ASHRAE announced that a total of $153,000 will be awarded for the 2020-21 Society Year to fund 34 projects through ASHRAE Undergraduate Program Equipment Grants.
The ASHRAE Undergraduate Program Equipment Grants provides grants to engineering, technical and architectural schools worldwide. Its goal is to increase student knowledge, learning and awareness of the HVAC&R industry through the design and construction of senior projects. Grants are used to fund equipment and supplies for senior projects and two-year technical school projects that focus on ASHRAE-related topics.
"The practical experience that students gain through their work on these projects not only prepares them for the professional world, but encourages expanded thought and innovation,” said Ben Oliver, chair of the ASHRAE Student Activities Committee. “We are excited to support these students through ASHRAE Undergraduate Program Equipment Grants as they seek to make a positive impact on the future of the building industry.”
This year, all fifteen ASHRAE regions were represented by the 92 applications submitted, marking the largest number of applications in the history of the program. Over half of the applicants were new to the program, with twice the number of applicants collaborating with industry through mentorship and financial support.
Successful projects were chosen based upon the following guidelines: relevance as an ASHRAE-related topic; long-term student impact of the project; amount of funding requested; and the participating students’ involvement with ASHRAE. The grants awarded will impact over 4,000 students throughout the world.
This year’s projects receiving funding are as follows:
- “R744 Transcritical Educational Demonstration Unit,” California Polytechnic State University
- “Performance Measurement of a Small Footprint Subcritical Carbon Dioxide (SubCO2) based External Combustion Heat Engine Prototype,” California State University, Fresno
- “Modelling and Validation of Air cooled condenser considering the effect of Fouling, Corrosion and Scaling and Prediction for the Maintenance,” College of Engineering Pune
- “Combined Evaporative Cooling with Vapor Compression Air Conditioning to Increase Efficiency,” Eastern Washington University
- “Project and Development of Asymmetry Solar Radiation and Non-Uniform Environment Conditions Experimental Chamber Equipped with Multiple HVAC Systems,” Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia
- “Heat Transfer Enhancement by Using Passive Techniques in Tubular Heat Exchanger,” Finolex Academy of Management and Technology
- “Scroll Compressor to Expander Conversion for Waste Heat Recovery,” Grove City College “Undergraduate Building Mechanical Systems Control Testing Teaching Facility,” Illinois Institute of Technology
- “Design and Development of Hybrid (VCC and desiccant) Air-Conditioning System Test Rig,” Jayawantrao Sawant College of Engineering
- “Design and Development of Household Refrigeration System Assisted with Two Phase Ejector,” Maharaja Agrasen Institute of Technology
- “Design and Development of Vapor Compression Experimental Test Rig using Ejector as an Expansion Device,” Maharaja Agrasen Institute of Technology
- “Design and Development of Cascade Refrigeration System for Low Temperature Application as a Training and Demonstration Unit,” Maharaja Agrasen Institute of Technology
- “Design and Fabrication of a Blast Freezer for Laboratory and Research Purposes in Mapúa University,” Mapúa University
- “Development and Experimental Study of 5 TR Stratified Chilled Water Storage Plant,” Marathwada Mitra Mandal's College of Engineering, Pune
- “Development and Testing of IOT system for HVAC,” Nagarjuna College of Engineering and Technology
- “Development of Solar Heat Pump with Phase Change Material as a demonstration Unit for Engineering Students,” Nagarjuna College of Engineering and Technology
- “Geothermal Air-conditioning,” NED University of Engineering and Technology
- “Modular Multi-Purpose Workbench: Temperature Regulation with Phase Change Material and Ductless Mini Split Heat Pump,” New York Institute of Technology
- “Active learning integrated with physical activity in HBCU Integration of Daylighting with HVAC Systems. Daylight Factor Measurement,” North Carolina A&T State University
- “Analysis of Residential Refrigerators,” Oklahoma State University
- “Development and Testing of Small Capacity Positive Displacement Refrigerant Pumps for Heat Exchanger Tests,” Oklahoma State University
- “Design and Prototyping of a Cold-Climate Packaged Two-Stage Heat Pump with R-290,” Purdue University
- “Mini-Split Installation and Performance Racks,” Sinclair Community College
- “Nano-fluid Based Solar Air-conditioning System,” Terna Engineering College
- “Experimental Apparatus for Testing Metamaterials for Reducing Noise in Ducts,” The University of Texas at Tyler
- “Design and Development of New Concept Evaporative Cooling Condenser for Energy Performance Optimization,” Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka
- “Development and Evaluation of Thermoelectric Refrigerator Driven by Nanostructure-Based Solar Cells,” Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman
- “Undergraduate Gas/Liquid System Design: HVAC Components Demonstration,” University of Alberta
- “Integrated Variable Air Volume and Terminal VAV Box Control with BACnet DDC, Matlab-Based Monitoring, and Simulation Systems,” University of Cincinnati
- “Humidifier and Dehumidifier Systems for a Renovated Full-Scale Environmental Chamber,” University of Coimbra
- “Development of a Flexible Control Testing Platform for Air-Conditioning/Heat Pump Systems,” University of Oklahoma
- “Portable VAV System for Undergraduate Laboratory,” University of Regina
- “Novel Metal Organic Frameworks (MOFs) Adsorption Heat Transformation (AHT),” University of Windsor
The two highest ranking teams will be invited to present their projects during the Student Program at the 2021 ASHRAE Winter Conference, taking place January 23-27, 2021 in Chicago.
For more information about the program, please visit ashrae.org/grants.