Vasudev Chaudhari

Scientist-I @ University of Wisconsin-Madison

About

Engine combustion researcher with 5+ years of post-PhD experience specializing in CFD simulations and advanced engine modeling, complemented by strong experimental expertise in spray diagnostics and engine testing.My PhD research focused on spray characterization and reactivity for low-temperature combustion (LTC) engines. I developed a constant volume spray chamber and used high-speed imaging (shadowgraphy) to study spray behavior of diesel, biodiesel, and blended fuels under realistic conditions. I also conducted experimental investigations on a single-cylinder CI research engine, analyzing combustion, emissions, and advanced combustion modes such as LTC and RCCI. Additionally, I worked on biodiesel production and optimization for improved engine performance and cleaner combustion.Building on this experimental foundation, my current work focuses on CFD-driven engine simulations using CONVERGE and GT-SUITE. I specialize in spray dynamics, mixture formation, and combustion optimization, including modeling multi-component fuel surrogates (n-decane, iso-octane, toluene).Currently, I am working on:• Improving spray mixing using advanced piston geometries (wave structures)  • Studying ignition-assisted combustion strategies  • Evaluating thermal and chemical behavior at high-load conditions  • Developing UAV high-altitude engine concepts using sustainable aviation fuels (SAF)  I am particularly interested in:✔ Advanced IC engines & clean combustion  ✔ Hydrogen and sustainable aviation fuels  ✔ Fuel-flexible and high-altitude propulsion systems  Open to opportunities in:• Engine R&D and experimental combustion  • CFD modeling and simulation  • Advanced propulsion and aerospace engine systems  I bring a unique combination of experimental and computational expertise to bridge simulations with real-world engine behavior.Feel free to connect or reach out for collaborations.

Country

United States

City

Madison

Industry

Higher Education

Skill

GT SUITE, Optical Diagnostics, Engine Test Engineer, Powertrain Development Engineer, Simulation + Validation Engineer, Advanced Combustion Engineer , Alternative fuels and combustion optimization, High Speed Imaging, Spray Atomization and Characterization , Fuel flexibility and RCCI concepts, GT-Suite, Converge CFD, Internal Combustion Engines, Spray and Mixing, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), Research and Development (R&D), Conferences, Engineering, Research, Teamwork

Experience

Scientist-I

University of Wisconsin-Madison

2025-9 - Present · 1 yr 1 mo

Madison, WI

• Optimized piston bowl geometries in CONVERGE to improve fuel-air mixing and combustion efficiency for low-cetane CI engines, directly reducing unburned fuel losses. • Analyzed glow plug thermal field distributions to enhance cold-start ignition reliability — methodology transferable to diesel and alternative-fuel engine startability programs. • Ongoing: Developing a GT-SUITE DI-Pulse predictive model to simulate full mission profile performance of a fuel-flexible UAV propulsion system across the altitude envelope.

Postdoctoral Research Associate

University of Wisconsin-Madison

2023-9 - 2025-8 · 2 yrs

Madison, WI

• Developed EACI (ignition-assisted) + exhaust rebreathing strategies enabling stable combustion of low-cetane fuels (CN20), expanding viable fuel range for CI engines. • Built GT-SUITE system models to evaluate engine performance across sea level to 25,000 ft altitude — delivering actionable insights for intake boosting and EGR design tradeoffs. • Optimized two-stage turbocharger and e-Booster selection for aviation engine operation across the full altitude envelope (sea level to high altitude) under varying load conditions. • Executed high-fidelity CONVERGE CFD simulations to optimize the combustion performance of fuel-flexible engines. • Designed rebreathing cam profiles and validated against experimental data, supporting hardware specification decisions for prototype engine builds.

Project Scientist

Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur

2022-9 - 2023-6 · 10 mos

Kanpur

• Characterized DME fuel spray atomization for advanced combustion applications using high-speed imaging and PDPA, producing droplet size and velocity data used for injector design validation.

Project Officer

Indian Institute of Technology, Madras

2021-3 - 2022-7 · 1 yr 5 mos

Chennai

• Characterized flat-fan spray in high-speed coflow for cleaning of gas turbine compressor blades (online water-washing system). • Performed nano-emulsion droplet combustion and evaporation studies to support alternative fuel blend development programs.

Education

Indian Institute of Technology, Indore

Thermal engineering

2015-1 - 2020-7 · 5 yrs 7 mos

🔬 PhD: Spray Characterization & Reactivity Study for Low-Temperature Combustion Engine • Designed and built a constant-volume high-pressure optical spray chamber and CRDI injection rig from scratch — enabling in-house diesel/biodiesel spray characterization capabilities. • Demonstrated RCCI combustion with diesel/gasoline blends achieving simultaneous NOx and soot reduction while maintaining thermal efficiency — results published in Fuel (IF 7.5). • Investigated LTC, RCCI, and HCCI modes across multiple fuel blends; developed optimized injection and EGR strategies directly applicable to emissions compliance programs (EPA/Euro VI). • Applied SLIPI laser diagnostics for quantitative spray liquid volume fraction measurements; collaborated with IIT Madras on joint spray research infrastructure.

Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Technological University

Thermal and fluids engineering

2012-7 - 2014-10 · 2 yrs 4 mos

Worked on biofuel production, optimization and engine combustion and performance. Development of intercooler model and studied the effect of hot air on engine combustion