About Us

RICK A. SMITH, P.E.

7400 Brown Road

Ostrander, OH 43061

(740) 666-4872

 

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

JUN 1988 - PRESENT

APPLIED THERMAL ENGINEERING, INC.

Founder and president of this specialty engineering firm whose forté is identifying and solving complex, intractable problems; industrial power plant engineering, utility generation, and distribution; cogeneration; energy conservation and recovery; industrial process improvement; project design and management; forensic engineering and expert witness in the above specialties. Over 25 years of experience in mechanical engineering with an emphasis on thermal systems engineering.

Clients include:

< Anheuser - Busch

< Ford Motor Company

< Cargill, Inc.

< State of Ohio

< General Motors

< Thomson Consumer Electronics (RCA)

< Honda America Mfg.

< University of Chicago

< Mead Paper

< Wilbur Smith Associates

< Owens - Corning Fiberglass

< Numerous smaller companies

< PPG Industries

< Numerous law firms nationwide

< Ross Laboratories

< Dozens of Teltech phone support clients

< Boiler Technology course instructor for National Technology Transfer

< University of Wisconsin - Engineering Extension, Industrial Boiler Controls Course Presenter

 

OCT 1983 - JUN 1988

THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY

Senior Mechanical Engineer:

C Successfully managed a $7,000,000 steam line expansion project which encompassed 30,000 feet of superheated steam and condensate lines, several major road crossings, a river bridge crossing, and 15 building tie-ins / system upgrades, all on a crowded urban campus.

Project management entailed:

@ Oversight of consulting engineers.

@ Review and approval of all plans, specifications, and change orders.

@ Coordination and liaison with all affected University departments.

@ Installation coordination and oversight.

@ Resolving conflicts between this and other ongoing projects.

@ Minimization of disruption to all University operations.

C Spearheaded a $2,300,000 cogeneration project in McCracken Power Plant. Authored the feasibility study which withstood a peer review by outside consultants; overcame significant technical and political hurdles; supervised design, specification, procurement, and installation of the 3125 KW non-condensing turbine generator, and all associated piping and auxiliary equipment.

C Assisted in the completion and start up of a 125,000 pound per hour coal fired boiler and its associated flue gas scrubber system.

C Assisted in the preliminary needs assessment and scope of work development for a medical waste incinerator.

C Earned the Mechanical Engineering Advanced Professional Degree.

C Taught ME 625, a dual level course in Power Plant Engineering..

 

NOV 1981 - JUN 1983

CUMMINS ENGINE COMPANY

Facilities project manager for maintenance and engineering at five large buildings. Provided engineering services for an additional twenty-five buildings, totaling over 1,000,000 square feet.

Major accomplishments:

C Converted three boilers to dual fuel capability to minimize fuel costs.

C Analyzed major electric accounts. Through a transformer purchase, brought a major facility into a lower rate structure, saving thousands of dollars annually.

 

JUN 1979 - OCT 1981

ALUMINUM CO. OF AMERICA

Mechanical engineer in charge of energy conservation for a large aluminum extrusion plant. Provided engineering services for the boiler house and billet annealing furnaces.

Major Accomplishments:

C Initiated closing the doors of the homogenizing furnaces between loads to conserve energy and reduce furnace turn around time.

C Discovered and engineered a heat recovery project for an aluminum chip dryer.

C Designed and built a new boiler ash handling facility. Performed significant equipment enhancements to make the system operational.

C Analyzed the condensate return system in search of a solution to a vexing problem only to find that the difficulty was caused by a faulty control valve diaphragm.

C Managed and inspected the contracted repair of the 200' boiler house chimney.

 

JUL 1977 - MAY 1979 

PURDUE UNIVERSITY

Project engineering including design and installation of retrofit HVAC systems on campus.

 

JUL 1976 - JUL 1977 

ARMOUR - DIAL, INC.

Project engineer, then maintenance supervisor at a large soap manufacturing plant.

 

 

LICENSES

PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER: Ohio

PILOT, Single Engine Land: FAA

STATIONARY ENGINEER, 3rd CLASS: Ohio

 

 

MILITARY SERVICE

OCT 1968 - AUG 1972

UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS

Parris Island - 1968.

Completed Officer’s Candidate School at Quantico in 1969. Volunteered for and actively participated in Viet Nam.

 

 

EDUCATION

OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY: Mech. Engineering Professional Degree, 1988.

PURDUE UNIVERSITY: BSME, 1976. Member - Pi Tau Sigma.

 

 

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

MEMBER - American Society of Mechanical Engineers

AFFILIATE MEMBER - American Pubic Power Association

 

 

PUBLIC SERVICE WORK

MEMBER - Columbus District Heating Task Force, 1984 - 1986

Commander - American Legion Post #115, Delaware, OH