Mafzaluhammad Afzal

Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Studies

BScEng (UAF, Pakistan), MEng (AIT, Thailand), PhD (Ehime, Japan)

Office: E-46A

Tel: (506) 453-4880
Fax: (506) 453-5025
E-mail

PhD Position Available

Research Interests

  • Microwave heating, processing, biochar and biofertilizer
  • Biomass pre-processing, bio-drying and storage
  • Densification, solid biofuels, torrefaction
  • Techno-economic analysis of bioenergy pathways
  • Biomass combustion and emissions
  • Biomass supply logistics and modeling
  • Modeling of heat and mass transfer
  • Biomaterials, thermo-physical properties

Selected Research Publications

  • Bedane, A. H; Afzal, M. T., and Sokhansanj, S. 2011. Simulation of temperature and moisture changes during storage of woody biomass owing to weather variability. Biomass & Bioenergy, 35:3147-3151. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biombioe.2011.04.008
  • Harun, N. Y; Afzal, M. T. 2011. Kinetic and pyrolysis characteristics of Balsam fir needles. Journal of Materials Science and Engineering, 5(5): 489-503. 
  • Afzal, M. T; Bedane, A.H; Sokhansanj, S and Mahmood, W. 2010. Storage of comminuted and uncomminuted forest biomass, its effect on fuel quality. BioResources, 5(1): 55-69.  http://www.ncsu.edu/bioresources/BioRes_05/BioRes_05_1_0055_Afzal_BS_Storage_Comminuted_Biomass_Effect_Fuel_Qual_677.pdf
  • Harun, N. Y and Afzal, M. T.  2010. Thermal decomposition kinetics of forest residue.  Journal of Applied Sciences, 10(12): 1122-1127.
  • Yazdanpanah, F; Sokhansanj, S; Lau, A; Lim, C.J; Bi, X; Melin, S., and Afzal, M.T.  2010.  Permeability of wood pellets in the presence of fines. Bioresource Technology, 101:5565-5570.
  • Jia, D; Afzal, M.T., Gong, M., and Bedane, A.H. 2010. Modeling of moisture diffusion and heat transfer during softening in wood densification. International Journal of Engineering, 4(2):191-200. 
  • Jia, D., and Afzal, M. T. 2008. Modeling the heat and mass transfer in microwave drying of white oak. Drying Technology, 26 (9):1103-1111. 
  • Jia, D., and Afzal, M. T. 2007. Modeling of moisture diffusion in microwave drying of hardwood. Drying Technology, 25: 449-454.
  • Hu, C, and Afzal, M.T., 2006, A statistical algorithm for comparing mode shapes of vibration testing before and after damage in timbers, J. Wood Science, 52 (4): 348- 352.
  • Hu, C. and Afzal, M.T., 2006, A wavelet analysis based approach for damage localization in timbers, J. Wood Science, 52 (5): 456-460.
  • Hu, C., and Afzal, M.T. 2005.  Automatic measurement of wood surface roughness by laser imaging – Part 1. Development of laser imaging system. For. Prod. J. 55(12): 158-163.
  • Afzal, T. M and T. Abe. 2000. Simulation of moisture changes in barley during far infrared radiation drying. Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, 26: 137-145.