Principal Mechanical Engineer, 18 years
Westera Partners · Brisbane, QLD · 18 years experience
About
CFD and thermal-analysis specialist with eighteen years across heat exchanger design, flare-system modelling, and process-equipment optimisation for oil, gas, and minerals processing. Principal analyst on thermal-performance reviews for multiple LNG trains, an ammonia-plant debottleneck study, and several refinery furnace reburns. PhD in mechanical engineering (University of Queensland); CPEng, RPEQ. Active AIChE and IChemE contributor.
Expertise
Sector Experience
Qualifications & Registrations
Academic Qualifications
PhD, Computational Fluid Dynamics
2010University of Melbourne
Bachelor of Technology, Mechanical Engineering
2006Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
Professional Registrations
RPEQ
#34567
Board of Professional Engineers Queensland
CPEng
#CPE-2011-5543
Engineers Australia
Chartered Engineer
#CEng-2013-992
Engineers Australia
Experience
Principal Mechanical Engineer
2017–PresentWestera Partners
Leads CFD and thermal analysis practice.
Senior Mechanical Engineer
2012–2017Wood Group
Mechanical design and CFD analysis for oil and gas processing facilities.
Mechanical Engineer
2010–2012Tata Consulting Engineers
Heat exchanger and pressure vessel design for refinery and petrochemical projects.
Project History
LNG Flare System CFD Modelling
2025Santos · Oil & Gas
Thermal radiation and dispersion modelling for a new flare system at an LNG export facility.
Heat Exchanger Performance Optimisation
2024Confidential Client · Manufacturing
CFD-based performance study of shell-and-tube heat exchangers experiencing fouling-related capacity loss.
Projects / Case Studies
Standout projects from Dr.'s career, with the challenge, approach, and outcome for each.
LNG flare-system thermal redesign under debottlenecking
2024North West Shelf operator (confidential) · Energy & Renewables
Lead CFD engineer, flare-system redesignHands-on
CFD-led redesign of a flare-knock-out and stack system feeding an uprated train.
Challenge
Existing flare predicted to exceed metallurgical limits at the new peak release; conventional code-based sizing gave inconsistent margins.
Solution
Coupled CFD-FEA analysis captured radiation loads and transient peak temperatures; recommended a reconfigured tip and stand-off geometry.
Outcome
Design adopted; operational test-fires confirmed peak skin temperatures within code limits with 30 K margin.
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