Professor Ravi Prasher

University of California, Berkeley

Chief Technology Officer - Bloom Energy

Friday, December 2

11:00 a.m.

1127 Mudd and Zoom

https://columbiauniversity.zoom.us/j/96392824683?pwd=bWJLUXVqcHhKaWQ2RjB4MzhBaVhPdz09

Meeting ID: 963 9282 4683
Passcode: 552600

New and Emerging Applications of Molecular and Nanoscale Thermal Science and Engineering for Decarbonization

Abstract: According to the Paris Climate Change Agreement, keeping the global temperature rise below 2 oC is critical to avoid the perils of climate change. World has ~ 20 years to decarbonize the energy sector before we exceed 2oC. Thermal energy accounts for ~40% of end use due to heating and cooling of buildings and heating needs of the industrial sector. Thermal energy also plays a significant role in safe and reliable operation of other energy technologies such as lithium ion batteries and water desalination. With growing penetration of renewable energy, cost effective energy storage will be critical in achieving rapid decarbonization. To achieve these goals significant breakthroughs are needed both in thermal science and engineering. These breakthroughs can be achieved by molecular and nanoscale level design of chemicals and materials. In this talk the speaker will talk about three topics: 1) A new refrigeration technology called Ionocaloric refrigeration which is analogous to other caloric effects such as magnetocaloric or electrocaloric however it uses ions to manipulate the phase boundaries 2) thermally enabled extreme fast charging of lithium ion batteries  3) use of photonic metamaterials and ionic liquids for solar thermal-based desalination.

Bio: Ravi Prasher is the Chief Technology Officer of Bloom Energy. Bloom Energy develops high temperature solid oxide fuel and electrolyzer cells. Prior to joining Bloom, he was the associate lab director of Energy Technology Area (ETA) at LBNL. ETA with a staff of more than 400 people conducts research in a wide variety of areas, including building technologies, energy storage, hydrogen and carbon capture.  He is also an adjunct professor in mechanical engineering at UC Berkeley. Ravi earlier worked as one of the first program directors at ARPA-E. Prior to joining ARPA-E, Ravi was the technology development manager of thermal management group at Intel. Ravi has published more than 125 archival journal papers and holds more than 35 patents. He is a fellow of ASME and senior member of IEEE. Ravi obtained his B.Tech. from IIT Delhi and Ph.D. from Arizona State University.