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Danesh Tafti

Associate Department Head for Graduate Studies
  • William S. Cross Professor
Danesh Tafti
213E Goodwin Hall (0238)
635 Prices Fork Road
Blacksburg, VA 24061
dtafti@vt.edu
(540) 231-9975

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Professor Tafti's Research Interests

Professor Tafti develops methods to solve the equations that govern fluid flow with heat and mass trasnfer on large supercomputers. This field is generally referred to as Computational Fluid Dynamics, or CFD, and encompasses a broad range of topics. CFD is becoming an indispensible tool for analysis of fluid systems and is used widely across many industrial sectors.

His research uses methods such as:

  • Computational Fluid Dynamics in dynamic geometries
  • High Performance Parallel Computing
  • Large Eddy Simulations and Turbulence Modeling for flow and heat transfer
  • Fluid-Structure Interaction
  • Dense Particulate Flows and Impact Modeling
  • Discrete Element Method

Current applications include:

  • Internal and external cooling of turbine vanes and blades in gas turbines
  • Fouling and deposition caused by sand and ash ingestion in jet engines
  • Heat transfer enhancement in compact heat exchanges
  • Cardio-vascular flows in the presence of stents and thrombus formation and growth
  • Bacteria and nano particle transport in human capillaries
  • Aerodynamics of flapping flight
  • Fluidized particle beds and Co2 capture
High Performance Computational Fluid-Thermal Science and Engineering Lab

See Dr. Tafti's publications and research on Google Scholar.

  • 2009-Present, William S. Cross Professor of Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Virginia Tech
  • 2008-Present, Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Virginia Tech
  • 2014-2015, Interim Department Head, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Virginia Tech
  • 2002-2008, Associate Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Virginia Tech
  • 1994-2002, Adjunct Professor, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
  • 1997-2001, Scientist and Senior Investigator, Center for Simulation of Advanced Rockets, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
  • 1996-2001, Senior Research Scientist, National Center for Supercomputing Applications, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
  • 1998-1999, Associate Director & Acting Senior Associate Director, National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA), University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
  • 1991-1996, Research Scientist, National Center for Supercomputing Applications
  • 1989-1991, Post-Doctoral Research Associate, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
  • 1988-1989, Visiting Assistant Professor, West Virginia Institute of Technology
  • 1983-1984, Research Engineer, Thermax, India
  • 2015-2017 – Dept. of Energy NETL ORISE Faculty
  • 2014 – Elected Fellow of ASME
  • 2012 – College of Engineering Dean’s Research Award, Virginia Tech
  • 2009 – Endowed William S. Cross Professorship in Engineering, Virginia Tech
  • 1981 – Selected as J.N. Tata Scholar, Bombay, India (~80 selected nationally)
  • 1980 – Ranked First (1/185) in Bombay University at the B.E. Examinations
  • 1980 – Rao Rajadhyaksha Gold Medal, Bombay University
  • 1980 – Kulpatty Gold Medal, Sardar Patel College of Engineering
  • 1979 – Ranked First (1/185) in Bombay University at the Third Year B.E. Examinations
  • Ph.D. - Pennsylvania State University, 1989
  • M.S. - Texas Tech University, 1983
  • B.E. - Bombay University, 1980