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Dr. Daniel A. Pruzan
Vice President and Director of Engineering

Email for Daniel A. Pruzan
Daniel A. Pruzan

Research Interests

  • Flow control
  • Sensors and instrumentation
  • Aero/hydrodynamic control surfaces

Projects

Background

Dr. Pruzan leads NEAR's efforts in the development and marketing of aerodynamic hardware solutions. He has been the Principal Investigator for the development of advanced aerial refueling drogues, flow-related sensing systems, adaptive submarine control surfaces, and aerodynamically enhanced production equipment for the printing industry. He has conducted research and development efforts for NASA, DoD, and many aerospace companies including Boeing and GE Aircraft Engines.

Dr. Pruzan was the Principal Investigator on an ARO contract to develop an acoustic shear stress sensor for use in detecting dynamic stall on helicopter rotor baldes. This sensor uses a solid-state ultrasonic transmitter and receiver to measure the wall shear stress generated between a fluid and a solid surface. Other research included developing an ultrasonic sensor to detect and quantify axial vorticity which may be present within the bellmouth of an aircraft engine test cell. Under a DARPA SBIR Phase II contract, he developed a variable geometry control surface for use on unmanned underwater vehicles. This flexible control surface automatically generates camber as it is pitched resulting in increased lift and reduced drag. He also developed an ultrathin, wireless data acquisition system for use by NASA in turbomachinery testing. This data acquisition system integrates a MEMS pressure sensor, signal conditioning ASIC, microcontroller, and memory into a very thin (0.006") multichip module.

Before coming to NEAR, Dr. Pruzan was an Adjunct Assistant Professor for the Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Cornell University where he taught courses on machine design and fluid dynamics. He developed and taught a new course at Cornell on modern concepts in product development and manufacturing for which he received grants from Cornell University and the National Science Foundation. In 1991, he was nominated for the Mu Sigma Tau Engineering Cooperative Honor Society award for excellence in teaching.

Education

School Major Area of Study Degree Dissertation Topic
Cornell University Mechanical Engineering Ph.D. Experimental and Analytical Investigations into
Enhanced Peak Boiling Heat Transfer from
Capillary Fed Porous Media
Rutgers University Mechanical Engineering
Business Administration
B.S.
B.A.



Associations

  1. Society of Automotive Engineers, Member
  2. Tau Beta Pi
  3. Pi Tau Sigma

Publications and Patents

  1. Pruzan, D. A., "Aerodynamic Positioning Device," United States Patent 7,905,475, 2011.
  2. Pruzan, D. A., Mendenhall, M. R., Rose, W. C., and Schuster, D. M., "Grid Fin Stabilization of the Orion Launch Abort Vehicle," AIAA-2011-3018.
  3. Mendenhall, M. R., Pruzan, D. P., Rose, W., and Schuster, D., "Test Report of Unswept and Swept Grid Fin Performance on a 6%-scale Orion LAV Model in the NASA ARC 11x11-foot TWT and the 9x7 foot SWT," NEAR TR 659, Nielsen Engineering & Research, Inc., Santa Clara, CA, 2011.
  4. Mendenhall, M. R., and Pruzan, D. P., "Wind Tunnel Test of the Simpson-Hoyal Wing Concept," NEAR TR 671, Nielsen Engineering & Research, Inc., Santa Clara, CA, 2011.
  5. Lesieutre, D. J., and Pruzan, D. P., "An Innovative Flex-hose System for the MK 48 Torpedo," NEAR TR 662, Nielsen Engineering & Research, Inc., Santa Clara, CA, 2010.
  6. Lesieutre, D. J., and Pruzan, D. P., "Acoustic Shear Sensor for Flight Research," NEAR TR 664, Nielsen Engineering & Research, Inc., Santa Clara, CA, 2010.
  7. Pruzan, D. A. and Lesieutre, D. J., "Preliminary Development of a CDC7 Stabilized Drogue for the Buddy Store System," NEAR TR 656, Nielsen Engineering & Research, Santa Clara, CA, 2009.
  8. Lesieutre, D. J., and Pruzan, D. P., "Innovative Controlled Drogue Refueling System," NEAR TR 648, Nielsen Engineering & Research, Inc., Santa Clara, CA, 2008.
  9. Lesieutre, D. J. and Pruzan, D. A., "Compact Lightweight MAD Towing System," NEAR TR 652, Nielsen Engineering & Research, Santa Clara, CA, 2008.
  10. Lesieutre, D. J. and Pruzan, D. A., "An Innovative Flex-Hose System for the MK 48 Torpedo," NEAR TR 641, Nielsen Engineering & Research, Mountain View, CA, 2008.
  11. Pruzan, D. A. and Reisenthel, P. H., "Vortex Flow Detector for Turbine Engine Test Facilities," NEAR TR 647, Nielsen Engineering & Research, Mountain View, CA, 2008.
  12. Pruzan, D. A. and Lesieutre, D. J., "A Preliminary Study of Two Concepts for Controlling and Stabilizing Hose and Drogue Refueling Systems, NEAR TR 627, Nielsen Engineering & Research, Mountain View, CA, Dec. 2006.
  13. Love, J. F., Barrett, R., and Pruzan, D. A., "Shape Memory Alloy Flight Control Surfaces," NEAR TR 621, Nielsen Engineering & Research, Mountain View, CA, Feb. 2006.
  14. Lesieutre, D. J. and Pruzan, D. A., "Adaptive Aerial Refueling Drogue Hose/Drogue Dynamic Simulation (HDSIM) Software User's Manual," NEAR TR 618, Nielsen Engineering & Research, Mountain View, CA, Dec. 2005.
  15. Lesieutre, D. J. and Pruzan, D. A., "Adaptive Aerial Refueling Drogue," NEAR TR 617, Nielsen Engineering & Research, Mountain View, CA, Dec. 2005.
  16. Pruzan, D. A., "Evaluation of an Ultrasonic Vortex Detection System," AIAA 2005-1413, Jan. 2005.
  17. Reisenthel, P. H., Pruzan, D. A., Lesieutre, D. J., and Love, J. F., "Nonlinear Characterization of Electromagnetic Pulse Response Using Continuous Wave Electromagnetic Data," NEAR TR 602, Nielsen Engineering & Research, Mountain View, CA, Apr. 2004.
  18. Pruzan, D. A., "Acoustic Shear Sensor for Flight Research," NEAR TR 592, Nielsen Engineering & Research, Mountain View, CA, Jul. 2003.
  19. Lesieutre, D. J. and Pruzan, D. A., "Adaptive Aerial Refueling Drogue," NEAR TR 589, Nielsen Engineering & Research, Mountain View, CA, Mar. 2003.
  20. Pruzan, D. A., "Ultrasonic Vortex Detection System," NEAR TR 578, Nielsen Engineering & Research, Mountain View, CA, Dec. 2002.
  21. Pruzan, D. A. and Keefe, L. R., "Innovative Solid-State All-Weather Shear Stress Transducers," NEAR TR 572, Nielsen Engineering & Research, Mountain View, CA, Mar. 2002.
  22. Keefe, L. R., Pruzan, D. A., Reisenthel, P. H., and Childs, R. E., "Nonintrusive, Acoustic Boundary Layer Profiler for Aerodynamic Tests," NEAR TR 567, Nielsen Engineering & Research, Mountain View, CA, Aug. 2001.
  23. Pruzan, D. A., "A Wireless MEMS Instrument for Flow Measurements in Turbomachinery," NEAR TR 563, Nielsen Engineering & Research, Mountain View, CA, Mar. 2001.
  24. Pruzan, D. A., Keefe, L. R., Ekaterinaris, J. A., and Chou, H. S. Y., "A Practical Variable Geometry Hydrodynamic Control Surface," NEAR TR 565, Nielsen Engineering & Research, Mountain View, CA, May 2001.
  25. Keefe, L. R. and Pruzan, D. A., "Wind Tunnel Verification of Drag Reduction by MEMS-Based Flow Control," NEAR TR 546, Nielsen Engineering & Research, Mountain View, CA, May 1999.
  26. Codner, G. W., Pruzan, D. A., Rauckhorst, R. L., III, Reich, A. D., and Sweet, D. B., "Impedance Type Ice Detector," United States Patent 5,955,887, 1999.
  27. Pruzan, D. A., Khatkhate, A. A., Gerardi, J. J., and Hickman, G. A., "Apparatus and Method for Determining the Existence of Ice or Water on a Surface from the Capacitance Between Electrodes on Said Surface," United States Patent 5,874,672, 1999.
  28. Pruzan, D. A. and Keefe, L. R., "Innovative Solid-State All-Weather Shear Stress Transducers," NEAR TR 533, Nielsen Engineering & Research, Mountain View, CA, 1998.
  29. Pruzan, D. A., "A Wireless MEMS Instrument for Flow Measurements in Turbomachinery," NEAR TR 526, Nielsen Engineering & Research, Mountain View, CA, 1997.
  30. Pruzan, D. A., "A Practical Variable Geometry Aero/Hydrodynamic Control Surface," NEAR TR 518, Nielsen Engineering & Research, Mountain View, CA, 1997.
  31. Pruzan, D. A., Khatkhate, A. A., Gerardi, J. J., and Hickman, G. A., "Measuring Ice Distribution Profiles on a Surface with Attached Capacitance Electrodes," United States Patent 5,551,228, 1996.
  32. Pruzan, D. A., Khatkhate, A. A., Gerardi, J. J., and Hickman, G. A., "Apparatus for Measuring Ice Distribution Profiles," United States Patent 5,398,547, 1995.
  33. Pruzan, D. A., "Detection of Ice Induced Flow Separation Through Surface Pressure Measurements," AIAA 94-0803, Jan. 1994.
  34. Pruzan, D. A., Khatkhate, A. A., Geradi, J. J., and Hickman, G. A., "Smart Skin Technology Development for Measuring Ice Accretion, Stall, and High AOA Aircraft Performance, Part 1: Capacitive Ice Detector Development," NASA CR-194252, 1993.
  35. Pruzan, D. A., Torrance, K. E., and Avedisian, C. T., "Evaporation and Dryout in a Screen Wick Saturated with a Fluid Mixture," AIAA 88-2653, 1988.
  36. Sen, M., Pruzan, D. A., and Torrance, K. E., "Analytical and Experimental Study of Steady-State Convection in a Double-Loop Thermosyphon," International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, Vol. 31, Apr. 1988, pp. 709-722.
  37. Pruzan, D. A., "Internal Combustion Engine Valve Actuation System," United States Patent 4,716,863, 1998.

 



 

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