Virkeshwar Kumar

Virkeshwar Kumar is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur. His research focuses on experimental fluid dynamics, heat transfer, and phase change phenomena in manufacturing processes.

His educational background includes:

• PhD in Mechanical Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (2020)
• B.Tech in Manufacturing Engineering from National Institute of Foundry and Forge Technology, Ranchi (2014)

Dr. Kumar's research interests span a wide range of topics in thermal-fluid sciences and manufacturing. His work primarily investigates solidification, melting, casting, welding, and other phase change processes with emphasis on transport phenomena, interfacial interactions, and fluid dynamics. He has made significant contributions to understanding evaporative crystallization, boiling phenomena, and natural convection during solidification processes. His experimental approach combines advanced visualization techniques with quantitative measurements to unravel complex thermal-fluid phenomena in manufacturing contexts.

His publication record demonstrates a strong focus on phase change phenomena, particularly in the areas of solidification, evaporation, and crystallization. His recent work has explored evaporative crystallization of saline droplets, convection-induced bridging during alloy solidification, and evaporation-based detection methods for milk adulteration. His research bridges fundamental thermal-fluid sciences with practical applications in manufacturing and materials processing.

Dr. Kumar has received several prestigious awards and fellowships:

• Excellence in Ph.D. Research Award for 2018-2020 from IIT Bombay
• C V Raman Post-Doc Fellowship from IISc Bangalore (2020)
• 2nd Prize in image contest at Mechanical Department Annual Research Student Symposium, IISc Bangalore (2021)
• Ph.D. Annual Progress Seminar Award from Department of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Bombay (2017-18)
• International Travel Support grant to attend ICASP-5 & CSSCR-5 conference at Salzburg, Austria (2019)

Dr. Kumar has supervised multiple research students and has been involved in several collaborative research projects. His work on evaporation-based detection of milk adulterants received significant media coverage from major outlets including The Hindu, Indian Express, and Times of India. His research on double-diffusive layers during solidification was featured as a journal article with AIP media coverage.

He maintains active research in the Manufacturing Science Lab at IIT Kanpur, where he conducts experimental investigations of thermal-fluid phenomena using advanced visualization and measurement techniques.