Ajay is from Kerala, India, and moved to Ulster to begin his PhD studies in September 2018. Ajay’s background is in Mechanical Engineering having attained a bachelor’s degree from Mahatma Gandhi University Kerala and master’s in Mechanical Engineering from Dr. B R Ambedkar National Institute of Technology, Jalandhar, India. Prior to his PhD, Ajay had worked as Asst. Professor in leading Engineering colleges in Kerala, India.
Ajay’s PhD thesis is entitled ‘’Phase change and alternative materials for domestic thermal energy storage” and looks at the design and development of an efficient PCM TES unit with quick charging and discharging response for domestic heating application. A novel TES unit was designed with multi-pass macro encapsulated Croda60/EG compressed modules and its thermal performances evaluated during repeated charging and discharging cycles.
What attracted you to complete your PhD in this area?
My prior experience in PCM TES research and deep knowledge of engineering thermodynamics, heat transfer, heat exchanger system design and related areas has developed the interest to continue my research and develop my career in thermal energy storage to contribute towards zero emission goal.
What attracted you to study at Ulster University?
- Research areas, in particular the areas of focus within the heat pump group
- Publications records of heat pump group members and reputation of the SPIRE-2 supervisors
- Fellowship offered by the SPIRE2
- UK and European funded projects CST have secured
What were your expectations for study and were these met?
- Get deep knowledge in practical TES systems, its limitations in implementing in building heating applications: all of these expectations were met successfully
- Gain a deep understanding of low carbon technologies and associated challenges: these were achieved through the fruitful interactions and day to day learning processes
- Working very close to the industrial partners to gain industrial exposure, visiting, and getting trained in their laboratories: unfortunately, due to covid this did not happen as planned
- International conferences: due to covid restrictions, most of the conferences were online this limited the scope of networking.
What were the highlights/lowlights of the programme?
- Highlights included working with a diverse and knowledgeable group of researchers on various aspects of energy sustainability and working towards the advancement of low carbon technologies
- Great networking opportunities and generous funding
- Challenges caused by the pandemic, namely limited coordination with the industrial partners to get or utilize the facilities in their labs, and limited secondments
How has the PhD influenced your career aspirations?
The four years of PhD life has broadened my thoughts and my skills; it has enhanced my rational thinking ability and helped in building a strong base for my future career.
What’s next for you?
My focus is on completing my work and submitting the thesis. I will then look for a position in academia or industry.