Hooshang Heshmat

Biography

Dr. Hooshang Heshmat is Co-Founder, and President & CEO/Technical Director of Mohawk Innovative Technology, Inc. (MiTi), an applied research and product development company dedicated to green technology, specializing in advanced rotating machinery development.  Since the inception of MiTi in 1994, Dr. Heshmat has directed many new technological advancements specifically targeted toward advanced Oil-Free Rotating Machinery.  These advanced machines include: Synchronous and asynchronous motors/generators with operating speeds from 30,000 to 750,000 rpm and power levels from 200 Watts to 200kW; High speed fans, blowers and compressors for aircraft cabin environmental control; Industrial and aerospace blower/compressor systems for air, helium, hydrogen and other process gasses in power levels from 1 kW to 200 kW with operating speeds from 360,000 to 60,000 rpm; High-speed, compact, motorized turbo compressors for fuel cell systems (12 to 25 kW); Completely Oil-Free Turbochargers for cars and trucks; Micro/Meso Turbogenerators ranging from 300 Watts to 100 kW, with operating speeds from 500,000 rpm to 30,000 rpm, including an 8kW/180,000 rpm turbogenerator that produces an equivalent 1 HP/lb; Development of an advanced and novel recuperator system with greater than 90% effectiveness that boosts the 8 kW turbogenerator efficiency from 12 to 28%; Novel, ultra-high-speed micromachining center capable of grinding, milling and drilling at speeds to 500,000 rpm; Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD), a unique blood pump with a hybrid bearing system that combines electromagnetic, permanent magnet and hydrodynamic bearings for optimal blood flow conditions and overall patient safety; Developed advance foil bearings and their corresponding coating system that has substantially increased bearing performance capabilities in speed, load carrying capacity, damping, temperature and low ambient pressure conditions.  His bearing technology advancements have made it possible to operate his bearing designs in extremely low-ambient pressures, which are enabling development of a new class of advanced flywheels for the energy storage systems.  Since the formation of MiTi in 1994, Dr. Heshmat has directed 270 R&D grants/contracts’ in the aforementioned technical areas, with an approximate combined value of $75M.  He has also nurtured and directed the development of the aforementioned advanced oil free systems, from their concept to fruition, as the Principal Investigator and Team Leader.

Dr. Heshmat and his team of engineers and technologists are specialists in the design and integration of mechanical components (e.g., bearings, seals, dampers and piston rings, including fluid film, dry lubricant and magnetic systems) into Turbomachinery.  They are also very experienced in rotating machinery test and measurement techniques, as well as in the design and fabrication of oil-free rotating machinery systems and component test equipment.  Dr.Heshmat has established a premier biotechnology company in the Albany, New York area based on their unique heart pump (MiTiHeart).  
As a result of his efforts in leading and directing MiTi’s technical programs, the company has received the U.S. Small Business Administration’s 2002 National Tibbetts Award in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the SBIR Program, the Albany-Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce’s Small Business Council’s 2002 Innovative Enterprise Award and was listed as the second fastest growing company in the Capital District, the only technology company featured on that top 25 list.

Dr. Heshmat received his B.S. from The Pennsylvania State University in 1977, and his M.S. in 1979 and Ph.D. in 1988 in Mechanical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.  He is the Principal Investiga¬tor for a variety of programs concerned with applied tribology, including hydrodynamics, solid lubrication, novel backup bearings for magnetically suspended rotor systems, tribochemistry and surface morphology.  Dr. Heshmat's background in tribology encompasses bearings, seals, dampers and piston rings, including both fluid film and dry lubricant systems.  

While employed at Reliance Electric Company, Dr. Heshmat was responsible for developing high-performance and cost-effective industrial fluid film bearings ranging from two to 17 inches in diameter.  There he developed novel bearings and lubrication systems for starved (partially lubricated) bearings.

Dr. Heshmat has also played a primary role in the development of compliant foil bearings and has been responsible for major advances in this field, including analytical and experimental research for bearing/seal design and application.  Much of his work has been related to applying compliant foil bearings to high-speed turbomachinery, including advanced turbine engines (cruise missiles and liquid rocket engines), automotive gas turbines, air-cycle machinery for aircraft, turbochargers, turboexpanders, cryocoolers, pumps, compressors, PM/IM motors and generators, and refrigerant systems.  Dr. Heshmat has been investigating the interaction of hybrid foil/magnetic bearings and developed computer codes to permit integrated hybrid bearing designs for advanced gas turbine engine applications.

Dr. Heshmat developed the principle of "Quasi-Hydrodynamic Lubrication with Dry Triboparticulat¬es,” i.e., friction and wear control theory for application to extreme environments.  This theory was developed based upon his having conduct¬ed a wide range of experimental test efforts characterizing fundamental aspects of powder lubrication. Additionally, he has investigated the practical application of this promising new technology to high temperature coatings (Korolon®), dampers and bearings for high-speed gas turbine engines, as well as vacuum environments and damping of structural members, including turbine blades.

Dr. Heshmat is listed in Who’s Who in Business, Who’s Who in America and Who’s Who in the World, holds 28 patents, has authored more than 185 papers, co-authored 3 chapters (Principles of Bearing Design for the Compressor Handbook, Principles of Gas Turbine Bearing Lubrication and Design for the Theory of Hydrodynamic Lubrication and The Theoretical Analysis of Foil Bearings for the Handbook of Lubrication and Tribology) and authored a book, the “Tribology of Interface Layers,” CRC, 2010. He has received the Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers (STLE) 1983 Wilbur Deutsch Memorial Award, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) 1985 Burt L. Newkirk Award, the Mechanical Technology Incorporated (MTI) 1990 Technical Creativity Award for his pioneering work in powder lubrication and the STLE 1993 Captain Alfred E. Hunt Award for the best paper published by the society, "The Quasi-Hydrodynamic Mechanism of Powder Lubrication: Part II - Lubricant Film Pressure Profile."  He is an active member of STLE/ASME, was Chairman of the 1994 International Joint ASME/STLE Tribology Conference, Chairman of the Research Committee on Tribology of ASME (1999-2000), a member of the ASME Tribology Division Honors and Awards and Executive Committees, an invited speaker for the January 1997 ASME Satellite Broadcast on The Selection, Design, and Performance of Bearings and Seals and was promoted to the grade of ASME & STLE Fellow in 1998.   For his pioneering work in the field of compliant surface hydrodynamic foil bearings, he received the prestigious ASME/RCT 1995 Creative Research Award.  He was the recipient of STLE's 1996 Al Sonntag Award for the outstanding paper written on solid lubrication and published in the society journal, "The Quasi-Hydrodynamic Mechanism of Powder Lubrication: Part III - On Theory and Rheology of Triboparticulates," and ASME/IGTI 1999 Best Paper Award, “Application of Foil Bearings to Turbomachinery Including Vertical Operation”.  He was chosen to receive the ASME Board on Research and Technology Development’s 2002 Thomas A. Edison Patent Award and STLE 2003 Frank P. Bussick Award for authoring the best paper on Sealing Systems Technology, “Performance of a Compliant Foil Seal in a Small Gas Turbine Engine Simulator Employing a Hybrid Foil/Ball Bearing Support System,” published by the Society.  Dr. Heshmat also received the ASME IGTI 2005 Microturbine and Small Turbomachinery Committee Best Paper Award for authoring “Demonstration of a Turbojet Engine Using an Air Foil Bearing”, ASME Paper GT2005-68404, the ASME 2007 Mayo D. Hersey award for significant contributions to the fundamental science of powder lubrication and advanced compliant foil bearings and the STLE 2008 International Award in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the field of tribology and entitling him to a lifetime membership in the STLE.  Dr. Heshmat was also presented the Pennsylvania State University 2009 Alumni Achievement Award for his extraordinary professional accomplishments and the ASME 2009 Propulsion Best Paper Award for his technical paper entitled “Innovative High Temperature Compliant Surface Foil Face Seal Development”.  

Education

BS in 1977 from The Pennsylvania State University; M.S. in 1979 and Ph.D. in 1988 from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

Areas of Research / Professional Expertise

Dr. Heshmat's background in tribology encompasses bearings, seals, dampers, and piston rings, including both fluid film and dry lubricant systems. In the area of industrial liquid lubrication, Dr. Heshmat developed a new class of industrial oil ring bearing and novel lubrication system for a major manufacturer.
While employed at Reliance Electric Company, Dr. Heshmat was responsible for developing high-performance and cost-effective industrial fluid film bearings ranging from two to 17 inches in diameter. There he developed novel bearings and lubrication systems for starved (partially lubricated) bearings.
Dr. Heshmat has also played a primary role in the development of compliant foil bearings and has been responsible for major advances in this field, including analytical and experimental research for bearing/seal design and application. Much of his work has been related to applying compliant foil bearings to high-speed turbomachinery, including advanced turbine engines (cruise missiles and liquid rocket engines), automotive gas turbines, air-cycle machinery for aircraft, turbochargers, turboexpanders, cryocoolers, pumps, compressors, PM/IM motors and generators and refrigerant systems. Dr. Heshmat has been investigating the interaction of hybrid foil/magnetic bearing and developed computer codes to permit integrated hybrid bearing designs for advanced gas turbine engine applications.
Dr. Heshmat developed the principle of "Quasi-Hydrodynamic Lubrication with Dry Triboparticulates,” i.e., friction and wear control theory for application to extreme environments. This theory was developed based upon his having conduct¬ed a wide range of experimental test efforts characterizing fundamental aspects of powder lubrication. Additionally, he has investigated the practical application of this promising new technology to high temperature coatings (Korolon™), dampers and bearings for high-speed gas turbine engines, as well as vacuum environments and damping of structural members including turbine blades.

Books