

May 2009 B.Tech., Mechanical Engineering, Vishwakarma Institute of Technology (VIT), Pune, India.

May 2006 Diploma, Mechanical Engineering, K. K. Wagh Polytechnic, Nashik, India.

Research skills

As an experimentalist, I complement my hands-on research with simulations and theoretical analysis to deepen and validate my findings.

Experimental Design and Planning: Developing well-structured experiments, including setup design, selection of appropriate equipment, and consideration of important variables.
Advanced Measurement Techniques: Proficiency with high-speed imaging for capturing rapid dynamics. Using sensors like hydrophones, load cells, and pressure transducers.
Data processing and Analysis: Expertise in using software like MATLAB, Fortran, and Python for collecting, processing, and analyzing data.
Modeling and Simulation: Discrete Element Method (DEM) and using tools such as LAMMPS, LIGGGHTS, OpenFOAM, or ANSYS Fluent.
Optical Diagnostics: Using Polarization and high-speed cameras for visualizing phenomena such as cavitation and bubble oscillations. Employing photoelastic methods for stress analysis.
Technical Writing and Presentation: Proficiency in documenting methodologies, presenting findings, and drafting research articles that communicate experimental processes, results, and implications effectively to scientific audiences.

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Email: prasadrsonar[at]gmail.com