Timothy Patterson
Assistant Professor
| Office: | Paper Tricentennial Building, Room 385 |
| Phone: | 404.894.4797 |
| Fax: | 404.894.4778 |
| E-mail: | |
Education
- Ph.D., Georgia Institute of Technology, 1991
- M.S., Northeastern University, 1985
- B.S., University of Lowell, 1982
Research Areas and Descriptors
Background
Dr. Patterson's research activities were initially in the area of robotics and control systems. More recently, his research has concentrated on paper manufacturing processes developing new technologies to enhance the productivity of those processes. He began at Tech in 1993 as an Associate Engineer at the Institute of Paper Science and Technology. He transferred to the Woodruff School from IPST as an Assistant Professor in Summer 2003. Prior, he was a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Georgia Tech Research Institute.
Research
Dr. Patterson's research concentrates on identifying and applying fundamental physical phenomena to the forming and processing of porous web structures. Paper presents a number of problems of interest because the structural integrity of the web changes during the formation and both physical and chemical processes occur. His research in pulsed air drying uses pulse combustion to produce an oscillating impingement jet to increase the heat and mass transfer required to dry the sheet. The work includes system modeling, experimental verification, and design optimization.
Other work includes enhanced pressing, which uses alternative or supplemental driving forces to the usual mechanical pressing employed to remove water from deformable porous structures. In high-speed production applications, liquid removal is limited by the residence time in the press and the load that can be applied. In some cases, the machine structure will not support use of higher loads and, in other cases, wear rates increase dramatically with increased loads. Thus, alternative driving forces are required; air pressure and ultrasonic-induced affects are being investigated.
Another research focus is web transfer. In the manufacture of web materials, like paper, a drying process using heated cylinders is employed. Since the drying process serves to complete the structural formation, the drying cylinders can become contaminated with web material. This material generally includes polymer, inorganic, and fiber materials and has a significant impact on productivity. This work investigates the interaction between the web and the cylinder surface and the role of both adhesion and internal web cohesion, as well as various production parameters.
Distinctions
- Georgia Tech Graduate Student Association Faculty Member of the Year, 2005
- Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry Water Removal Committee, 1988-present
Patents
- Impulse Dryer, U. S. Patent 5,839,203, with D. Orloff and I. Rudman, November 24, 1998
- Apparatus for Drying a Paper Web at Elevated Ambient Pressures, U. S. Patent 5,722,183, with D. Orloff and T. Krause, March 3, 1998
- Method and Apparatus for Drying a Fiber Web at Elevated Ambient Pressures, U. S. Patent 5,669,159, with D. Orloff and I. Rudman, September 23, 1997
- Method and Apparatus for Drying a Fiber Web at Elevated Ambient Pressures, U S. Patent 5,598,642, with D. Orloff and A. M. Krause, February 4, 1997
Representative Publications
- H. Lee, R. Speyer, and T. Patterson. 2003. Temperature Uniformity in Water Films and Wet Paper Through Spectrally Selective Infrared Heating. Drying Technology 21(1), 35-50.
- T. Patterson. 2002. An Investigation of Factors Effecting Steambox Heating Effectiveness. TAPPI Journal 1(7), 8-12.
- T. Patterson, D. I. Orloff, and F. Bloom. 2002. Delamination Buckling and Spalling of Plasma Sprayed Thermal Barrier Coatings. Mathematical and Computer Modeling 35, 165-190.
- T. Patterson and J. Iwamasa. 2000. Steambox Comparator Experiments: Apparatus Validation and Investigation of Steambox Performance. TAPPI Journal 8(9), 56.
- D. I. Orloff, et al. 1998. Opening the Operating Window of Impulse Drying Part III. Controlled Decompression Experiments. TAPPI Journal 8(9), 158-162.
|
