ASME Meeting Participants Tour Chesapeake Building

On Wednesday, February 12, 2003 20 visitors and members of the university community participated in an event sponsored by the Washington, D.C., section of ASME. The event was a tour of the Chesapeake Building and the Integrated Energy Systems Facility that is operating there.

The Chesapeake Building, an administration building that has a microturbine, engine-driven air conditioners, an absorption chiller, and liquid and solid desiccant systems installed. The Integrated Energy Systems Consortium (IES), in cooperation with the US Department of Energy, Oak Ridge National Laboratories and industry partners supported the development of this facility.

Dr. Reinhard Radermacher, Professor of Mechanical Engineering, is the director of the Center for Environmental Energy Engineering. Dr. Radermacher is an internationally recognized expert in working fluids for energy conversion systems; in particular heat pumps, air-conditioners and refrigeration systems. His work has resulted in over 100 publications, including three books that he co-authored, numerous invention records, and nine patents. He was a visiting scientist and NATO scholar at the National Institute of Standards and Technology before joining the University of Maryland.

Patti Garland from Oak Ridge National Laboratory's Distributed Energy Resources program was the guest speaker. Her topic was on this program at the Department of Energy and research efforts around the country that are developing integrated cooling, heating, and power systems. Professor Jeffrey Herrmann was the host of the meeting.

Published February 15, 2003