Malia Kawamura

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  • mkawamu2@illinois.edu
  • M.S. Mechanical Engineering – University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2017
  • B.E. Mechanical Engineering – Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth College, 2015
  • B.A. Physics and Mathematical Sciences – Colby College, 2014
  • Research Interests:  Energy Systems, Dynamic Modeling, Control Systems

This research is sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP).

Current Work

My research focus is to develop computational tools and algorithms that will allow faster deployment of complex energy systems, particularly those controlled by a computer. Specifically, I am currently developing a real-time hardware in the loop (HIL) testing framework for a thermal fluid experimental testbed. The thermal fluid testbed allows for many different system configurations and comparisons of experimental data to graph-based models and the development of hierarchical controllers.

The focus of my master’s work to develop a framework for HIL testing of chemical processes. I developed a nonlinear, dynamic, and scalable modeling toolkit in Matlab Simulink of chemical plant components. Additionally, I configured a compactRIO to serve as an emulated real-time chemical plant using NI VeriStand. A chemical plant which forms propylene glycol in a CSTR was utilized as a case study with simple control applied.

Relevant Publications (Conference)

  1. Kawamura, Malia; Alleyne, Andrew; “A Simulation and Experimental Environment for Teaching Chemical Reaction Process Dynamics and Control,” Proc. of the 2017 International Federation of Automatic Control Conference, July 2017. (PDF)
  2. Kawamura, Malia; Sutanto, Erick; Alleyne, Andrew; “An Educational Laboratory Experimental System for Teaching Chemical Reaction Process Dynamics and Control,” Proc. of the 2017 American Society for Engineering Education Conference, June 2017. (PDF)

Relevant Publications (Thesis)

  1. Kawamura, Malia, “Dynamic Modeling and Hardware in the Loop Testing of Chemical Processes,” M.S. Thesis, Dept. Mech. Eng., Univ. Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL., May 2017. (PDF)