National Renewable Energy Laboratory
NREL Programs
Thomas Foust
Laboratory Program Manager — Biomass
On staff since September 2004
Phone number: 303-384-7693
E-mail: Cindy.Gerk@nrel.gov (Program Integrator)
Professional expertise and experience
- More than 19 years of research and research management experience, including strategic planning
- Bioenergy research leader - program development and execution
- Partnership development, focusing on program management interface with government (DOE) and industrial customers
- Proposal development, new/expanded research and technology development
- Technical specialty in computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and heat transfer
- Expertise in biomass fractionation and physical separation
Education
- Ph.D. in mechanical engineering, University of Idaho, 2004
- M.S. in mechanical engineering, The Johns Hopkins University, 1994
- B.S. in mechanical engineering, Pennsylvania State University, 1985
Prior work experience
- Bioenergy research lead/senior researcher, Idaho National Laboratory, 1997-2004
- Forest products research lead, Department of Energy headquarters, 1990-1997
- Energy engineer, Westinghouse Power Group, 1985-1990
Other affiliations
- American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
- National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE)
- Fluids and Heat Transfer Division, ASME
- Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry (TAPPI)
- American Youth Soccer Organization — regional director
Selected Publications
Foust, Thomas D., J.E. O'Brien, J. Crepeau, and M. Sohal. "Heat transfer enhancement and pressure drop performance in a single finned oval tube with a winglet vortex generator: A detailed analysis of flow and heat transfer patterns," 2004, Int. J. Heat and Mass Transfer — accepted for publishing.
Foust, Thomas D. "Heat Exchanger Performance Enhancement Methodologies," DOE external report INEEL/EXT-03-01168, May 2004.
Foust, Thomas D. "Heat Transfer Enhancement at Minimal Pressure Drop Through the Combined Use of Oval Tubes and Winglet Vortex Generators," Ph.D. dissertation, University of Idaho, April 2004.
Foust, Thomas D., K.D. Hamman, B.A. Detering. "Numerical Simulation of Black Liquor Spray Characteristics" paper IMECE2002-32058 — Proceedings of IMECE'02 2002 ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition, New Orleans, Louisiana, November 17-22, 2002.
Foust, Thomas D., M.M. Kearney, V. Kochergin, E.S. Peterson, R.S. Herbst, N.R. Mann, J.R. Hess. "Industrial Membrane Filtration and Fractal Separation Systems for Bioenergy Separations" 24th Symposium on Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals, Gatlinburg, TN, May, 2002
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