Drazena Brocilo, Ph.D.

Dr. Brocilo specializes in the area of environmental pollution control technologies; non-thermal plasma physics and electrical engineering applied to robotic surgical systems; power generation and transmission; and distribution, fuel reforming, and diesel-engine based transportation.

She has extensive experience related to the design, numerical modeling, and failure investigation of discharge and collecting electrodes as applied to the evaluation of the collection efficiency of submicron and ultra fine dust particles in electrostatic precipitators used in coal power generating plants. She has developed an electrostatic precipitator optimization code for control of fine particulates in industrial flue gasses. This code was validated on high resistivity dust particles produced in a steel sintering plant that was outfitted with hybrid electrostatic precipitators using pulsed corona and moving collecting electrodes.

Prior to joining Exponent, Dr. Brocilo led a product engineering development and integration team responsible for conceptualizing, designing, developing, and testing a prototype surgical robot hand controller. She managed the external contractors hired for the industrial and ergonomic design, and the mechanical development of the hand grip for the prototype hand controller. She has also developed the hand controller software based on the User Datagram Protocol (UDP), and performed the integration and testing of this controller onto the minimally-invasive surgical robot platform.

As a research associate at McMaster University, she was involved either as a principle researcher, technical integration leader, or numerical modeler, supporting several industrial and/or government grant-sponsored projects such as: incineration of diesel soot using non-thermal plasma, controlling diesel engine emission for particulate matter (NOx, VOCs, and CO) using non-thermal plasma catalysts, gas pumping techniques applicable to narrow and capillary-sized tubes using electrohydrodynamics, and cracking hydrocarbons using an Electrohydrodynamics (EHD) atomizer discharging into a non-thermal plasma reactor.

Her other areas of interest include electric machine design, electric motor drives, and electric power generation, distribution, and transmission, fields in which she has obtained her Diplom Ingenieur (Dipl.-Ing.) and Masters of Electrical Engineering Degrees, respectively. Her extensive numerical and experimental skills include: the application of finite differences and finite element techniques, Real Time Neutron Radiography (RTNR), Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA), Gas Chromatography (GC), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Optical Emission Spectroscopy (OES), and Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV).

Komeili B, Chang JS, Brocilo D, Harvel G, Ching CY. Flow characteristics of wire-rod type electrohydrodynamic gas pump under negative corona operations. J Electrostat 2008; 66:342–353.

Chang JS, Ayrault C, Brocilo D, Ewing D, Harvel GD, Urashima K, Hirata H, Matsumoto S, Fanson P. Electrohydrodynamic atomization two-phase flow regime map for liquid hydrocarbon under pulsed electric fields with co-gas flow. J Electrostat 2008; 66:94–98.

Podlinski J, Dekowski J, Mizeraczyk J, Brocilo D, Chang JS. Electrohydrodynamic gas flow in a positive polarity wire-plate electrostatic precipitator and the related dust particle collection efficiency. J Electrostat 2006; 64:259–262.

Chang JS, Brocilo D, Urashima K, Dekowski J, Podlinski J, Mizeraczyk J, Touchard G. On-set of EHD turbulence for cylinder in cross flow under corona discharges. J Electrostat 2006; 64:569–573.

Brocilo D, Chang JS, Findlay RD. The numerical simulation of multi-field wire-plate electrostatic precipitators. Proceedings, Electrostatics 2003, IoP Publication, 2004-08-04.

Cotton J, Brocilo D, Shoukri MM, Chang JS, Norris C, Smith-Pollard T. Mechanisms of electrohydrodynamic flow boiling heat transfer in coaxial flow channels of dielectric refrigerant R-134a. IEEE Transaction on Dielectrics and Electrical Insulation 2003; 10(1):37–51, February.

Guan L, Brocilo D, Harvel GD, Chang JS, Ewing D, Park SH, Urashima K. Dust flow separator type electrostatic precipitator for the control of ultrafine particles from natural gas combustion. J Aerosol Sci 2005; 522. Special Issue for European Aerosol Conference, Ghent, Belgium, 2005.

Brocilo D, Guan L, Harvel GH, Chang JS. Characterization of particle emission from natural gas combustion. J Aerosol Sci 204; S877–79. Special Issue for European Aerosol Conference Budapest, Hungary, 2004.

Brocilo D, Chang JS, Findlay RD. Numerical and experimental studies of spike-plate and wire-plate electrostatic precipitators for collection of sub-micron particles. J Aerosol Sci 2003; S1:335–336. Special Issue for European Aerosol Conference, 2003.

Brocilo D, Chang JS, Findlay RD, Urashima K. Characteristics of bottom ash and aerosol particle compositions generated by burning incense. J Aerosol Sci 2003; S1:S427–428. Special Issue for European Aerosol Conference, 2003.

Brocilo D, Chang JS, Findlay RD, Misaka T, Oura A, Urashima K. Numerical prediction of high resistivity fly ash collection efficiency for large scale wire-plate type electrostatic precipitators. J Aerosol Sci 2003; S1:S119–120. Special Issue for European Aerosol Conference, 2003.

Brocilo D, Chang JS, Findlay RD. Modeling of two-stage electrostatic precipitators for fine particle removal. J Aerosol Sci 2001; 32:893–894. Special Issue for European Aerosol Conference 2001.

Brocilo D, Chang JS, Godard R, Berezin AA. Numerical modeling of wire-pipe electrostatic precipitator for control of fine particulates. J Aerosol Sci 1999; 30:855–856. Special Issue for European Aerosol Conference 1999.

Chang JS, Looy PC, Brocilo D, Berezin AA, Duffy WD, Schaap D, Moeller KR. Characterization of particles generated by thermal plasma cutting of galvanized steels. J Aerosol Sci 1999; 30:681–682. Special Issue for European Aerosol Conference 1999.

Conference Publications

Brocilo D, Chang JS, Berezin A. Effect of the EHD flow on particle surface charging and the collection efficiency of submicron and ultra-fine dust particles in wire-plate type electrostatic precipitators. 11th International Conference on Electrostatic Precipitation, Hangzhou, China, October 20–26, 2008.

Sun M, Brocilo D, Harvel GD, Ibe M, Matsubara H, Fanson P, Hirata H, Chang JS. Fundamental characteristics of a plasma electrohydrodynamic atomization. The 6th International Conference on Applied Electrostatics(ICAES’2008), Shanghai, China, November 3–7, 2008.

Chang JS , Luthereau C, Dela Cruze E, Khalaf PI, Brocilo D, Harvel GD, Ewing D, Debacher NA, McCluskey F, Cotton JS, Bardeleben M. Plasma suppression of diesel soot deposition during diesel engine operation. 6th International Symposium on Non-Thermal Plasma Technology (ISNTPT-6), Taipei, Taiwan, May 12–16, 2008.

Brocilo D, Podlinski J, Chang JS, Mizeraczyk J, Findlay RD. Electrode geometry effects on the collection efficiency of submicron and ultrafine dust particles in spike-plate electrostatic precipitators. Proceedings, Electrostatics 2007, Oxford, UK, March 2007.

Komeili B, Chang JS, Brocilo D, Harvel G, Ching CY. Flow characteristics of wire-rod type electrohydrodynamic gas pump under negative corona operations. 2006 ISEHD International Symposium on Electrohydrodynamics, Buenos Aires, Argentina, December 4–6, 2006.

Chang JS, Ayault C, Brocilo D, Ewing D, Harvel GD, Urashima K, Hirata H, Matsumoto S, Fanson P. Electrohydrodynamic atomization two-phase flow regime map for liquid hydrocarbon under pulsed electric fields with co-gas flow. 2006 ISEHD International Symposium on Electrohydrodynamics, Buenos Aires, Argentina, December 4–6, 2006.

Chen XB, Brocilo D, Iwasaki S, Takagi Y, Hoard JW, Ayrault C, Urashima K, Harvel G, Ehara H, Ito T, Chang JS. Characteristics of magneto-dielectric-barrier discharge trench reactors for oxidation and reduction of gaseous pollutants. The Progress of Green Oxidation/Reduction Technologies: Air and Water Treatments by Green Oxidation/Reduction Technologies-Catalyst, Plasma and Hybrid Systems, AP-AWTGORT Conference, Jilin University Press, No. 8, pp. 306–310, Dalian, P. R. China, September 6-8, 2006.

Ayrault C, Brocilo D, Chen X, Iwasaki S, Ching CY, Ewing D, Hoard J, Urashima K, Chang JS. Simultaneous removal of soot, hydrocarbons, NOx , SOx and CO from diesel engine exhaust by an integrated electrostatic precipitator/magneto-trench barrier discharge plasma-catalyst system. Proceedings of ISNTPT7, Ile d’Oleron, France, June 2006.

Brocilo D, Chang JS, Ewing D, Urashima K, Cotton JS. Plasma removal of wall deposited diesel soot. Proceedings of ISPC17, pp. 1187–1188, Toronto, Canada, August 2005.

Brocilo D, Iwasaki S, Yamada K, Colenbrander J, Urashima K, Ewing D, Hoard J, Ehara H, Ono S, Ito T, Itoh M, Chang JS. Removal of NOx and dust particles from exhaust of diesel engine power generator by plasma-catalyst system. Proceedings of ISPC17, pp.1132–1133, Toronto, Canada, August 2005.

Chun JN, Berezin AA, Brocilo D, Mizeraczyk J, Chang JS. Modeling of near corona wire electrohydrodynamic flow in a wire-plate electrostatic precipitator. Proceedings, IEEE CEIDP, pp. 478–481, Nashville, TN, 2005.

Chang JS, Dekowski J, Podlinski J, Brocilo D, Urashima K, Mizeraczyk J. Electrohydrodynamic gas flow regime map in a wire-plate electrostatic precipitator under positive coronas. Proceedings, IEEE CEIDP, pp. 461–464, Nashville, TN, 2005.

Brocilo D, Podlinski J, Dekowski J, Mizeraczyk J, Urashima K, Chang JS. Electrohydrodynamic flow patterns in wide spacing spike-plate electrostatic precipitators under negative coronas. Proceedings, Electrostatics, Finland, 2005.

Chang JS, Brocilo D, Ewing D, Lebert A, Harvel GD, Urashima K, Hirata H, Matsumoto S. Observation of electrohydrodynamically atomized dielectric liquids by real-time and high speed infrared thermal images. Proceedings of ICDL, Portugal, 2005.

Iwasaki S , Brocilo D, Yamada K, Urashima K, Ara M, Ewing D, Hoard J, Ehara H, Ono S, Ito T, Itoh M, Chang JS. Simultaneous removal of NOx and CO from exhaust of diesel engine power generator by plasma-catalyst system. 6th-IEJ-ESA Joint, pp. 375–386, Tokyo, Japan, November 2004.

Brocilo D, Podlinski J, Dekowski J, Mizeraczyk J, Urashima K, Chang JS. Electrohydrodynamic flow patterns in wide spacing spike-plate electrostatic precipitators under negative coronas. Proceedings, 5th International Conference on Applied Electrostatics, pp. 100–103, Schanghai, China, November 2004.

Chang JS, Brocilo D, Urashima K ,Mizeraczyk J, Dekowski J, Podlinski J, Dors M, Kocik J, Ohkubo T, Kanazawa S, Nomoto N. Optimization of seed-particle size and density used in the laser particle image velocitometry technique under corona discharges and non-thermal plasmas. Proceedings, 7th International Conference on Optical Particle Characterizations, pp.435–440, Kyoto, Japan, August 2004.

Chang JS, Lebert A, Brocilo D, Urashima K. Measurement of transient surface temperature by real-time and high speed infra-red thermal images. Proceedings, 7th International Conference on Optical Particle Characterizations, pp.109–114, Kyoto, Japan, August 2004.

Podlinski J, Dekowski J, Mizeraczyk J, Brocilo D, Urashima K, Chang JS. EHD flow in a wide electrode spacing spike-plate electrostatic precipitator under positive polarity. SFE Conference Proceedings, pp. 61–66, Poitiers, France, September 2004.

Harvel GD, Chang JS, Guan L, Nock M, Brocilo D, Urashima K. Dust flow separator type electrostatic precipitator for the dust emission control from gas combustion flue gases. SFE Conference Proceedings, Vol. S1, pp. 49–53, Poitiers, France, September 2004.

Misaka T, Oura T, Brocilo D, Urashima K, Findlay RD, Chang J-S. Precipitation of high resistivity dust particles of steel sintering plant by hybrid electrostatic precipitators with pulsed corona and moving electrode. Proceedings, 6th International Aerosol Conference, Vol. 2, pp. 699–700, Taipei, Taiwan, 2002.

Misaka T, Akasaka A, Oura T, Urashima K, Brocilo D, Findlay RD, Chang JS. Validation of MESP code for moving electrode electrostatic precipitators with and without first field pulse energization. Proceedings, ICAES 2001, pp. 282–287, Dalian, China, 2001.

Brocilo D, Chang JS, Findlay RD, Kawada Y, Ito T. Modeling of the effect of electrode geometries on the corona discharge current-voltage characteristic for wire-plate electrostatic precipitators. Annual Report Conference on Electrical Insulation and Dielectric Phenomena, pp. 681–684, Kitchener, Canada, October 2001.

Brocilo D, Chang JS, Findlay RD. Modeling of electrode geometry effects on dust collection efficiency of wire plate electrostatic precipitators. Proceedings, 8th International Conference on Electrostatic Precipitation, Vol. 1, A4–3, pp. 1–18, Birmingham, AL, May 2001.

Brocilo D. Current density distribution in wire-plate electrostatic precipitators with rigid discharge electrode. CAGE Club Student Conference, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 2001. (First price in graduate students’ category).

Brocilo D. Optimization of two stage wire-plate type electrostatic precipitator for submicron particle collections. CAGE Club Student Conference, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, 2000. (Shared first price in graduate students’ category).

Brocilo D. Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA) of coal and fly ashes from power plants with and without in-furnace sorbent injections. 24th Annual Canadian Nuclear Association-Canadian Nuclear Society Student Conference, Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, 1999.

Brocilo D. Formulation and computational algorithm in finite element analysis of electric field distribution in two-phase media in coaxial annulus. CAGE Club Student Conference, -University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada, 1998.

Findlay RD, Brocilo D, Morgan VT. Some experiences with COOLTEMP. An analysis and prediction program for aluminum conductor, steel reinforced. Proceedings, 4th Int. Workshop on Electric and Magnetic Fields, pp. 93–98.Marseille, France, May 12–15, 1998.

Findlay RD, Morgan VT, Brocilo D. Sensitivity analysis of ACSR conductor using historical permeability data from a single wire versus stranded steel core permeability data. IEEE Canadian Conference on Electrical and Computer Engineering, Waterloo, Canada, Vol. 2, pp 906–909, May 24–28, 1998.

• Product Development Engineer, Marlex Engineering Inc. Hamilton, Canada, 2008
• Research Associate, McIARS, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada, 2005–2008
• Seasonal Lecturer, ECE Department, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada, 2004–2008
• Postdoctoral Researcher, Eng. Physics Department, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada, 2004–2005
• Visiting Researcher, Polish Academy of Sciences, Gdansk, Poland, 2003
• Teaching Assistant, ECE Department, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada, 1997–2003
• Instrumentation/Control Junior Engineer, Mannesmann Anlagenbau AG, Düsseldorf, Germany, 1994–1995
  

• IEEE DEI EHD Technical Committee (member)
• Canadian Association High Voltage Engineering & Electrostatics (member)
• IEEE Power & Energy Society (member)