Faculty Directory

Silk, Eric

Silk, Eric

Aerospace Engineering Program Lecturer
Aerospace Engineering

EDUCATION

 

Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, Thermal Fluid Sciences (2006), University of Maryland, College Park, MD
Master Engineering, Thermal Fluid Sciences (1998), Howard University, Washington, DC
Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering (1993), University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN

 

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

 

  • American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), Associate Fellow
  • United States Interagency Advanced Power Group (Mechanical Systems Working Group), Member

Professional Service

  • AIAA SciTech Forum Technical Chair, 2019
  • AIAA SciTech Forum Deputy Technical Chair, 2018
  • AIAA Journal of Thermophysics and Heat Transfer Associate Editor, 11/2017 - Present
  • AIAA SciTech Forum Deputy Technical Chair, 2017
  • AIAA Thermophysics Technical Committee Chair Elect, 2013-2014
  • Session Chair, Thermal Protection Systems II, 52nd Aerospace Sciences Meeting 2014
  • Session Chair, Cryogenics, 52nd Aerospace Sciences Meeting 2014
  • Session Chair, Heat Transfer II, 51st AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting 2013
  • Session Co-Chair, Mechanisms and Thermophysics Properties Characterization, 51st AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting 2013
  • Session Chair, Surface Catalysis, AIAA Thermophysics Conference, 2012
  • Session Chair, Aerothermodynamics II, 50th AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting, 2012
  • Session Chair, Innovative Heat Pipe and Loop Heat Pipe Design, AIAA Thermophysics Conference, 2011
  • Thermophysics Track Technical Chair for AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting, 2011
  • Session Co-Chair, MEMS and Microfluidics, AIAA/ASME Thermophysics Conference, 2010
  • Session Co-Chair, Heat Transfer II, 48th AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting, 2010
  • Session Co-Chair, Spray and Jet Heat Transfer, ASME Summer Heat Transfer Conference, 2009
  • Session Co-Chair, Heat Pipes, ASME Summer Heat Transfer Conference, 2009
  • Session Co-Chair for Multiphase Flows and Heat Transfer, AIAA Thermophysics Conference, 2009
  • Judge for National Space Club’s Annual District of Columbia Mathematics, Science and Technology Fair, March 14th, 2009
  • Judge for The Northern Virginia Regional Science and Engineering Fair Competition, March 7, 2009
  • Session Co-Chair for Radiation Heat Transfer, AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting 2009
  • Contributor to Aerospace America’s 2008 Aerospace Sciences Thermophysics year in Review article featuring enhanced surface spray cooling studies.
  • Session Chair for Advances in Spray Cooling, Space Technology and Applications International Forum, 2006-2008
  • Session Co-Chair for High Heat Rejection Systems, Space Technology and Applications International Forum, 2006/2007
  • Best thermal paper of the year committee member for Space Technology and Applications International Forum, 2005-2008
  • Session Co-Chair for Thermal Modeling/Characterization of Electronic Systems II, International Electronic Packaging Technical Conference and Exhibition, 2007
  • Session Chair for Heat Transfer Technologies (two phase, advanced materials/devices), Thermal & Fluids Analysis Workshop (TFAWS) 2006
  • ASME Heat Transfer Division K-13 (Heat Transfer In Multiphase Systems) committee member, standing
  • University of Notre Dame Minority Engineering Program Alumni Advisory Board member, 2007-2009
  • ASME Engineering.org Focus group participant, 2008
  • Panel reviewer for U.S. Naval Academy’s Astronautics Student Project Review, Standing
  • Judge for 20th Annual Student Space Design Competition in conjunction with STAIF-2008
  • Judge for 18th Annual Student Space Design Competition in conjunction with STAIF-2006
  • Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Spray Cooling Heat Transfer technical review board, 2003-2006
  • South Carolina Space Grant Research and Education Award Program reviewer, 2006

 

 

  • Multiphase Heat Transfer Systems
  • Refrigeration Technology
  • Spray Cooling Heat Transfer
  • Heat Pipes
  • Loop Heat Pipes
  • Enhanced Surface Heat Transfer
  • Thermal Control Systems for Space Platforms

  • ENAE696-Spacecraft Thermal Design

Journal Articles

  • Silk, E.A. and Myre, D., 2013 “Fractal Loop Heat Pipe Performance Testing with A Compressed Carbon Foam Wick Structure,”  Journal of Applied Thermal Engineering, Vol. 59, Issues 1-2, pp. 290-297
  • Silk, E.A. and Bracken, P., 2010 “Spray Cooling Heat Flux Performance Using HTC Foam,” AIAA Journal of Thermophysics and Heat Transfer, Vol. 24, No. 1, pp. 157-164
  • Johnston, J.E., Selvam, R.P., and Silk, E.A., 2009 “Thermal Modeling of Spray Cooling: Gravitational Effect on Droplet/Bubble Dynamics,” AIAA Journal of Thermophysics and Heat Transfer, Vol. 23, No. 3, pp. 560-570
  • Silk, E.A., and Dash, P.H., 2008, “Risk Management in Space Systems Design and Technology Development,” Proceedings for IMechE Part G: Journal of Aerospace Engineering, Vol. 222, G6, pp. 907-913
  • Silk, E.A., Golliher, E.L., and Selvam, R.P., 2008, “Spray Cooling Heat Transfer: Technology Overview and Assessment of Future Challenges For Micro-Gravity Application,” Journal of Energy Conversion and Management, Vol. 49, No. 3, pp.453-468
  • Silk, E.A., and Creel, R., 2007, “Technology Development for Lunar Thermal Applications and the Next Generation of Space Exploration,” Journal of Aerospace Engineering, Vol. 221, No. 2, pp. 305-309
  • Silk, E.A., Kim, J., Kiger, K., 2006, “Spray Cooling of Enhanced Surfaces: Impact of Structured Surface Geometry and Spray Axis Inclination,” International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, Vol. 49, No. 25/26, pp. 4910-4920

Conference Proceedings

  • Myre, D. and Silk, E.A., 2014, “Fractal Loop Heat Pipe Performance Comparisons of a Soda Lime Glass and Compressed Carbon Foam Wick,” 52nd  AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting, Jan. 13-17, National Harbor, MD., USA
  • Silk, E.A. and Myre, D., 2010, “Investigation of Gravitational Effects On Fractal Loop Heat Pipe Performance,” 48th AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting, Jan. 4-7, Orlando, Fl., USA
  • Silk, E.A. and Myre, D., 2009, “Fractal Loop Heat Pipe Heat Flux and Operational Performance Testing,” 2009 ASME Summer Heat Transfer Conference, July 19-23, San Francisco, CA., USA
  • Silk, E.A., Dick, D.O., 2008, “Foam Spray Cooling Heat Transfer Study,” Proceedings of the 19th International Symposium on Transport Phenomena, August 17-21, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland.
  • Silk, E.A., 2008, “Investigation of Pore Size Effect On Spray Cooling Heat Transfer With Porous Tunnels,” Space Technology and Applications International Forum, February 10-14, Albuquerque, NM.
  • Johnston, J.E., Selvam, R.P., and Silk, E.A., 2008, “Spray Cooling Modeling: Droplet Sub-Cooling Effect on Heat Transfer,” Space Technology and Applications International Forum, February 10-14, Albuquerque, NM.
  • Silk, E.A., Kim, J., Kiger, K., 2007, “Energy Conservation Based Spray Cooling CHF Correlation For Flat Surface Small Area Heaters,” ASME-JSME Thermal Engineering Summer Heat Transfer Conference, July 8-12, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
  • Selvam, R.P., Hamilton, M., Silk, E.A., 2007, “Spray Cooling Modeling: Liquid Film Thickness Effect on Heat Transfer,” Space Technology and Applications International Forum, February 13-17, Albuquerque, NM.
  • Selvam, R.P., Hamilton, M., Silk, E.A., 2006, “Spray Cooling Modeling: Droplet Impact and Vapor Growth Effects on Heat Transfer in Micro and Macro-gravity,” Thermal & Fluids Analysis Workshop (TFAWS) 2006, August 7-11, University of Maryland, College Park, MD.
  • Silk, E.A., Kim, J., Kiger, K., 2006, “Enhanced Surface Spray Cooling with Embedded and Compound Extended Surface Structures,” Tenth Intersociety Conference on Thermal and Thermomechanical Phenomena in Electronic Systems, May 30 - June 3, San Diego, CA.
  • Silk, E.A., Kim, J., Kiger, K., 2005, “Effect of Spray Cooling Trajectory angle on Heat Flux for a Straight Finned Enhanced Surface,” ASME International Summer Heat Transfer Conference, July 17-22, San Francisco, CA.
  • Silk, E.A., Kim, J., and Kiger, K., 2005, “Impact of Cubic Pin Finned Surface Structure Geometry Upon Spray Cooling Heat Transfer,” ASME International Electronic Packaging and Technical Conference, July 17-22, San Francisco, CA., InterPACK 2005 Conference Proceedings
  • Silk, E.A., Kim, J., and Kiger, K., 2004, “Investigation of Enhanced Surface Spray Cooling,” ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress, Nov.13-19, Anaheim, CA., IMECE2004 Conference Proceedings
  • Payne, W.V., Silk, E.A., and Domanski, P.A., 2000, “A Water-to-Water Heat Pump Using Hydrocarbon and Hydrofluorocarbon Zeotropic Mixtures With and Without an Internal Heat Exchanger.” NISTIR 6449 National Institute of Standards and Technology. Gaithersburg, MD. USA
  • Kuhn, J., Benner, S., Butler, C., Swanson, T. and Silk, E.A., 1999, “Thermal and mechanical performance of a carbon-carbon Composite spacecraft radiator.” Proceedings of  SPIE Vol. 3786 Opto-mechanical Engineering and Vibration Control, July 20-23, Denver, CO.

PERIODICAL PUBLICATIONS

  • Silk, E.A., 2012 “AIAA Thermophysics Year In Review Article: Carbon Foam Wick Testing”, Aerospace America, December 2012, pg. 24
  • Silk, E.A., 2009 “Improving Heat Flux Performance of Flat Surface In Spray-Cooling Systems,” NASA Tech Briefs, Vol. 33, No. 8, pg. 44

Four UMD Students Named 2016 Goldwater Scholars

UMD is one of five institutions with all four nominees named scholars

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