Dr. Christopher Depcik

Goals

Professor Christopher Depcik's overarching focus in both research and teaching centers around fostering a sustainable approach to energy and transportation infrastructure. This commitment is exemplified through a comprehensive Feedstock to Tailpipe analysis, utilizing Life Cycle Analysis to evaluate conventional and alternative fuels. 

Noteworthy aspects of his work include the examination of combustion and exhaust emissions across various combustion regimes, incorporating diverse feedstocks such as waste oils and petroleum, as well as different fuels like biodiesel and glycerin. Integral to this research is the development of predictive models for combustion and catalytic exhaust after-treatment devices, aimed at mitigating hazardous emissions from both spark ignition and compression ignition engines. Further efforts at improving efficiency includes pioneering systems to recover medium-grade heat from exhaust streams, employing Additive Manufactured heat exchangers. This multifaceted approach is situated within a broader interdisciplinary framework, seeking a holistic understanding of the energy and fuel flow in the context of transportation. 

The interdisciplinary nature of this work is driven by the goal of minimizing losses and emissions while maximizing the efficiency of the energy production pathway. At the core of these efforts lies Professor Depcik's background in thermodynamics, recently applied to simulate the maturation process of whisk(e)y, rum, cachaça, and tequila using a novel three-dimensional computer program. This groundbreaking simulation can replicate years of maturation, including esterification, in a matter of minutes on a desktop computer.