Bart van Esch

Bart van Esch is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e), specializing in thermal and fluid engineering, energy conversion, and hydraulic turbomachinery. He leads the Power & Flow section and the Group Van Esch, focusing on CFD and industrial applications such as optimizing pumping station energy efficiency and minimizing fish mortality in pumps. He holds a part-time professorship at Jiangsu University, China, since 2017.

His academic background includes an MSc in Astronomy (Leiden University, 1990), a Master of Technological Design in Computational Mechanics (Twente University, 1992), and a PhD in Mechanical Engineering (Twente University, 1997). He joined TU/e as an Assistant Professor in 1997, advancing to his current role.

Research collaborations include Jiangsu University and Bosman Watermanagement, where he designs fish-friendly pumps. His work bridges disciplines like fluid mechanics, biology, and control systems to innovate in hydraulic machinery.

He received the Best Teacher of the Year 2017 award. Editorial roles include Advisory Board Member of Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science and Associate Editor of the ASME Journal of Fluids Engineering (2012–2018).

Current educational activities span courses like Engineering Design, Thermal and Fluid Engineering, and Honors Program modules. His research emphasizes sustainable energy solutions and eco-friendly engineering practices.