Dr Smitha Gopinath

My work, cutting across disciplines, is focused on the design, calibration, and operation of sustainable engineering systems. The wide-ranging applications of my work include the design of novel solvents and processes for carbon-capture, the conceptualisation of renewable energy generation systems that harness solar energy and the globally optimal operation of power transmission networks. The computational techniques that I develop to solve these challenging problems involve both high-fidelity modelling and large-scale optimisation. To solve challenging optimisation problems, I often devise tailored algorithms that leverage knowledge of the system.

Key research interests:

Design of:

• Thermo-mechanical energy conversion devices such as heat pumps and organic Rankine cycles
• Separation systems that enable carbon capture utilization and storage, biomanufacturing and retrofitting of existing processes
• Operation and expansion of the power grid to facilitate integration of renewables, electrification and decarbonisation

Sustainable Design Laboratory (SDL).

The laboratory uses the tools of design, systems engineering, multi-scale modelling, chemical process simulation and optimisation to reimagine the chemical industry and power a sustainable future.

The SDL is interested in advancing methodologies, algorithms and tools for:

1. Integrated molecular and process synthesis (IMPS): The ability of the process to meet performance targets (energy use, minimise wastage) strongly depend on both molecular-level decisions (e.g., which catalyst, which solvent) as well as flowsheet-level decisions (e.g., how many distillation columns, what reactor temperature). In the SDL, we apply systems-level thinking to simultaneously design the best materials/molecules as well as the best flowsheets to enable manufacturing processes to meet performance goals (e.g., reduce energy usage or minimise OPEX). Our design techniques combine advances in modelling of materials and manufacturing processes as well as optimisation algorithms.
2. Optimisation Accelerated by domain Knowledge (OAK): Several large-scale optimisation problems may be virtually intractable by off- the-shelf optimisation solvers. We develop algorithms that are tailored to engineering applications that combine mathematical reasoning with domain knowledge to enable the solution of challenging optimization problems in energy and materials.

At the SDL, we are particularly excited by the following application areas of the IMPS and OAK methodologies:

1. Thermo-mechanical energy conversion devices such as heat pumps and organic Rankine cycles;
2. Separation systems that enable carbon capture utilisation and storage, biomanufacturing and retrofitting of existing processes;
3. Operation and expansion of the power grid to facilitate integration of renewables, electrification and decarbonization.

Please contact me if you would like to do a PhD in the Sustainable Design Laboratory.