Dr. Ates Akyurtlu

Professor of Chemical Engineering
Telephone: (757) 727-5599
E-mail: ates.akyurtlu@hamptonu.edu

• Ph.D., Chemical Engineering, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, 1975
• M.Sc., Chemical Engineering, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey, 1969
• B.Sc., Chemical Engineering, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey, 1967

Research Interests

Reacting flows, combustion and propulsion; modeling of chemical reactors; catalytic and noncatalytic gas-solid reactions; above topics related to coal, general energy and environmental research; application of general purpose and design software to chemical engineering calculations; undergraduate engineering education.

Ongoing Projects

• Catalytic Reforming of Heavy Hydrocarbons for the Production of Hydrogen (funded by NASA Glenn Research Center (NCC-3-1037) under HU Aeropropulsion Center):  This topic is of interest to NASA and the military.  Fuel cell use is a viable alternative for applications in ground and air transportation, and power generation.  The fuel of choice for fuel cells, hydrogen, can be supplied from a distribution network or, it may be produced on board for transportation applications.
• Introduction of Nanotechnology to Undergraduate Engineering and Science Education (funded by NSF-NUE (EEC-0532472)):  Although the scientific research on nanoscale phenomena has reached explosive proportions and produced the ability to measure, manipulate and organize matter at the atomic and molecular level, the conversion of nanoscience into nanotechnology is just beginning.  The key to success in transforming science into useful technology is the availability of engineers and technicians prepared to work effectively in the field of nanotechnology.  Contribution of this project to undergraduate education is mainly through an elective multidisciplinary and modular nanotechnology course in the senior year; the course modules and laboratory modules on nanoscience and nanotechnology in various existing undergraduate courses in the chemical engineering, physics and chemistry curricula; involvement of undergraduate students in nanotechnology research; and a seminar series. 
• Eastern Seaboard Intermodal Transportation Applications Center (funded by US Department of Transportation Center): to determine an air quality model for selected sections of heavily used interstates through the Hampton Roads area, and choose an appropriate method for pollution monitoring.  Some of the interstate sections that are close to railway lines and shipping lanes will be monitored to study the impact of intermodal transportation on pollutant emissions.
• Other research interests: Development of solid materials for onboard hydrogen storage; Simultaneous removal of oxides of nitrogen and sulfur; NO dissociation.

Professional Activities and Honors

• Executive Board Member of the Tidewater Section of AIChE as the advisor to the Hampton University AIChE Student Club
• Member of Peninsula Engineers Council (2006 to date)

Recent Research Funding

Selected Recent Publications and Presentations

• Akyurtlu, J.F., Akyurtlu, A. and Davis, R. J.: “Zeolite-Supported Ruthenium Catalysts for Carbon Monoxide Hydrogenation Reaction”, Final Report to NSF on Grant # CTS-0000485, 2003.
• Akyurtlu, A. and Akyurtlu, J. F.: "Investigation of Mixed Metal Sorbent/Catalysts for the Simultaneous Removal of Sulfur and Nitrogen Oxides”, Final Report to DOE on DE-FG22-96PC96216, 2001.
• Akyurtlu, J. F., and Akyurtlu, A.: Behavior of Ceria-Copper Oxide Sorbents under Sulfation Conditions, Chem. Eng. Sci. 54, 2991-2997, 1999.
• Akyurtlu, J.F., Kovenklioglu, S., and Akyurtlu, A.: Catalytic Oxidation of Volatile Organic Compounds in Water, Catalysis Today, 40, 343-352 (1998).
• Akyurtlu, A. and Akyurtlu, J. F., “Development of Low-temperature Catalysts for CO Oxidation and NO Decomposition”, presented at the AIChE 2002 Annual Meeting, Indianapolis, IN, November 2002.
• Akyurtlu, J.F., Davis, R.J., Akyurtlu, A., and Bridges, W., “Zeolite-Supported Ruthenium Catalysts for Carbon Monoxide Hydrogenation Reaction”, 18th North American Catalysis Society Meeting at Cancun, Mexico, June 1-6, 2003
• Akyurtlu, A., and Akyurtlu, J.F., “Reaction of NO with Methane on promoted Mixed Metal Oxide Catalysts”, 18th North American Catalysis Society Meeting at Cancun, Mexico, June 1-6, 2003.
• Gilinsky, M., Blankson, I. M., Maron, V. I., Akyurtlu, J. F., Akyurtlu, A., and Hill, C. A.: “Recirculation Method for Mixing and Heat Transfer Enhancement: Theory and Experiment”, paper D-178, ICCES 03, Corfu Island-Greece, July 25-29, 2003.
• Akyurtlu, A., and, Akyurtlu, J.F.  “Temperature-Programmed Desorption and Reaction Studies of NO Reduction by Methane on Mixed Metal Oxide Catalysts”, AIChE 2003 Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA, November 19, 2003.
• Akyurtlu, A., Akyurtlu, J.F., Bridges, W. and Harlan, J., “Pt/SnO2 Catalysts for NO Decomposition”, AIChE 2004 Annual Meeting, Austin, TX, November 6-11, 2004.  
• Gilinsky, M. Khaikine, V., Akyurtlu, A., Akyurtlu, J. F., Trexler, C., Baurle, R.,Emami, S., and Blankson, I. M., “Numerical and Experimental Tests of a Supersonic Inlet With A Pylon Set for Mixing, Combustion, and Thrust Enhancement”, presented at the AIAA 43rd Aerospace Sciences Meeting and Exhibit, Reno, Nevada, Jan. 10-13, 2005.
• Gilinsky, M., Khaikine, V., Akyurtlu, A., Akyurtlu, J., Trexler, C., Baurle, R., Emami, S., and Blankson, I., “Numerical and Experimental Tests of a Supersonic Inlet Utilizing a Pylon Set for Mixing, Combustion and Thrust Enhancement”, presented at the AIAA/CIRA 13th International Space Planes and Hypersonics Systems and Technologies Conference, Centro Italiano Ricerche Aerospaziali (CIRA), Capua, Italy, May 16 – 20, 2005.
• Akyurtlu, J., Akyurtlu, A., Seo, J.T., and Ndip, E., “Introduction of Nanotechnology to Undergraduate Engineering and Science Curricula-A Multidisciplinary and Modular Approach”, presented at the ASEE 2006 Annual Conference, June 21, 2006, Chicago, IL.
• Akyurtlu, J., Akyurtlu, A., Seo, J.T., and Ndip, E.,”A Multidisciplinary and Modular Approach for the Introduction of Nanotechnology to Undergraduate Engineering and Science Curricula”, presented at the International Conference on Engineering Education, July 23-28, 2006, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
• J.F. Akyurtlu, “Introduction of Nanotechnology to Undergraduate Engineering Curriculum”, presented at the AMIE (Advancing Minorities’ Interest in Engineering) Conference, Hampton, VA, September 6-7, 2007.
• Xu, Q., Akyurtlu, A. and Akyurtlu, J. F., “Selective Catalytic Reduction of Nitric Oxide in Diesel Exhaust”, presented at the AIChE 2006 Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA, November 12-17, 2006.
• Liu, J, Akyurtlu, J. F. and Akyurtlu, A., “Decomposition of Nitric Oxide by Platinum Supported on Tin Oxide”, presented at the AIChE 2006 Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA, November 12-17, 2006.
• Akyurtlu, J. F. and Akyurtlu, A., Seo, J. and Ndip, E., “Nanotechnology in Undergraduate Engineering and Science Education”, presented at the AIChE 2006 Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA, November 12-17, 2006.
• Ozdural, Pinar, Akyurtlu, J.F., Erten-Unal, Mujde and Akyurtlu, A., “Catalytic Wet Air Oxidation of Azo-Dye Orange II: In Search of an Efficient Catalyst”, presented at the 20th North American Catalysis Society Meeting, Houston, TX, June 17-22, 2007.
• J. Akyurtlu and A. Akyurtlu, “A Modular Approach for the Introduction of Nanotechnology to Undergraduate Engineering and Science Curricula”, presented at the 2007 ASEE Annual Conference, Honolulu, Hawaii, June 24-27, 2007.

Work in the Hampton University Aeropropulsion Center (modeling and testing supersonic inlet with pylons for mixing, combustion, and thrust improvement):