• Faculty

    • Faculty Profile

    Dr Hakeem Niyas U.S.

    Assistant Professor
    Mechanical Engineering

    Dr Hakeem Niyas U S has made notable contributions in the field of thermal energy storage, solar thermal systems, and thermal management of batteries, buildings, and processors. He received his Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering from P S G College of Technology, Coimbatore. He worked in Tata Consultancy Services, Chennai, as a Systems Engineer in the Product Lifecycle Management domain, serving Cummins Turbo Technologies and Johnson Controls Inc.  He obtained his PhD degree from the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati. His PhD Thesis is on the Development and Optimization of Latent Heat Storage System. Before joining Energy Institute Bengaluru, Centre of Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Petroleum Technology, he also served as a Faculty in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli. His research contributions have resulted in several high-quality publications.

                                                                               
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    Education
    Ph D Mechanical Engineering 2017 Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati
    B E Mechanical Engineering 2007 PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore 
    Experience
    Oct 2018 – Till date Assistant Professor Energy Institute Bengaluru, Centre of Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Petroleum Technology, Bengaluru
    Jul 2017 – Oct 2018 Faculty National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli
    Feb 2008 – Apr 2011 Systems Engineer Tata Consultancy Services, Chennai
    • Introduction to Energy Systems
    • Mathematical Techniques
    • Automotive HVAC and Thermal Management Systems
    • Modelling and Simulation of Electric and Hybrid Vehicles
    • Fundamentals of Mechanical Engineering
    • Solar Thermal Systems
    • Energy and Buildings
    • Solar Power Plants
    • Renewable Energy Laboratory
    Research Interests
    • Thermal Energy Storage
    • Phase Change Materials
    • Solar Thermal Systems
    • Fuel Cell and Electrolyser
    • Zero Energy Buildings
    • Thermal Management of Batteries and Electronics
    Research Projects
    • Development of Thermal Energy Storage Test Rig for Performance Evaluation of Sensible, Latent, and Thermochemical Heat Storage Materials
      Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Petroleum Technology (Research Grant)
      2021 – 2023
    • Ageing Assessment and ROI investigation of Automotive Lithium-Ion Battery for Second Life Microgrid Battery Energy Storage System application
      Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Petroleum Technology (Research Grant)
      2022 – 2024
    Invited Talks
    1. Passive Thermal Management using Phase Change Materials in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, TKM College of Engineering, Kollam, Kerala, on 4 September 2020.
    2. Thermal Management of Buildings in Department of Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir, on 15 January 2021.
    3. Solar Energy Integration in Buildings in Department of Mechanical Engineering, Kings Engineering College, Sriperumbudur, on 6 October 2021.
    4. Energy Management in Buildings in Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, on 13 December 2021.
    5. Reference Management Using Open-Source Tool – Zotero in Workshop on Research Related Solutions for Faculty and Research Scholars conducted by Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Petroleum Technology, Jais, Uttar Pradesh, on 4 February 2022.
    6. Mathematical Modelling of Latent Heat Thermal Energy Storage Systems in the International Workshop on Phase Change Materials and Applications conducted by the University of Laghouat, Algeria, on 10 February 2022.
    7. Thermal Modelling of Energy Systems in Department of Chemical Engineering, St. Michael College of Engineering and Technology, Kalaiyarkovil, on 29 May 2022.
    8. Thermal Management of Buildings and Processors in the One Week Virtual Faculty Development Program on Numerical Simulation and Analysis with COMSOL Multiphysics conducted by SVERI’s College of Engineering, Pandharpur, on 16 June 2022.
    9. Hands-on training on Solar Thermal and Energy Storage Simulation using COMSOL Multiphysics in the High-end workshop (Karyashala) on Solar-Hydrogen Systems conducted by the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir, on 26 July 2022.
    10. Thermal Energy Storage Modelling in the Two Weeks Faculty Development Program on Recent Trends in Solar and Wind Energy Technology, Storage and Applications conducted by the Department of Mechanical Engineering, JAIN (Deemed-to-be University), Bengaluru, on 7 December 2022.
    11. Hands-On Session on Hydrogen Fuel Cell Modelling in the Two Days Online National Workshop on Hydrogen Based Integrated Energy Systems conducted by GH Raisoni College of Engineering and Management, Pune, on 11 April 2023.
    12. Fuel Cell Simulation Training in the High-end workshop (Karyashala) on Making India a Green Hydrogen Hub conducted by the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir, on 25 May 2023.
    13. Emerging Frontiers in Solar Thermal Technology: A Comprehensive Overview in Jnana Chilume – 2023 conducted by JAIN (Deemed-to-be University), Bengaluru, on 27th November 2023.
    Memberships in Professional Bodies
    1. American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
    2. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
    3. Indian Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers (ISHRAE)
    4. International Solar Energy Society (ISES)
    5. Indian Society for Heat and Mass Transfer (ISHMT)
    6. Indian Society for Technical Education (ISTE)
    7. Solar Energy Society of India (SESI)
    Journal Publications
    1. H. Niyas, L. Prasad, P. Muthukumar, Performance investigation of high-temperature sensible heat thermal energy storage system during charging and discharging cycles. Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy 2015; 17: 501-13 [Link]
    2. H. Niyas, S. Prasad, P. Muthukumar, Performance investigation of a lab–scale latent heat storage prototype - Numerical results. Energy Conversion and Management 2017; 135: 188-99 [Link]
    3. H. Niyas, C.R.C. Rao, P. Muthukumar, Performance investigation of a lab–scale latent heat storage prototype – Experimental results. Solar Energy 2017; 155: 971-84 [Link]
    4. H. Niyas, P. Muthukumar, A novel heat transfer technique for performance improvements in encapsulated latent heat storage system. Solar Energy 2018; 164: 276-86 [Link]
    5. C.R.C. Rao, H. Niyas, P. Muthukumar, Performance tests on lab-scale sensible heat storage prototypes. Applied Thermal Engineering 2018; 129: 953-67 [Link]
    6. S. Prasad, P. Muthukumar, R. Anandalakshmi, H. Niyas, Comparative study of phase change phenomenon in high temperature cascade latent heat energy storage system using conduction and conduction-convection models. Solar Energy 2018; 176:627-637 [Link]
    7. S.S. Bhogilla, H. Niyas, Design of a hydrogen compressor for hydrogen fueling stations. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy 2019; 44 (55):29329-29337 [Link]
    8. C.R.C. Rao, K. Vigneshwaran, H. Niyas, P. Muthukumar. Performance investigation of lab-scale sensible heat storage prototypes. International Journal of Green Energy 2019; 16 (14):1363-1378 [Link]
    9. A.M. Abdulateef, M. Jaszczur, Q. Hassan, R. Anish, H. Niyas, K. Sopian, J. Abdulateef. Enhancing the melting of phase change material using a fins–nanoparticle combination in a triplex tube heat exchanger. Journal of Energy Storage 2021; 35:102227 [Link]
    10. M. Teggar, S.S.M. Ajarostaghi, C. Yildiz, M. Arici, K.A.R. Ismail, H. Niyas, F.A.M. Lino, M.S. Mert. Performance enhancement of latent heat storage systems by using extended surfaces and porous materials: A state-of-the-art review. Journal of Energy Storage 2021; 44:103340 [Link]
    11. M. Teggar, M. Arici, M.S. Mert, S.S.M. Ajarostaghi, H. Niyas, E. Tunçbilek, K.A.R. Ismail, Z. Younsi, A.T. Benhouia, E.H. Mezaache. A comprehensive review of micro/nano enhanced phase change materials. Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry 2021; 1-28 [Link]
    12. T. Rehman, T. Ambreen, H. Niyas, P. Kanti, H.M. Ali, C. Park. Experimental investigation on the performance of RT-44HC-nickel foam-based heat sinks for thermal management of electronic gadgets. International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer 2022; 188:122591 [Link]
    13. B.J. Bora, T.D. Tran, K.P. Shadangi, P. Sharma, Z. Said, P. Kalita, A. Buradi, V.N. Nguyen, H. Niyas, M.T. Pham, C.T.N. Le, V.D. Tran, X.P. Nguyen. Improving combustion and emission characteristics of a biogas/biodiesel-powered dual-fuel diesel engine through trade-off analysis of operation parameters using response surface methodology. Sustainable Energy Technologies and Assessments 2022; 53(A):102455 [Link]
    14. H. Bhavsar, S. Roy, H. Niyas. Aerodynamic performance enhancement of the DU99W405 airfoil for horizontal axis wind turbines using slotted airfoil configuration. Energy 2023; 263:125666 [Link]
    15. J. Li, Z.R. Abdulghani, M.N. Alghamdi, K. Sharma, H. Niyas, H. Moria, A. Arsalanloo. Effect of twisted fins on the melting performance of PCM in a latent heat thermal energy storage system in vertical and horizontal orientations: Energy and exergy analysis. Applied Thermal Engineering 2023; 219:119489 [Link]
    16. M.F. Rahi, M. Arici, A.M. Abdulateef, H. Niyas. Numerical investigation and optimization of macro-encapsulated phase change material capsules in building roof slab. Journal of Energy Storage 2023; 68:107806 [Link]
    17. P. Anand, P.K.S. Tejes, B.K. Naik, H. Niyas. Design analysis and performance prediction of packed bed latent heat storage system employing machine learning models. Journal of Energy Storage 2023; 72:108690 [Link]
    18. M.A. Khan, H.M. Ali, T. Rehman, A. Arsalanloo, H. Niyas. Composite pin-fin heat sink for effective hotspot reduction. Heat Transfer 2024; 53:1-24 [Link]
    19. M.N.S. Jagirdar, G. Priyadarshi, B.K. Naik, H. Niyas. Implementation of adaptive neuro-fuzzy interface system in design and process optimization of latent heat storage system. Journal of Energy Storage 2024; 89:111810 [Link]
    20. H. Togun, H.S.S. Aljibori, A.M. Abed, N. Biswas, M.T. Alshamkhani, H. Niyas, H.I. Mohammed, F.L. Rashid, J.M. Dhabab, D. Paul. A review on recent advances on improving fuel economy and performance of a fuel cell hybrid electric vehicle. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy 2024; 89:22–47 [Link]
    21. M.A.H. Mithu, T.A. Tahseen, A.M. Abdulateef, H. Niyas. Fins-nanoparticle combination for phase change material enhancement in a triplex tube heat exchanger: A numerical approach to thermal sustainability. International Communications in Heat and Mass Transfer 2024; 159C:108199 [Link]
    Conference Publications
    1. L. Prasad, H. Niyas, P. Muthukumar. Performance analysis of high temperature sensible heat thermal energy storage system during charging and discharging cycles, 4th International Conference on Advances in Energy Research, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai, India, 10-12 December 2013.
    2. H. Niyas, P. Muthukumar. Performance analysis of latent heat storage systems, International Conference on Emerging Trends in Renewable Energy, C.V. Raman College of Engineering, Bhubaneswar, India, 27-28 December 2013.
    3. H. Niyas, A.K. Shukla, P. Muthukumar. Thermal characterization of phase change materials used for thermal energy storage in solar thermal power plants, 23rd International Conference on Processing and Fabrication of Advanced Materials, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee, India, 05-07 December 2014.
    4. H. Niyas, T.E. Alam, P. Muthukumar, J. Dhau, D.Y. Goswami. Performance investigation of packed bed thermal energy storage system, 3rd International Conference on Polygeneration, College of Engineering Guindy, Anna University, Chennai, India, 18-20 February 2015.
    5. H. Niyas, P. Muthukumar. Novel fin for effective heat transfer in shell-and-tube latent heat storage system, ISES Solar World Congress 2015, EXCO, Daegu, South Korea, 8-12 November 2015 [Link]
    6. H. Niyas, P. Muthukumar. Novel encapsulation technique to upscale latent heat storage capacity in steam accumulators, ISES Solar World Congress 2015, EXCO, Daegu, South Korea, 8-12 November 2015 [Link]
    7. H. Niyas, P. Muthukumar. Comparison of thermal storage characteristics of phase change materials encapsulated in different capsule configurations, 23rd National HMT and 1st International ISHMT-ASTFE Heat and Mass Transfer Conference, Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre, Indian Space Research Organization, Thiruvananthapuram, India, 17-20 December 2015.
    8. H. Niyas, P. Muthukumar. Appropriate sizing prediction and performance evaluation of the shell-and-tube latent heat storage unit, 24th National HMT and 2nd International ISHMT-ASTFE Heat and Mass Transfer Conference, BITS Pilani Hyderabad Campus, Hyderabad, India, 27-30 December 2017.
    9. S.S. Bhogilla, H. Niyas. Design of CSP-PV hybrid solar plant for low LCOE and round the clock power generation, 13th International Exergy, Energy and Environment Symposium, Makkah, Saudi Arabia, 15-18 November 2021.
    10. H. Bhavsar, S. Roy, H. Niyas. Multi-element airfoil configuration for HAWT: A novel slot design for improved aerodynamic performance, International Conference on Novel Materials and Technologies for Energy and Environment Applications, BITS Pilani Hyderabad Campus, Hyderabad, India, 18-19 February 2022.
    11. P. Anand, H. Niyas, S.S. Bhogilla, Techno-economic comparison of solar cooling system, 2nd World Energy Storage Conference, Istanbul Medeniyet University, Istanbul, Turkey, 18-21 December 2022.
    12. M.N.S. Jagirdar, H. Niyas, S.S. Bhogilla, A review of high-temperature heat transfer fluids, including molten salts and liquid metals in concentrated solar power plants, 8th National and 2nd International Conference on Refrigeration and Air Conditioning, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, India, 13-15 March 2024.
    Book Chapters
    1. P. Muthukumar, H. Niyas. Comparison of thermal characteristics of sensible and latent heat storage materials encapsulated in different capsule configurations. Concentrated Solar Thermal Energy Technologies. Springer International. 2018:11-20 [Link]
    2. C.R.C. Rao, H. Niyas, L. Prasad, P. Muthukumar. Performance investigation of lab-scale sensible heat storage system. Concentrated Solar Thermal Energy Technologies. Springer International. 2018:169-186 [Link]
    3. P. Muthukumar, H. Niyas. Materials, design and development of latent heat storage systems for medium and large-scale applications: Issues and challenges. Encyclopedia of Renewable and Sustainable Materials. Volume I. Elsevier. 2020:417-437 [Link]
    4. A. Nayak, S. Roy, S. Sundaram, A. Deo, H. Niyas. Aerodynamic Performance Enhancement and Optimization of a H-rotor Vertical Axis Wind Turbine. Innovations in Sustainable Energy and Technology. 2020:51-70 [Link]
    5. A. Raj, S. Roy, B.J. Bora, H. Niyas. CFD Analysis of a Straight Bladed Darrieus Vertical Axis Wind Turbine Using NACA 0021 Aerofoil. Innovations in Sustainable Energy and Technology. 2020:71-82 [Link]
    6. D. De, H. Niyas. Nanostructured semiconductor metal oxides for dye-sensitized solar cells. Advances in Electronic Materials for Clean Energy Conversion and Storage Applications. Elsevier. 2023:223-246 [Link]
    7. M.F. Rahi, P. Anand, M.N.S. Jagirdar, H.M. Ali, H. Niyas, Development of microencapsulated phase change materials. Phase Change Materials for Thermal Energy Management and Storage. CRC Press. 2024:41-67 [Link]
    Key Positions
    • Member Secretary, Purchase Committee, Energy Institute Bengaluru (2021 – 2023)
    • Department R&D Coordinator, Energy Institute Bengaluru (2022 – 2023)
    • Co-coordinator, Institute Workshop Committee (2023 – till now)
    Supporting Positions
    • Member, Purchase Committee, Energy Institute Bengaluru (2019 – 2021)
    • Member, Institute Annual Report Committee (2022 – 2023)
    • Member, Faculty Committee, Energy Institute Bengaluru (2020 – till now)
    • Member, Department Post Graduate Committee, Energy Institute Bengaluru (2020 – till now)
    • Member, Testing Laboratories Committee (2022 – till now)
    • Member, Institute Workshop Purchase Committee (2023 – till now)
    • School First in State Level Engineering Entrance Examination, TNPCEE 2003.
    • Best Paper Award in PINNACLE’ 06, National Technical Symposium conducted by College of Engineering Guindy, Anna University, Chennai on 27-28 February 2006.
    • MHRD Scholarship (Ministry of Human Resources and Development) for pursuing Doctoral Research at Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati in 2012.
    • DST International Travel Grant for Young Scientist for presenting two novel concepts at the international conference, Solar World Congress 2015 held at Daegu, South Korea.
    • Outstanding Reviewer, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, 2019.
    • Session Chair, International Conference on Thermofluids and Manufacturing Science – 2022, School of Mechanical Engineering, KIIT Deemed University.
    • Best Oral Presentation in the International Conference on Novel Materials and Technologies for Energy and Environment Applications (Session 4: Modelling and Simulation) conducted by BITS Pilani Hyderabad Campus on 18-19 February 2022.
    • Outstanding Presentation Award in the 8th National and 2nd International Conference on Refrigeration and Air Conditioning conducted by Indian Institute of Technology Madras on 13-15 March 2024.

    PhD Scholar

    Thesis Title

    1. Mobi Mathew (2022 – Ongoing)

    Optimal sizing, design, and energy management of solar photovoltaic system

     

    M.Tech Students (Graduation Year)

    Thesis Title

    1. Abhilash Nayak (2020)

    Turbulence normalization of wind turbine power curves

    2. Anand Raj (2020)

    Optimization of wind turbine location through wind flow modelling and its validation

    3. Yadhucharan M (2021)

    Influence of geometric and operating parameters on the performance of sensible heat storage prototypes

    4. Davis Pious (2022)

    Comparative study of dry, wet, and hybrid cooling technologies in concentrating solar power plants

    5. Het Bhavsar Sandeepbhai (2022)

    Multi-element airfoil configuration for HAWT applications: A novel slot design for improved aerodynamic performance of an airfoil

    6. Musthfa Ali Khan (2022)

    Composite pin-fin heat sink for effective hotspot reduction

    7. Nilesh Kumar (2022)

    Hydrogen blended tri-fuel combustion in IC engine

    8. Ashish K S (2022)

    Thermal management of li-ion battery pack using active and passive techniques

    9. Nikhil Hosamane (2022)

    Thermal management of lithium-ion battery using phase change materials enhanced with graphene

    10. Nipun Jaiswal (2022)

    Numerical modelling of thermal runaway in lithium-ion battery

    11. Anand Venkitaraman (2022)

    Analysis of low emissivity coatings on the performance of residential windows

    12. Ashis Patra (2022)

    Performance improvement of solid oxide electrolyzer through optimization of component size and operating conditions

    13. Kulbushan Yadav (2022)

    Numerical study of a latent heat storage system for the stable supply of industrial process heat

    14. Brajesh Kumar Ahirwar (2023)

    Electric vehicle battery pack design and thermal characterization

    15. Dhonddev Rushikesh Ratnakararao (2023)

    Modelling and characterization of lithium-ion battery

    16. Jotish John A (2023)

    Drag reduction and enhanced battery cooling through innovative outer body redesign for electric vehicles

    17. Nilesh Gupta (2023)

    Development of SOX Algorithms for Li-ion battery management system embedded application

    18. Mohd Naqueeb Shaad Jagirdar (2023)

    Implementation of adaptive neuro-fuzzy interface system in the optimization of latent heat storage system

    19. Pratyush Anand (2023)

    Design analysis and performance prediction of packed bed latent heat storage system employing machine learning models

    20. Mohammed Fareed Rahi (2023)

    Numerical investigation and optimization of macro-encapsulated phase change material capsules in building roof slab

    21. Kaustav Goswami (2024)

    Performance investigation and comparison of flat plate and evacuated tube PV/T systems
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