Scott A Miers

Contact

samiers@mtu.edu
906-487-2709
ME-EM 904

Associate Professor, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
SAE Faculty Advisor

PhD, Mechanical Engineering, Michigan Technological University, 2004
MS, Engineering Mechanics, Michigan Technological University, 2001
BS, Mechanical Engineering, Michigan Technological University, 1995

Biography

Dr. Miers joined the MAE Department at Michigan Tech in August of 2008. He was previously employed by Argonne National Laboratory in the Engines and Emissions Research section where his research focus was on internal combustion engine efficiency, emissions, and performance. He was also closely involved with alternative and renewable fuels research investigating how the unique chemical compositions affect both engine and vehicle operation.

His research interests and expertise centers on experimental internal combustion engine research focusing on gasoline and diesel combustion including system efficiency and emissions reduction. He has experience with novel IC engine data acquisition techniques such as piston-mounted wireless microwave telemetry and minimally invasive combustion visualization. In addition, he has a significant interest in alternative and renewable transportation fuels and has worked with biodiesel, ethanol, butanol, and Fischer-Tropsch synthetic fuels in both spark-ignition and compression-ignition engines.

Links of Interest

Areas of Expertise

Alternative and renewable transportation fuels
Internal combustion engine efficiency
Performance and emissions
Wireless data acquisition techniques
Combustion visualization

Research Interests

Internal combustion engine efficiency, emissions, and performance
Alternative and renewable fuels: investigating how the unique chemical compositions affect both engine and vehicle operation
IC engine data acquisition techniques such as piston-mounted wireless microwave telemetry and minimally invasive combustion visualization
Alternative and renewable transportation fuels
In-Use Emissions

Recent Publications

Anderson, Jeremy J., Rask, Erik, Lohse-Busch, Henning, Miers, Scott A., 2014, “A Comparison of Cold-Start Behavior and its Impact on Fuel Economy for Advanced Technology Vehicles,” SAE International Journal of Fuels and Lubricants, SAE Paper No. 2014-01-1375, Vol. 7(2), pp. 427-435, DOI: 10.4271/2014-01-1375.
Madison, Daniel P., Miers, Scott A., Barna, Glen L., Richerson, Jay L., 2013, “Comparison of Piston Temperature Measurement Methods: Templug Versus Wireless Telemetry with Thermocouples,” ASME Journal of Engineering for Gas Turbines and Power, Vol. 135(6), Article No. 061602, 8 pages, DOI: 10.1115/1.4023493.
Lawyer, K., Ickes, A., Wallner, T., Ertl, D., Williamson, R., Miers, S. A., Naber, J. D. (2013). "Blend Ratio Optimization of Fuels Containing Gasoline Blendstock, Ethanol, and Higher Alcohols (C3-C6): Part II - Blend Properties and Target Value Sensitivity," SAE International 2013-01-1126.
Wallner, Thomas and Miers, Scott A., 2012, "Alternative Fuels for Internal Combustion Engines," Encyclopedia of Sustainability Science and Technology, Springer Science+Business Media, New York, New York, ISBN 978-0387894690
Rittenour, M. D., Weber, J. C., Miers, S. A. (2012). "Assessing the Effect of E22 Fuel on Two-Stroke and Four-Stroke Snowmobile Performance and Emissions," ASME Internal Combustion Engine Division Fall Technical Conference ICEF2012-92185.
Wiegand, A. L., Miers, S. A., Blough, J. R., Kowalski, D. I., Biske, A. (2012). "Development of a Micro-Engine Testing System," SAE Small Engine Technology Conference 2012-32-0105.
Johnson, Jaclyn, Worm, Jeremy J., Miers, Scott A., and Naber, Jeffrey D., 2011, "Biofuel Use from Bioenergy Crops: Internal Combustion Engines in Transportation," Handbook of Bioenergy Crop Plants, CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida, ISBN 9781439816844.
Miers, Scott, Chmielewski, Matt, 2010, "Measurement of Regulated and Unregulated Exhaust Emissions from Snowmobiles in the 2009 SAE Clean Snowmobile Challenge," SAE International Journal of Fuels and Lubricants, Vol. 3, No. 2, pp. 1112-1121.
Miers, Scott, Wallner, T., Scarcelli, R., Lohse-Busch, H.R.A., Wozny, B.M., 2010, "Safety Considerations for Hydrogen Test Cells," 3rd ICHS Conference on Hydrogen Safety.
Naber, Jeffrey, Miers, Scott, Moscherosch, Benjamin W., Polonowski, Christopher J., 2010, "Combustion and Emissions Characterization of Soy Methyl Ester Biodiesel Blends in an Automotive Turbocharged Diesel Engine," ASME Journal of Engineering for Gas Turbines and Power, Volume 132, Issue 9.
Wallner, T., Miers. S.A., McConnell, S.S., “A Comparison of Ethanol and Butanol as Oxygenates Using a Direct-Injection, Spark-Ignition (DISI) Engine,” 2008 ASME Internal Combustion Engine Division Spring Technical Conference, Chicago, Illinois, ICES2008-1690.
Miers, S. A., Barna, G. L., Anderson, C. L., Blough, J. R., Inal, M. K., Ciatti, S. A., “A Wireless Microwave Telemetry Data Transfer Technique for Reciprocating and Rotating Components,” ASME Journal of Engineering for Gas Turbines and Power, GTP-06-1228, Vol.130, Issue. 2, 2007.
Miers, S. A., Kastengren, A. L., El-Hannouny, E. M., Longman, D. E., “An Experimental Investigation of Biodiesel Injection Characteristics Using a Light-duty Diesel Injector”, 2007 ASME Internal Combustion Engine Division Fall Technical Conference, Charleston, South Carolina, ICEF2007-1735.
Miers, S. A., Ng, H., Ciatti, S. A., Stork, K., “Combustion Analysis Comparison of SunDiesel and Conventional Diesel in a LD Engine”, 2005 SAE Powertrain and Fluid Systems Conference, San Antonio, TX, SAE 2005-01-3670.

Presentations

Engineering Explorations - Fall 2015

Current and Past Research Projects

Title: "Evaluating the Impact of E15 on Snowmobile Engine Durability and Vehicle Drivability" Sponsor: Department of Energy Project Scope: E15 (15 vol% ethanol) can be used in model year 2001 and newer light-duty motor vehicles yet is not approved for use in snowmobiles or off-highway vehicles of any kind. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of E15 on current product and legacy snowmobile engines and vehicles that could occur due to misfuelling by the vehicle owner. Three test scenarios were conducted to evaluate the impact of E15, including cold-start performance and emissions, on-snow vehicle drivability, and laboratory exhaust emissions over the useful life of the engine.
Title: "Incorporation of Higher Carbon Number Alcohols in Gasoline Blends for Application in Spark-Ignition Engines" Sponsor: Argonne National Laboratory
Title: "Comparative Analysis of Efficiency and Operating Characteristics of Automotive Powertrain Architectures Through Chassis Dynamometer Testing" Sponsor: Argonne National Laboratory
Title: Thermal Characterization of Combustion Chamber Components in a Gasoline Turbocharged Direct Injection (GTDI) Engine Sponsor: Ford Motor Company
Title: "Enhancement of Corn-based Fuels for Recreational Engines and Vehicles" Sponsor: MN Corn Growers Association
Title: "Novel Automotive Waste Heat Recovery Techniques"
Title: "Advanced Piston Material for Improving Thermal Efficiency and Reducing Emissions"

Classes Taught

ME-EM 2200 (Thermodynamics)
ME-EM 4220 (IC Engines 1)
ME-EM 5200 (Advanced Thermodynamics)