Faculty Bio

• 2017 – 2022: Ph.D (Energy and Thermofluids): Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, Malaysia. 
• 2013 – 2015: M.Tech. (Energy Technology): Puducherry Technological University, Puducherry, India. 
• 2009 – 2013: B. E. (Mechanical Engineering): Anna University, India. 

• Received BEST POSTGRADUATE STUDENT award in Mechanical Department, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, Malaysia for the year 2021. 
• Received GRADUATE ASSISTANTSHIP (GA) scholarship of 20 lakhs INR from Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (YUTP), Malaysia for pursuing PhD. 
• Received BEST OUTSTANDING PRESENTER award at the 5th International Conference on Mechanical, Manufacturing and Plant Engineering (ICMMPE 2019) held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (Paper ID: 198643).  

• Received BRONZE AWARD in THESIS IN 5 MINUTES competition with the title “Development and Performance Evaluation of a Novel Nanofluid Assisted Thermoelectric Air Conditioner for Energy Efficient Buildings” in PhD Science, Engineering, Technology, 1st March 2021, MNNF Network, Malaysia. 
• Received BRONZE AWARD in RESEARCH & INNOVATION POSTER competition with the title “Development and Performance Evaluation of a Novel Nanofluid Assisted Thermoelectric Air Conditioner for Energy Efficient Buildings” in PhD Science, Engineering, Technology, 29th January 2021, MNNF Network, Malaysia. 

“Nanofluid assisted thermoelectric air conditioner for efficient space conditioning”, Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia (MyIPO), Filing No.: IP2021006672, 9th November 2021. (Authors: Dr. Balaji Bakthavatchalam and Dr. Khairul Habib) 

• Languages: MATLAB, FORTRAN 
• Design and Meshing Software: AutoCAD, Solidworks, ANSYS, ALTAIR 
• CFD Solvers: ANSYS Fluent, OpenFOAM 

• Building Performance Analyser: TRNSYS 
• Other Softwares: OriginPro, LaTex, Linux 
• Expert in prototyping and setting up experiments, particularly with regard to temperature, flow and pressure measurements. 
• Experimental Devices:  

– Thermogravimetric Analyzer, Differential Scanning Calorimetry, Thermal Analyzer (KD2 Pro &TEMPOS), UV-Vis Spectrometer, FTIR spectroscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Particle Analyzer, Rheometer and Density meter. 

– Testo 480 (Indoor air quality, relative humidity, thermal comfort etc.), Davis Vantage Pro (weather forecast, solar radiation, heat index, dew point etc.), Graphtec (data logger) 

Graduate Research Assistant for the project “Heat transfer rate enhancement of an anti-fouling layer coated heat exchanger-based chiller with a novel ionic nanofluid” under FRGS (Fundamental Research Grant Scheme) of the Yayasan Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (YUTP), Malaysia. Project Outlay: 32,97,327 INR. 

1. Engineering Thermodynamics 

1. Heat and mass transfer 

1. Fluid mechanics 

Reviewer for the following International Journals: 

1. Thermal Science and Engineering Progress (Elsevier)
2. Corrosion Engineering Science and Technology (Taylor & Francis) 
3. Physics Scripta (IOP) 
4. Nanotechnology (IOP) 
5. Energies (MDPI) 
6. Polymers (MDPI) 
7. Sustainability (MDPI) 

Member of Energy Institute, London, UK (Membership No. 0075469)