Farzana Rahman

Professional Research Experience:

Graduate Research Assistant, Auburn University, Auburn, AL

Finite Element Analysis Project:                                                                  June 2012 to Present

·     A research project on “Finite Element Analysis of Composite Material Structures” for airbeam application at Mechanical Engineering Department: I have an extensive experience of designing, modeling and analyzing performance of different types of composite material structure for various applications (particularly airbeam) using CAD and FEA tools.

·Designed and developed airbeam of different structural orientation in SolidWorks (CAD software) and import those designs in Abaqus (FEA software) to conduct finite element analysis applying special meshing strategy and loading conditions.

Lithium-ion Battery Project:May 2010 to May 2012

·      A research project sponsored by General Motors Company (GM) on “Characterization of Lithium-ion Polymer Batteries” at Mechanical Engineering Department: Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy and Equivalent Circuit Modeling of Lithium Ion Polymer Batteries (Fall 2010), IR Thermography, Iso-thermal Calorimetry and Characterization of Heat Sources of Lithium Ion Polymer Batteries (Summer 2011), Designing and building complex battery test stations in battery research lab using LabVIEW and PLC/relays (Spring 2011)     

·     Conducted research with mostly experimental work. Familiar with all kinds of Lab equipment like Digital Multi meter (DMM), Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy, Oscilloscopes, Signal Generator, Bipolar power supply, E-load, Relays, PLC, Current Transducer, Thermocouples, soldering machine, Ice-point thermocouple calibrator, electronic circuits and testing & calibration of the sensors

Experimental Work

Advanced Research Laboratory:                                                                            Summer 2010

·      Designed, built and tested battery fixture and terminal clamps with mechanical, thermal and electrical stability using CAD tools (SolidEdge) and carpentry/machining

·Designed, manufactured and tested printed circuit boards (PCB) to calibrate heat source characterization algorithm whose accuracy came out to be 96%

Development of Labview based System:Spring 2012

·Designed, built, tested and calibrated complete battery test station using NI instruments (DAQ board), PLC, relays and LabVIEW programming. Have knowledge and experience of static and dynamic calibration of systems.

Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy and Modeling                                Fall 2010 to Spring 2011

·     Tested, calibrated and troubleshot problems regarding the experiments with electrochemical impedance spectroscopy instruments interfaced with computer for parameter control and data collection utilizing “Gamry Framework” software (provided by Gamry)

·     Developed equivalent circuit model of lithium-ion polymer batteries using “Gamry Echem Analyst” software (provided by Gamry) and evaluated aging performance at different operating conditions in terms of ECM parameters (8 aging parameters in a 2nd order model)

Infrared Thermography:Summer 2011 to Fall 2011

·     Conducted thermal imaging of lithium-ion polymer batteries using infrared camera (ExaminIR imaging software) for measuring its surface temperature profiles at different time instant and characterize its heat source terms in MATLAB environment using energy equations

·Validated the experimental results against an electrochemical-thermal model and the accuracy came out to be 98% for 7C and 95% for 5C rate of cycling current in lithium-ion polymer battery

Isothermal Calorimetry:Spring 2012 to Summer 2012

·      Designed, developed and built isothermal battery testing calorimeter for measuring heat sources of lithium-ion polymer batteries which is controlled and operated using Labview interfacing

·     Constructed device which utilizes “Thermoelectric Module Assembly” to control the inside temperature of calorimeter to a constant level and measuring the power input/output to maintain inside temperature constant to get the total heat flow (in or out) which is the heat generation /consumption rate (at very low current) of the battery

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Mechatronic System Design and Manufacturing:

Mechatronic Laboratory:                                                           Fall 2012

·     Designed, built, troubleshot and assess the performance of microcontroller based complex system (PIC16F84, LED, Color Sensors, Motors) using complex microcontroller programming

Designing Feedback Control Systems:

Computer Laboratory:Spring 2011

·Designed Lead, Lag controller for electric motor/generator system using Matlab/Simulink (Efficiency: 98%)

·Designed and analyzed performance of PI controller for thermostat system using Simulink

Advanced Research Laboratory:Fall 2012

·Designed and implemented PID controller for controlling the cycling current/voltage (“Current Ripple” and “Fast Charge” projects of GM) in lithium-ion polymer batteries using Labview with 97% efficiency

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Leadership Experiences: Battery Research Project

Auburn University, Auburn, ALMay 2010 to May 2012

·Organized and collaborated with complex technical problems among colleague engineers in a multinational place.

·Managed to work with people of different thoughts and principles.

·Recognized for effective communication both verbal and written as given weekly ppt. presentations and technical reporting of research progress and innovative proposals before supervisors and group of engineers.

Honors and Awards:

·"Excellent Academic Achievement Award" from University of Florida, Gainesville.

Course work:

Feedback control of dynamic systemsMechatronicsAdvanced Thermodynamics

Convection heat transfer                          Numerical method in heat transferSurface Engineering

Heat transfer enhancementTribologyAutomotive Engineering             

Composite MaterialsManufacturing processesHeat Transfer

Fluid MechanicsSolid MechanicsMachine Design

Lab work:

Engineering drawings (CAD)

Machine shop (CAM)

Programming languages (CAE)             

Numerical Studies of Heat Transfer:

Class project:Spring 2011

·Developed computational models and simulation of heat transfer of dynamic mechanical systems using MATLAB and analyzed the results over space and time

Analysis of Convective Heat Transfer:

Class project:Fall 2010

·Developed dynamic computational thermal models and analyzed convective heat transfer over time and space, designed and optimized the heat transfer conditions according to the numerical analysis using Mathematica

Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering                                                                  October 2009

Robotic System Design and Manufacture (undergraduate project):

·Designed and built remote controlled robotic system for gripping a particular object, replacing it to another place and releasing it successively. Gears, springs and strings are used for smooth energy transfer from heavy duty motors within a mechanical structure. The project was published in a national science magazine in 2008

Finite Element Analysis of Composite Material (undergraduate research work): Spring 2009

·Designed 3D Structural models of composite materials in ANSYS to perform Finite Element Analysis by applying various loading conditions and material properties, dynamics (stress-strain analysis) of these models were analyzed applying different boundary conditions and loading conditions

·Launched structural optimization based on the stress-strain analysis of composite models of various structural orientations

Conference proceedings:

·Attended conference titled as “International Conference on Advanced Materials and Magnetism” held at “Physics Department” of Bangladesh University of Engineering & Technology in 2008

GRE score: 1380 out of 1600 (Q: 770, V: 610)

VISA status: OPT (Started from 15th June, 2012)

Relocation Preference: Willing (if necessary)