Jesse Capecelatro

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about me

About me

Welcome to the personal website of Jesse Capecelatro. I am currently working towards my Ph.D. in the Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Cornell University. I recieved my Bachelors of Science at Binghamton University and my Master of Science at the University of Colorado. My research interests are in computational fluid dynamics of multiphase flows for applications of energy systems. I am a third year graduate student working with the Computational ThermoFluids Lab led by Dr. Olivier Desjardins, in collaboration with the National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL). My research consists of numerical modeling of gas-solid particle flows for fluidized bed reactors and turbulent risers. Here you can find academic/research achievements along with a gallery of images and movies that I've created. Feel free to contact me with any questions.

Research

Modeling Dense Fluidized Bed Reactors, Turbulent Riser Flow, Binghamton Wind Project, Forest Bio-Products Reseach Initiative

Numerical Modeling of Dense Particular Flows in Fluidized Bed Reactors (2010-Present)

The gasification optimization and modeling task at the National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) aims at developing an array of analytical techniques and detailed models suitable to assist the development and deployment of new thermochemical conversion techniques. One area of research is CFD modeling of reactive fluidized bed reactors. In order to improve NREL's understanding of fluidized bed dynamics, in particular regarding the prediction of upset conditions, it is important to consider three-dimensional effects, robust turbulence models, and accurate methods to capture some of the highly unsteady and intermittent processes that take place inside fluidized bed reactors. The objective of this effort is to develop the advanced numerical algorithms and models required to improve the current state understanding of the dynamics of turbulent fluidized bed reactors.

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Turbulent Riser Flows (2009-Present)

Gas-particle flows in vertical risers are used in many industries including gasification/pyrolysis for biofuel conversion, coal combustion, and fluid catalytic cracking. Experimental studies have shown riser flows to be unsteady with large solid-volume fraction fluctuations. Regions of densely-packed particles, referred to as clusters and streamers form, which greatly affect the overall flow behavior and mixing properties. An Eulerian-Lagrangian approach is used to simulate riser flows and better understand the cluster formation. The gas phase is solved on an Eulerian grid while each particle is tracked individually. The first image shows a 3D simulation of the flow destabilizing (10 million particles, Re=1, Fr=55.5), along with a 2D cross section of the flow at a later time to convey particle clustering. The simulation was conducted on 4 million grid points using 512 processors for approximately one week. The second image shows instantaneous gas volume fraction of the flow with and without interparticle collisions.

Binghamton Wind Project (2008-2009)

When it came time to embark on a senior design project I knew I wanted to accomplish something that would have a long-lasting, positive effect, after graduation. I proposed a concept to the mechanical engineering staff at the closing of my junior year to design and construct a wind turbine that can be used to both benefit the university and increase awareness on campus for sustainable energy. Our team consisted of 3 mechanical engineers, an electrical engineer, and an environmental studies major. The idea was to build a 1-kW wind turbine with a charging station at its base for the Global Electric Motor (GEM) Cars that are used by the faculty and staff on campus to charge. The project was such a success that of the 34 senior design groups we took first place for best presentation and the wind turbine is currently operating on SUNY Binghamton's campus.

Forest Bio-Products Reseach Initiative (2007)

About me

The summer preceding my senior year was spent performing research as part of an NSF sponsored summer Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) at the University of Maine Orono. Working under Dr. Peter van Walsum, my research consisted of producing liquid fuels from non-food sources. The purpose of the research was to provide the neighboring pulp mill with technologies to convert a hemicellulose extract derived from its input wood chips into ethanol. The US pulp and paper industry currently processes approximately 108 million tons of wood per year, while only 70% of the wood is utilized. The solid cellulose fraction of wood is saved while the lignin and a fraction of the hemicellulose components are burned for energy. Hemicellulose has a relatively low heating capacity and can potentially be converted and sold into valuable products such as ethanol and acetic acid without disturbing the amount of paper being produced.

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curriculum vitae

Click here to download CV

Education, Research, Employment, Academic Activities, Honors & Professional Sociecites

Education

August 2011 - Present

Doctor of Philosophy

Master of Science

Cornell University, Ithaca, NY

Major: Mechanical Engineering

Focus: Multiphase Flows

August 2009 - August 2011

Master of Science

University of Colorado, Boulder, CO

Major: Mechanical Engineering

Focus: Energy and the Environment

August 2005 - May 2009

Bachelor of Science

Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY

Major: Mechanical Engineering

Institutional Honors: Cum Laude

Research

August 2010 - Present

Numerical Modeling of Dense Particular Flows in Fluidized Bed Reactors

National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL)

Develop the advanced numerical algorithms and models required to improve the current state of understanding of the dynamics of turbulent fluidized bed reactors.
Develop fully three-dimensional and first-principle-based computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models to predict upset conditions in the context of LES

May 2010 - Present

Graduate Research Assistant

University of Colorado at Boulder

Investigate meso-scale structures in gas-solid circulating fluidized beds.
Use CFD to study the turbulent nature of multiphase flow.

August 2009 - May 2009

Senior Design Project – 1kW Wind Turbine

State University of New York Binghaton

Project manager / head mechanical engineer.
Designed and built a 1kW wind turbine to charge the Global Electric Motor (GEM) cars used by faculty and staff.
Turbine is currently in use on Binghamton's campus.
MacDonald Family Prize in Senior Design. 2009 honors, first place for best presentation.

June 2008 - August 2008

NSF sponsored Summer Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU)

University of Maine Orono

Lab research with the bio-chemical engineering department. Culturing bacteria to ferment sugars from woodchips for ethanol production.

Employment

August 2009 - May 2010

Teacher Assistant

University of Colorado Boulder

Held office hours and review sessions for undergraduate fluid dynamics class
Graded quizzes and gave presentations for undergraduate/graduate level wind energy class
Teacher assisntant for undergraduate/graduate level flow visualization class

August 2008 - May 2009

Faculty-Stuent Scholarship and Internship

Binghaton University Physical Facilities

(607) 777-4290

Energy & Environmental Intern