Alex Tsai, Ph.D., P.E.

A professional mechanical engineer with combined work experience in academia, industry and government. Dr. Tsai has taught mechanical engineering courses as an Associate Professor at the United States Coast Guard Academy in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, as an Adjunct Professor at Yale University in the School of Engineering and Applied Science, and as an instructor at West Virginia University and the University of Puerto Rico, in the Mechanical Engineering Departments. Dr. Tsai’s research interest lies in the multivariable modern control of dynamic systems, as applied to hybrid energy systems, energy sustainable systems, mechatronic systems and humanitarian engineering. Dr. Tsai has a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Puerto Rico, an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Tufts University, a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from West Virginia University. He is a professional engineer licensed in the state of Connecticut. His postdoctoral research work conducted at the US Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory in Morgantown, WV involved the implementation of a robust optimal controller on a fuel cell / gas turbine cyber-physical plant for distributed power generation.

Education

About

ASME Conference Participation

Session Organizer – ASME 5^th International Conference on Energy Sustainability, August 7-10, 2011 Washington DC. Track: Thermofluids and Thermodynamics of Energy Systems; Exergy Analysis; Systems Integration. Sub-track: Energy and Power Systems Integration and Operation
Session Chair – ASME 14^th Fuel Cell Science, Engineering, and Technology Conference, June 26-30, 2016, Charlotte NC. Track: Fuel Cell Ancillary Systems and Balance of Plant
Session Organizer / Chair – ASME Turbo Expo 2018 Oslo, Norway: Control, Diagnostics, and Instrumentation Track. Advanced Control for Components and Subsystems
Track Chair – ASME 2018 Power and Energy / Energy Sustainability Conference, Orlando, FL USA: Smart and Cyberphysical Systems Track
Session Organizer – ASME Turbo Expo 2019 Phoenix, AZ: Controls, Diagnostics and Instrumentation Track. Advanced Controls for Gas Turbines Session.
Session Organizer – ASME Turbo Expo 2020 London, UK: Controls, Diagnostics and Instrumentation Track: Advanced Controls for Gas Turbines Session (Changed to Virtual)
Session Organizer – ASME Turbo Expo 2021: Virtual Conference: Controls, Diagnostics and Instrumentation Track. (June 7-11 2021)
Session Organizer – ASME Turbo Expo 2022 Rotterdam, The Netherlands: 05-01 Advanced Controls for Propulsion Systems (June 13-17, 2022)

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Peered Reviewed Conferences

Tsai, A., L. Banta, D. Tucker, L. Lawson. “Determination of an Empirical Transfer Function of a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Gas Turbine Hybrid System via Frequency Response Analysis” Proceedings of ASME Fuel Cell Engineering and Technology, June 18-20, 2007, New York NY, USA. FuelCell2007-25099
Tsai, A., L. Banta, D. Tucker, R. Gemmen. “Multivariable Robust Control of a Simulated Hybrid Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Gas Turbine Plant” Proceedings of FuelCell2008 Sixth International Fuel Cell Science, Engineering and Technology Conference, June 16-18, 2008, Denver, Colorado, USA. FuelCell2008-65071.
Tsai, A., L. Banta, D. Tucker, R. Gemmen. “RGA Analysis of a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Gas Turbine Hybrid Plant” Proceedings of FuelCell2008 Sixth International Fuel Cell Science, Engineering and Technology Conference, June 16-18, 2008, Denver, Colorado, USA. FuelCell2008-65070.
Tsai, A., D. Tucker, D. Clippinger. “Simultaneous Turbine Speed Regulation and Fuel Cell Airflow Tracking of a SOFC/GT Hybrid Plant with the use of Airflow Bypass Valves” Proceedings of FuelCell2011 9^th International Fuel Cell Science, Engineering and Technology Conference, August 7-10, 2011 Washington DC, USA. ESFuelCell2011-54415
Tsai, A., D. Tucker, C. Groves “Improved Controller Performance of Selected Hybrid SOFC-GT Plant Signals Based on Practical Control Schemes” Submitted to the Proceedings of ASME IGTI Turbo Expo 2010. June 14-18, 2010. Glasgow, UK. GT2010-22470
Banta, L., J. Absten, A. Tsai, R. Gemmen. “Control Sensitivity Study for a Hybrid Fuel Cell Gas Turbine System” Proceedings of FuelCell2008 Sixth International Fuel Cell Science, Engineering and Technology Conference, June 16-18, 2008, Denver, Colorado, USA. FuelCell2008-65054.
Tucker, D., A. Tsai, P. Jablonski, D. Hughes, C. Haynes, J. Sellers “Initial Transient Response During Fuel Cell Turbine Hybrid System Startup” Submitted to the Proceedings of ICEPAG2010, February 10-12, 2010. Newport Beach, CA, USA. ICEPAG2010-3414
Hughes, D., C. Haynes, D. Tucker, A. Tsai, E. Liese “Impact Transient Behavior of a Fuel Cell Gas Turbine Hybrid Using Hardware Based Simulation with a 1-D Distributed Fuel Cell Model” Submitted to the Proceedings of ASME ICEPAG2010, February 10-12, 2010. Newport Beach, CA, USA. ICEPAG2010-3408
Banta, L., B. Restrepo, A. Tsai “Cathode Temperature Management During Hybrid System Startup” Proceedings of ASME 2010 8^th International Conference on Fuel Cell Science, Engineering and Technology, June 14-16, 2010. Brooklyn, NY, USA. FuelCell2010-33121
Restrepo, B., L. Banta, A. Tsai “Combination of a Nonlinear Static and a Linear Dynamic Model of the NETL HyPer System” Proceedings of ASME 2010 8^th International Conference on Fuel Cell Science, Engineering and Technology, June 14-16, 2010. Brooklyn, NY, USA. FuelCell2010-33111
Tsai, Alex, D. Tucker, E. Perez “Adaptive Control of Balance of Plant Components in a Fuel Cell Gas Turbine Power Plant Simulator” Proceedings of ASME International Gas Turbine Institute, Turbo Expo, June 3-7 2013. San Antonio TX, USA. GT2013-95872
Tsai, A., Tucker D., Emami, T. “Multiple Model Adaptive Estimation of a Hybrid Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Gas Turbine Power Plant Simulator” ASME 2016 Power and Energy Conference and Exhibition, Charlotte NC USA, June 26-30, 2016. PowerEnergy2016-59656
Tsai, A., Tucker D., Emami, T. “Neural Network for Balance of Plant SOFC-GT Actuator Control” ASME 2020 Turbo Expo, ExCel Convention Center, London, UK, June 22-26, 2020. GT2020-14028.
Emami, T., A. Tsai, D. Tucker “Decentralized PID Controller Design for SOFC-GT”, ASME 2020 Power Conference, August 4-5, 2020. POWER2020-16008.

Education

BS: Mechanical Engineering, University of Puerto Rico

MS: Mechanical Engineering, Tufts University

PhD: Mechanical Engineering, West Virginia University

PE (Professional Engineer License): Licensed in the state of Connecticut

Research and Publications

No items found.

ASME Conference Participation

Session Organizer – ASME 5^th International Conference on Energy Sustainability, August 7-10, 2011 Washington DC. Track: Thermofluids and Thermodynamics of Energy Systems; Exergy Analysis; Systems Integration. Sub-track: Energy and Power Systems Integration and Operation
Session Chair – ASME 14^th Fuel Cell Science, Engineering, and Technology Conference, June 26-30, 2016, Charlotte NC. Track: Fuel Cell Ancillary Systems and Balance of Plant
Session Organizer / Chair – ASME Turbo Expo 2018 Oslo, Norway: Control, Diagnostics, and Instrumentation Track. Advanced Control for Components and Subsystems
Track Chair – ASME 2018 Power and Energy / Energy Sustainability Conference, Orlando, FL USA: Smart and Cyberphysical Systems Track
Session Organizer – ASME Turbo Expo 2019 Phoenix, AZ: Controls, Diagnostics and Instrumentation Track. Advanced Controls for Gas Turbines Session.
Session Organizer – ASME Turbo Expo 2020 London, UK: Controls, Diagnostics and Instrumentation Track: Advanced Controls for Gas Turbines Session (Changed to Virtual)
Session Organizer – ASME Turbo Expo 2021: Virtual Conference: Controls, Diagnostics and Instrumentation Track. (June 7-11 2021)
Session Organizer – ASME Turbo Expo 2022 Rotterdam, The Netherlands: 05-01 Advanced Controls for Propulsion Systems (June 13-17, 2022)

‍

Peered Reviewed Conferences

Tsai, A., L. Banta, D. Tucker, L. Lawson. “Determination of an Empirical Transfer Function of a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Gas Turbine Hybrid System via Frequency Response Analysis” Proceedings of ASME Fuel Cell Engineering and Technology, June 18-20, 2007, New York NY, USA. FuelCell2007-25099
Tsai, A., L. Banta, D. Tucker, R. Gemmen. “Multivariable Robust Control of a Simulated Hybrid Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Gas Turbine Plant” Proceedings of FuelCell2008 Sixth International Fuel Cell Science, Engineering and Technology Conference, June 16-18, 2008, Denver, Colorado, USA. FuelCell2008-65071.
Tsai, A., L. Banta, D. Tucker, R. Gemmen. “RGA Analysis of a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Gas Turbine Hybrid Plant” Proceedings of FuelCell2008 Sixth International Fuel Cell Science, Engineering and Technology Conference, June 16-18, 2008, Denver, Colorado, USA. FuelCell2008-65070.
Tsai, A., D. Tucker, D. Clippinger. “Simultaneous Turbine Speed Regulation and Fuel Cell Airflow Tracking of a SOFC/GT Hybrid Plant with the use of Airflow Bypass Valves” Proceedings of FuelCell2011 9^th International Fuel Cell Science, Engineering and Technology Conference, August 7-10, 2011 Washington DC, USA. ESFuelCell2011-54415
Tsai, A., D. Tucker, C. Groves “Improved Controller Performance of Selected Hybrid SOFC-GT Plant Signals Based on Practical Control Schemes” Submitted to the Proceedings of ASME IGTI Turbo Expo 2010. June 14-18, 2010. Glasgow, UK. GT2010-22470
Banta, L., J. Absten, A. Tsai, R. Gemmen. “Control Sensitivity Study for a Hybrid Fuel Cell Gas Turbine System” Proceedings of FuelCell2008 Sixth International Fuel Cell Science, Engineering and Technology Conference, June 16-18, 2008, Denver, Colorado, USA. FuelCell2008-65054.
Tucker, D., A. Tsai, P. Jablonski, D. Hughes, C. Haynes, J. Sellers “Initial Transient Response During Fuel Cell Turbine Hybrid System Startup” Submitted to the Proceedings of ICEPAG2010, February 10-12, 2010. Newport Beach, CA, USA. ICEPAG2010-3414
Hughes, D., C. Haynes, D. Tucker, A. Tsai, E. Liese “Impact Transient Behavior of a Fuel Cell Gas Turbine Hybrid Using Hardware Based Simulation with a 1-D Distributed Fuel Cell Model” Submitted to the Proceedings of ASME ICEPAG2010, February 10-12, 2010. Newport Beach, CA, USA. ICEPAG2010-3408
Banta, L., B. Restrepo, A. Tsai “Cathode Temperature Management During Hybrid System Startup” Proceedings of ASME 2010 8^th International Conference on Fuel Cell Science, Engineering and Technology, June 14-16, 2010. Brooklyn, NY, USA. FuelCell2010-33121
Restrepo, B., L. Banta, A. Tsai “Combination of a Nonlinear Static and a Linear Dynamic Model of the NETL HyPer System” Proceedings of ASME 2010 8^th International Conference on Fuel Cell Science, Engineering and Technology, June 14-16, 2010. Brooklyn, NY, USA. FuelCell2010-33111
Tsai, Alex, D. Tucker, E. Perez “Adaptive Control of Balance of Plant Components in a Fuel Cell Gas Turbine Power Plant Simulator” Proceedings of ASME International Gas Turbine Institute, Turbo Expo, June 3-7 2013. San Antonio TX, USA. GT2013-95872
Tsai, A., Tucker D., Emami, T. “Multiple Model Adaptive Estimation of a Hybrid Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Gas Turbine Power Plant Simulator” ASME 2016 Power and Energy Conference and Exhibition, Charlotte NC USA, June 26-30, 2016. PowerEnergy2016-59656
Tsai, A., Tucker D., Emami, T. “Neural Network for Balance of Plant SOFC-GT Actuator Control” ASME 2020 Turbo Expo, ExCel Convention Center, London, UK, June 22-26, 2020. GT2020-14028.
Emami, T., A. Tsai, D. Tucker “Decentralized PID Controller Design for SOFC-GT”, ASME 2020 Power Conference, August 4-5, 2020. POWER2020-16008.

Alex Tsai, Ph.D., P.E.

Alex Tsai, Ph.D., P.E.

Education

About

Education

Research and Publications

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