Bio
Dr. Ioan Feier is an assistant professor at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, CO. He specializes in thermal and fluid sciences and leads this curriculum aspect in the Department of Engineering Mechanics. Dr. Feier is also the faculty advisor for the Academy’s Formula SAE team and the department Research Director in charge of the Cadet Summer Research Program. He has taught the following courses while at the Academy:
Engr Mech 220 – Fundamentals of Mechanics
Mech Engr 312 – Thermodynamics
Mech Engr 341 – Fluid Dynamics
Mech Engr 468 – Sustainable Energy
Mech Engr 490 – Automotive Analysis for the Engineer
Mech Engr 491/492 – Capstone Design Project I & II
Mech Engr 499 – Independent Study (various topics)
Previously Dr. Feier worked for three years on Sierra Nevada Corporation’s Dream Chaser spacecraft, leading a team of computational fluid dynamics and aerospace engineers performing aerodynamic simulations. This included analysis ranging from hypersonic re-entry reacting flow all the way to subsonic landing speeds involving complex geometry with deployed gear. He also managed an in-house high performance parallel computational cluster. Additionally, he participated in various flight testing campaigns and the Oct 2013 Approach-and-Landing Test at NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Center where. There he worked on air data boom calibration, and aerodynamic data capture and flow visualization. Furthermore, he was also involved with multiple wind tunnel test campaigns.
Dr. Feier also spent five years in R&D consulting for the Battelle Memorial Institute, a non-profit think tank in Columbus, OH. There he worked on aircraft anti-icing systems (testing at the BF Goodrich and Boeing BRAIT icing tunnels), carbon dioxide underground sequestration for climate change mitigation, vehicle testing, aerodynamics, gas pipeline testing, chem/bio chambers, weapons demilitarization, and various thermal systems. Work included managing up to $1M value projects.
While in graduate school Dr. Feier performed experimental and computational microgravity combustion studies on solid fuels. The experiments included multiple flight campaigns on NASA’s Reduced Gravity Aircraft (both the KC-135 and C-9) from the Glenn Research Center and the Johnson Space Center.
Overall Dr. Feier has experience in experimental testing of vehicles (ground and flight), and in simulation of complex fluid and thermal problems using various simulation tools: STAR-CCM+, Fluent/Gambit, CFD++, Pointwise, NASA Codes (DPLR, CART3D, CBAERO, LEWICE, FUN3D, LAURA), Tecplot, Ensight, ParaView, some OpenFOAM, some Comsol Multiphysics, and Sandia’s CTH, Fortran, MATLAB, LabView, and SpaceClaim.
Dr. Feier is an FAA certified private pilot with single engine land and glider ratings. He also holds multiple SCUBA certifications including NITROX and Rescue Diver. Finally, Dr. Feier has been selected as a NASA Astronaut candidate finalist in 2009 (top ~50 of 3500+ applicants) and also in 2013 (top ~50 of 6100+ applicants), undergoing week-long medical and capability tests during both competitions.
Education
Ph.D. Mechanical Engineering (Jan 2007)
M.S. Mechanical Engineering (May 2001)
B.S. Aerospace Engineering (May 1999)
Professional Experience
Assistant Professor, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, CO (July 2015-Present)
Senior Systems Engineer, CFD Team Lead / Group Deputy, Sierra Nevada Corporation, Louisville, CO (Feb 2012-June 2015)
Principal Scientist & Research Scientist, Applied Energy Group, Battelle Memorial Institute, Columbus, OH (Jan 2007-Jan 2012)
Graduate Student Researcher, NASA Glenn Research Center & Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH (June 1999-Dec 2006)
Student Intern, Ohio Aerospace Institute, Cleveland, OH (May 1998-Aug 1998)
Student Intern, Argonne National Lab, Chicago, IL, (May 1997-Aug 1997)
Honors & Awards
U.S. Air Force Academy Department of Engineering Mechanics, Outstanding New Instructor of the Year Award (2015-2016)
Battelle Emerging Leader Program (2011-2012)
Emerging Scientists and Engineers Council (2010-2011)
Scientific and Technical Team Award: AEP Mountaineer Carbon Storage Project (2009)
OPA: (Outstanding Performance Award) Remote Tank Level Monitor project (2011)
OPA: Nanotube anti-icing wind tunnel/CFD tests (2011)
OPA: Michigan CO2 Phase II, automated well annulus system (2009)
OPA: Bobtail Propane Truck Field Stress Testing (2007)
OPA: Chemical Demilitarization Probe Alternative Testing, for CFD work (2007)
Research and Scholarly Interests
Aircraft icing
Thermal systems
Aerodynamics
Land speed record vehicles
Bicycle performance
Publications
Conferences/Journal Research Pepers/Reports
Drenth, A., Sidebotham, G., Cornwell, P., and Feier, I., “The Hydrostatic Vacuum Tube: a Low‐Cost Thermal Fluid Science Laboratory”, 2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Minneapolis, MN. (2022).
Feier, I., “Heat Transfer Numerical Simulations for Bicycle Disc Brakes”, ISEA 14, (2022). Feier, I.I., “Aerodynamic Development of Wairua 1, a 300 MPH Land Speed Record Vehicle”, AIAA 20221337, AIAA SCITECH 2022 Forum, 29 Dec 2021.
Feier, I.I., Schwaab, C., Paillat, C., “Aerodynamic Development of Wairua 2, a 500 mph Land Speed Record Vehicle ‐ Recent Progress, Intake Analysis, and Underbody Shaping”, AIAA 2022‐1962, AIAA SCITECH 2022 Forum, 29 Dec 2021.
Feier, I., Way, J., and Redfield, R., “Bicycle Disc Brake Thermal Performance: Combining Dynamometer Tests, Bicycle Experiments, and Modeling”, Proceedings 2020, 49, 100 (15 June 2020).
Feier, I., “Numerical Investigation of the NASA Glenn Propulsion Systems Laboratory”, SAE Technical Paper 2019‐01‐1924, 2019.
Feier, I.I., Durkee, A.D., “Formula SAE as a Capstone Design Course at the U.S. Air Force Academy”, 2019 ASEE RMS Conference, 19‐21 May 2019, Laramie, WY.
Feier, I., Redfield, R., “Thermal/Mechanical Measurement and Modeling of Bicycle Disc Brakes”, Proceedings 2018, 2(6), 215.
Feier, I.I., Leis, B.N., Zhu, XK., Stonesifer, R.B., Stavrakas, J.S., D’Eletto, D., “Experimental Strain Measurements on Large Diameter Mitered Pipe Joints”, Proceedings of the 8th International Pipeline Conference, IPC2010, September 27 ‐ October 1, 2010, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Zhu, XK., Leis, B.N., Feier, I.I., “Stress Analysis of Miter Joint in Pipeline Under Internal Pressure or Inplane Bending Loading”, Proceedings of the ASME 2010 Pressure Vessels and Piping Division Conference, PVP2010, July 18‐22, 2010, Bellevue, Washington.
Kleinhenz J., Feier, I.I., Tien, J.S., Ferkul, P.V., and Sacksteder, K.R., “Pressure Modeling of Upward Flame Spread Rates in Partial Gravity”, Combustion and Flame, 154, Issue 4, pp. 637‐643 (2008).
Feier, I.I., “A Numerical Study of Three Dimensional Flame Propagation Over Thin Solids in Purely Forced Concurrent Flow Including Gas‐Phase Radiation”, Ph.D. Thesis, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland OH, Jan., 2007.
Tolejko, K., Feier, I.I., Tien, J.S., “Effects of Fuel Lewis Number on Flame Spread Over Solids”, 30th Symposium on Combustion (2004), July 25‐31, Chicago, IL, Proceedings of the Combustion Institute, Volume 30, Issue 2, January 2005, pp. 2263‐2270.
Feier, I.I., Shih, H.Y., Sacksteder, K.R., T'ien, J.S., “Upward Flame Spread Over Thin Solids in Partial Gravity”, 29th International Symposium on Combustion (July 21‐26, 2002), Sapporo, Japan, Proc. of the Combustion Institute, 29, pp. 2569‐2577.
Feier, I.I., “Experimental Upward Flame Spread Over Thin Solids in Partial Gravity”, M.S. Thesis, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland OH, May, 2001.
Osborne, R.L., Leis, B.N., Feier, I.I., Forte, T.P., “Evaluating the Possible Extension of the Propane Cargo Tank Inspection Interval Phase 2”, Prepared by Energy Systems/Battelle Memorial Institute for National Propane Gas Association, NPGA/PERC Docket 12141, September 2011.
Multiple Battelle authors including Feier, “Appalachian Basin – R.E. Burger Plant Geologic CO2 Sequestration Field Test”, Battelle Memorial Institute/ Midwest Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership (MRCSP) report prepared for The U.S. Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory, 4 Jan 2011, under DOE‐NETL Cooperative Agreement DE‐FC26‐05NT42589. (302 pages long)
Multiple Battelle authors including Feier, “Best Practice Manual for Midwest Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership Phase II Geologic Sequestration Field Validation Tests”, Battelle Memorial Institute/ Midwest Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership (MRCSP) report prepared for The U.S. Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory, 28 April 2011, under DOE‐NETL Cooperative Agreement DE‐FC26‐05NT42589. (71 pages long)
Wegeng, R., J. Saunders, C. Pestak, I. Feier, “Thermal Energy Storage”, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Programmatic Workshop on NASA Lunar Surface Systems Concepts, Feb. 25‐27, 2009, Washington, DC.
Feier, I.I., J. Kleinhenz, T'ien, J.S., Ferkul, P.V., Sacksteder, K.S., “Pressure Modeling of Upward Flame Spread Rates in Partial Gravity”, 43rd AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting and Exhibit, Jan. 10‐13, 2005, Reno, NV, AIAA‐2005‐0716.
Tolejko, K., Feier, I., and Tien, J., “Effects of Fuel Lewis Number on the Flame Spread Over Solids”, Proceedings of The Combustion Institute ‐ PROC COMBUST INST, 30, 2263‐2270, (2005). Presented at 2003 Fall Eastern States Section/Combustion Institute Meeting, University Park, Pennsylvania, October 26‐29, 2003.
Sacksteder, K.R., Ferkul, P.V., Feier, I.I., Kumar, A., Tien, J.S., “Upward and Downward Flame Spreading and Extinction in Partial Gravity Environments”, 7th Microgravity Combustion Workshop and Chemically Reacting Systems, Cleveland, June 2003, pp. 141‐144, NASA/CP‐2003‐212376.
Kleinhenz, J., Feier, I.I., Pettegrew, R., Ferkul, P., Sacksteder, K., Kumar, A., T'ien, J.S., “Infrared Diagnostics for Flame Spread over Solid Surfaces”, 41st AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting and Exhibit, Jan. 6‐9, 2003, Reno, NV, AIAA‐2003‐0988.
Struk, P., Dietrich, D., Valentine, R., Feier, I.I., “Comparisons of Gas‐Phase Temperature Measurements in a Flame Using Thin‐Filament Pyrometry and Thermocouples”, 41st AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting and Exhibit, Jan. 6‐9, 2003, Reno, NV, AIAA‐2003‐6469, or NASA/ TM‐2003‐212096.
Sacksteder, K.R., Feier, I.I., Shih, H.Y., and Tien, J.S., “Three‐dimensional Upward Flame Spreading in Partial‐Gravity Buoyant Flows”, Sixth International Microgravity Combustion Workshop, Cleveland, OH, May 22‐24, 2001, NASA/CP‐2001‐210826.
Feier, I.I., Shih, H.Y., Sacksteder, K.R., T'ien, J.S., “Upward Flame Spread Over Thin Solids in Partial Gravity”, 39th AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting and Exhibit, Jan. 8‐11, 2001, Reno, NV, AIAA‐20010466.
Feier, I.I., Penicka, M., Friedsam, H., “The Poisson Alignment Reference System ‐ Implementation at the Advanced Photon Source”, Fifth International Workshop on Accelerator Alignment, Argonne National Laboratory/Fermi National Laboratory, 1997, Chicago, IL.
Patents
Burton, Lastrapes, Feier, “Antenna Compromising A Layer of Carbon Nanotubes”, (European Patent Office EP3575218), Issued 11 Aug 2021.
Burton, Lastrapes, Feier, “Anti‐icing, De‐icing, and Heating Configuration, Integration, and Power Methods for Aircraft, Aerodynamic, and Complex Surfaces”, (US 10,155,593 B2), Issued December 2018.
Heintz, Burton, Mitchell, Feier, Lastrapes, Muszynski, “Carbon Nanotube Thin Film Laminate Resistive Heater”, (US 10,109,400 B2), Issued October 2018.
Mitchell, Heintz, Burton, Feier, Lastrapes, “Solventless Methods of Coating a Carbon Nanotube Network and Carbon Nanotube Networks Coated With a Polymer”, (US 9,732,238), Issued August 2017.
Heintz, Burton, Mitchell, Feier, Lastrapes, Muszynski, “Carbon Nanotube Thin Film Laminate Resistive Heater”, (US 9,468,043 B2), Issued October 2016.