Dr. Rakesh N. is interested in research in areas including energy systems, sustainability, rural development, transport phenomena, thermal science and engineering.
Education
B. Tech. Mechanical Engineering, Government Engineering College, Barton Hill, Thiruvananthapuram
M. Tech. Mechanical Engineering (Energy Engineering and Management), National Institute of Technology Calicut, Kozhikode
PhD, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru
Experience includes
Postdoctoral research from institutes including IIT Madras, Cornell University, USA.
Worked as a Senior Research Scientist and as a Manager, R&D at the BPCL Corporate Research and Development Centre, Greater Noida.
Major areas of research related to energy systems and sustainability
1. Thermochemical conversion of biomass
2. Hydrogen and fuel cells
3. Solar and wind energy systems
Google Scholar profile: scholar.google.co.in/citations?user=AyBvTJwAAAAJ&hl=en
Invited lectures/talks/presentations
"BIOMASS AS A SOURCE FOR PRODUCING ENERGY, HYDROGEN, AND CHEMICALS: A CIRCULAR ECONOMY APPROACH", National Conference on "Emerging Vistas in Chemical Engineering (EVINCE-2025)", organized by Indian Institute of Chemical Engineers,Trivandrum Regional Centre(IIChE-TVRC), in association with VSSC,ISRO
"Fuel Cell Technology", Five-Day Workshop on “Energy Systems and Modelling”,Department of Mechanical Engineering,NIT Calicut (Online)
"Can thermochemical conversion be a sustainable pathway for clean energy generation?",Department of Mechanical Engineering,NITK,Surathkal
"Thermochemical conversion of biomass for a low carbon circular economy",The Institution of Engineers (India) Kerala State Centre,Thiruvananthapuram
At
Indo-German Centre for Sustainability (IGCS) Summer School 2022,RWTH Aachen University,Germany
Skill Development Programme on "1G, 2G Ethanol Biofuels – Process Development, Analyses, Opportunities, and Pilot Scale Operation",CSIR-NIIST,Thiruvananthapuram
Advanced Entrepreneurship skill development program (AESD) on Waste-to-Energy Technologies towards circular economy,Department of Chemical Engineering,NIT Calicut
6th Prof. P. J. Paul Memorial Combustion Researchers’ Meet & Workshop on Combustion Science in Biomass Fire & Instability- Science in the Aid of Practice,Jain University
IIT Madras,IIT Palakkad
Joint International Symposium on Energy Science between Kyoto University and IISc at ICER,IISc,Bengaluru
Seminar on Global Warming – 2010,Kerala State Electricity Board Engineers Association
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Solid oxide fuel cells fueled by carbonaceous fuels: A thermodynamics-based approach for safe operation and experimental validation by Narayana Sarma R., Shivapuji A. M., Srinivasaiah D. Energy Sources, Part A: Recovery, Utilization, and Environmental Effects 44 3509-3531 (2022)
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Syngas generation for methanol synthesis: oxy-steam gasification route using agro-residue as fuel by Singh A., Gupta A. , Rakesh N. , Shivapuji A. M., Dasappa S. Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery 12 1803-1818 (2022)
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Analysis of tar obtained from hydrogen-rich syngas generated from a fixed bed downdraft biomass gasification system by Rakesh N., Dasappa S. Energy Conversion and Management 167 134-146 (2018)
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Sustainable co-production of porous graphitic carbon and synthesis gas from biomass resources by Pusarapu V., Narayana Sarma R. , Ochonma P. , Gadikota G. npj Materials Sustainability 2 16- (2024)
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Biomass fast pyrolysis kinetics using curie-point pyrolysis: Comparison with pyroprobe and thermogravimetric analysis by Prashanth F., Narayana Sarma R. , Jain A. , Segar S. , Choudhari H. , Vinu R. Journal of the Energy Institute 115 101699- (2024)
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An assessment of sustainability metrics for waste-to-liquid fuel pathways for a low carbon circular economy by Narayana Sarma R., Vinu R. Energy Nexus 100254- (2023)
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Investigation of optimal water utilization for water spray cooled photovoltaic panel: A three-dimensional computational study by Raju M., Narayana Sarma R. , Suryan A. , Nair P. P., Nizetic S. Sustainable Energy Technologies and Assessments 52 101975- (2022)
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A technoeconomic analysis of hydrogen production in a high renewable resources electricity grid using alkaline electrolysis, polymer electrolyte membrane electrolysis and solid oxide electrolysis by Narayana Sarma R., Sambasivam B. , Sundararaman M. Environmental Science and Pollution Research 32 28516-28531 (2025)
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Coconut Oil Based Green Cutting Fluid for Sustainability of Machining Operations: Studies on Different Surface Roughnesses by Dehariya L., Narayana Sarma R. , Gopinathan A. V., Kailas S. V., Somarajan S. P., Edachery V. ASME Journal of Tribology 147 044202- (2025)
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A critical assessment of tar generated during biomass gasification-Formation, evaluation, issues and mitigation strategies by Rakesh N., Dasappa S. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 91 1045-1064 (2018)
- Co-Principal Investigator
