Faculty Directory

Sunderland, Peter B.

Sunderland, Peter B.

Professor
Keystone Professor
Director, Undergraduate Studies
Fire Protection Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
Aerospace Engineering
Center for Risk and Reliability
Robert E. Fischell Institute for Biomedical Devices
3104E J.M. Patterson Building

EDUCATION

  • 1995 Ph.D., Aerospace Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
  • 1994 M.S., Aerospace Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
  • 1986 M.S., Mechanical Engineering, University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
  • 1983 B.S., Mechanical Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca.

BACKGROUND

  • 2017 – present Professor and Director of Undergraduate Studies, Dept. of Fire Protection Engineering; Affiliate, Dept. of Aerospace Engineering; Affiliate, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering; Keystone Professor, College of Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park.
  • 2010 – 2017 Associate Professor and Director of Undergraduate Studies, Dept. of Fire Protection Engineering; Affiliate Associate Professor, Dept. of Aerospace Engineering; Affiliate Associate Professor, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park.
  • 2004 – 2010 Assistant Professor, Department of Fire Protection Engineering, and Affiliate Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park.
  • 1996 – 2004 Staff Scientist and Research Associate, National Center for Microgravity Research and National Research Council, NASA Glenn Research Center, Cleveland.
  • 1991 –1995 Research Fellow and Research Assistant, Department of Aerospace Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
  • 1988 – 1991 Senior Engineer, Northern Research and Engineering Division of Ingersoll-Rand, Woburn, MA.
  • 1985 – 1987 Engineer, Pratt and Whitney Division of United Technologies, East Hartford. 1981 – 1982 Co-Operative Engineer, Chicago Bridge and Iron Co., New Castle, Delaware.

HONORS AND AWARDS

  • Fellow, The Combustion Institute, 2021.
  • Philip Merrill Presidential Scholars Faculty Mentor Award, Merrill Family Foundation, 2020.
  • Poole and Kent Teaching Award for Senior Engineering Faculty, University of Maryland, 2017.
  • Best Image, Fire Science Image Competition, IAFSS, 2014.
  • Best-Paper Award, Sixth International Seminar on Fire and Explosion Hazards, 2010.
  • Faculty Early Career Award, NSF, 2010.
  • Ralph H. Isbrandt Automotive Safety Engineering Award, SAE, 2008.
  • E. Robert Kent Junior Faculty Teaching Award, College of Engineering, University of Maryland, 2008.
  • Keystone Professor, The Clark School Academy of Distinguished Professors, University of Maryland, 2008.
  • Excellence in Oral Presentation, SAE World Congress, Detroit, 2007.
  • Best-Paper Award, Northern Ohio Section of AIAA, 2003.

Fire dynamics and combustion, including soot formation and oxidation, pyrometry, laminar diffusion flames, microgravity combustion, and fires involving firebrands, refrigerants, hydrogen, highway vehicles, and spacecraft.

 


  • O. Rabin, P.B. Sunderland, Robust Heat-Flux Sensors for Coal-Fired Boiler Extreme Environments, DOE – NETL, 2021 – 2023.
  • S. Stoliarov, P.B. Sunderland, A. Filkov, M.J. Gollner, Firebrand Ignition of Building Materials, Underwriters Laboratories, 2021 – 2023.
  • R.L. Axelbaum, D.L. Urban, P.B. Sunderland, Flame Design: a Novel Approach to Clean Efficient Diffusion Flames, NASA Glenn Research Center, 1999 – 2023.
  • J.G. Quintiere, P.B. Sunderland, J. deRis, Experimental Investigation of Emulated Burning Rate at Various Gravity Levels, NASA Glenn Research Center, 2010 – 2023.
  • P.B. Sunderland, R.L. Axelbaum, F.A. Williams, ISS: Collaborative Research: Spherical Cool Diffusion Flames Burning Gaseous Fuels, NSF, 2017 – 2023.

  • ENES 100, Introduction to Engineering Design
  • ENFP 101, Introduction to Fire Protection Engineering
  • ENFP 300, Fire Protection Fluid Mechanics
  • ENFP 350, Professional Development Seminar
  • ENFP 415/651, Fire Dynamics
  • ENFP 420,  Fire Assessment Methods and Laboratory
  • ENFP 630, Diffusion Flames and Burning Rate Theory

Refereed Journal Articles

65.    J. Baldwin, P.B. Sunderland, Pyrometry of Emulated Firebrands, Fire Safety Journal, 136 (2023) 103746.

64.    P. Dehghani, P.B. Sunderland, J.G. Quintiere, J.L. deRis, Burning in Microgravity: Experimental Results and Analysis, Combustion and Flame 228 (2021) 315–330.

63.    P.H. Irace, H. Lee, K. Waddell, L. Tan, D.P. Stocker, P.B. Sunderland, R.L. Axelbaum, Observations of Long Duration Microgravity Spherical Diffusion Flames Aboard the International Space Station, Combustion and Flame, 229 (2021) 111373, 1-9.

62.    D.K. Kim, P.B. Sunderland, Viability of Various Sources to Ignite A2L Refrigerants, Energies 14 (2021) 121.

61.    A. Snegirev, E. Kuznetsov, E. Markus, P. Dehghani, P.B. Sunderland, Transient Dynamics of Radiative Extinction in Low-Momentum Microgravity Diffusion Flames, Proceedings of the Combustion Institute, 38 (2021) 4815–4823.

60.    E. Auth, J.G. Quintiere, P.B. Sunderland, Emulation of Condensed Fuel Flames with Gaseous Fuels Supplied Through a Porous Copper Calorimeter, Fire and Materials 44 (2020) 935–942.

59.    W. Gan, C. Chen, Z. Wang, Y. Pei, W. Ping, S. Xiao, J. Dai, Y. Yao, S. He, B. Zhao, S. Das, B. Yang, P.B. Sunderland, L. Hu, Fire-Resistant Structural Material Enabled by an Anisotropic Thermally Conductive Hexagonal Boron Nitride Coating, Advanced Functional Materials (2020) 1909196, 1-9.

58.    G.T. Linteris, P.B. Sunderland, Flammable Refrigerant Safety, Science and Technology for the Built Environment 26 (2020) 587.

57.    A. Markan, H.R. Baum, P.B. Sunderland, J.G. Quintiere, J.L. deRis, Transient Ellipsoidal Combustion Model for a Porous Burner in Microgravity, Combustion and Flame 212 (2020) 93-106.

56.    Z. Wang, P.B. Sunderland, R.L. Axelbaum, Double Blue Zones in Inverse and Normal Laminar Jet Diffusion Flames, Combustion and Flame 211 (2020) 253-259.

55.    W. Gan, C. Chen, Z. Wang, J. Song, Y. Kuang, S. He, R. Mi, P.B. Sunderland, L. Hu, Dense, Self-Formed Char Layer Enables Fire-Retardant Wood Structural Material, Advanced Functional Materials 29 (2019) 1807444, 1-9.

54.    D.K. Kim, P.B. Sunderland, Fire Ember Pyrometry Using a Color Camera, Fire Safety Journal 106 (2019) 88-93.

53.    A. Markan, P.B. Sunderland, J.G. Quintiere, J.L. de Ris, H.R. Baum, Measuring Heat Flux to a Porous Burner in Microgravity, Proceedings of the Combustion Institute 37 (2019) 4137-4144.

52.    Z. Wang, P.B. Sunderland, R.L. Axelbaum, Dilution Effects on Laminar Jet Diffusion Flame Lengths, Proceedings of the Combustion Institute 37 (2019) 1547-1553.

51.    D.K. Kim, A.E. Klieger, P.Q. Lomax, C.G. McCoy, J.Y. Reymann, P.B. Sunderland, An Improved Test Method for Refrigerant Flammability Limits in a 12 L Vessel, Science and Technology for the Built Environment 24 (2018) 861-866.

50.    A. Markan, P.B. Sunderland, J.G. Quintiere, J.L. de Ris, D.P. Stocker, H.R. Baum, A Burning Rate Emulator (BRE) for Study of Condensed Fuel Burning in Microgravity, Combustion and Flame 192 (2018) 272-282.

49.    M.K. Rodenhurst III, B.-H. Chao, P.B. Sunderland, R.L. Axelbaum, Structure and Extinction of Spherical Burner-Stabilized Diffusion Flames that are Attached to the Burner Surface, Combustion and Flame 187 (2018) 22-29.

48.    P.M. Anderson, H. Guo, P.B. Sunderland, Repeatability and Reproducibility of TEM Soot Primary Particle Size Measurements and Comparison of Automated Methods, Journal of Aerosol Science 114 (2017) 317–326.

47.    S.K. Chin, P.B. Sunderland, G. Jomaas, Firefighter Nozzle Reaction, Fire Technology 53 (2017) 1907–1917.

46.    E.D. Link, S.J. Jordan, T.M. Myers, P.B. Sunderland, A.W. Marshall, Spray Dispersion Measurements of a Sprinkler Array, Proceedings of the Combustion Institute 36 (2017) 3305-3311.

45.    F.V. Lundström, P.B. Sunderland., J.G. Quintiere, P. van Hees, J.L de Ris, Study of Ignition and Extinction of Small-Scale Fires in Experiments with an Emulating Gas Burner, Fire Safety Journal 87 (2017) 18-24.

44.    J.P. White, E.D. Link, A. Trouvé, P.B Sunderland, A.W. Marshall, A general calorimetry framework for measurement of combustion efficiency in a suppressed turbulent line fire. Fire Safety Journal 92 (2017) 164-176.

43.    H. Guo, P.M. Anderson, P.B. Sunderland, Optimized Rate Expressions for Soot Oxidation by OH and O2, Fuel 172 (2016) 248–252.

42.    S. Vilfayeau, J.P. White, P.B. Sunderland, A.W. Marshall, A. Trouvé, Large Eddy Simulation of Flame Extinction in a Turbulent Line Fire Exposed to Air-Nitrogen Co-Flow, Fire Safety Journal 86 (2016) 16–31.

41.    Y. Zhang, M. Kim, P.B. Sunderland, J.G. Quintiere, J. de Ris, A Burner to Emulate Condensed Phase Fuels, Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science 73 (2016) 87-93.

40.    H. Guo, P.M. Anderson, P.B. Sunderland, A Ternary Flame System for Soot Oxidation Studies, Combustion Science and Technology 187 (2015) 1836-1840.

39.    J.L. Pagliaro, G.T. Linteris, P.B. Sunderland, P.T. Baker, Combustion Inhibition and Enhancement of Premixed Methane-Air Flames by Halon Replacements, Combustion and Flame 162 (2015) 41-49.

38.    J.P. White, E.D. Link, A.C. Trouvé, P.B. Sunderland, A.W. Marshall, J.A. Sheffel, M.L. Corn, M.B. Colket, M. Chaos, H.-Z. Yu, Radiative Emissions Measurements from a Buoyant, Turbulent Line Flame under Oxidizer-Dilution Quenching Conditions, Fire Safety Journal 76 (2015) 74-84.

37.    Y. Zhang, M. Kim, H. Guo, P.B. Sunderland, J.G. Quintiere, J. deRis, D.P. Stocker, Emulation of Condensed Fuel Flames with Gases in Microgravity, Combustion and Flame 162 (2015) 3449-3455.

36.    Y. Zhang, P.B. Sunderland, Quenching Limits of Inverse Diffusion Flames with Enriched Oxygen, Combustion and Flame 162 (2015) 2743–2745.

35.    Y. Zhang, M.J. Bustamante, M.J. Gollner, P.B. Sunderland, J.G. Quintiere, Burning on Flat Wicks at Various Orientations, Journal of Fire Sciences 32 (2014) 52-71.

34.    D. An, P.B. Sunderland, D.P. Lathrop, Suppression of Sodium Fires with Liquid Nitrogen, Fire Safety Journal 58 (2013) 204-207.

33.    H. Guo, J.A. Castillo, P.B. Sunderland, Digital Camera Measurements of Soot Temperature and Soot Volume Fraction in Axisymmetric Flames, Applied Optics 52 (2013) 8040-8047.

32.    V.R. Lecoustre, P.B. Sunderland, B.H. Chao, R.L. Axelbaum, Modeled Quenching Limits of Spherical Hydrogen Diffusion Flames, Proceedings of the Combustion Institute 34 (2013) 887-894.  

31.    L. Li, P.B. Sunderland, Smoke Points of Fuel-Fuel and Fuel-Inert Mixtures, Fire Safety Journal 61 (2013) 226-231.

30.    G.T. Linteris, V.I. Babushok, P.B. Sunderland, F. Takahashi, V.R. Katta, O. Meier, Unwanted Combustion Enhancement by C6F12O Fire Suppressant, Proceedings of the Combustion Institute 34 (2013) 2683-2690.

29.    P. Bhatia, V.R. Katta, S.S. Krishnan, Y. Zheng, P.B. Sunderland, J.P. Gore, Simulations of Normal and Inverse Laminar Diffusion Flames Under Oxygen Enhancement and Gravity Variation, Combustion Theory and Modelling 16 (2012) 774-798.

28.    V.R. Lecoustre, P.B. Sunderland, B.H. Chao, R.L. Axelbaum, Numerical Investigation of Spherical Diffusion Flames at their Sooting Limits, Combustion and Flame 159 (2012) 194-199.

27.    L. Li, P.B. Sunderland, An Improved Method of Smoke Point Normalization, Combustion Science and Technology 184 (2012) 829-841.

26.    K.T. Dotson, P.B. Sunderland, Z.-G. Yuan, D.L. Urban, Laminar Smoke Points of Coflowing Flames in Microgravity, Fire Safety Journal, 46 (2011) 550-555.

25.    P.B. Sunderland, J.G. Quintiere, G.A. Tabaka, D. Lian, C.-W. Chiu, Analysis and Measurement of Candle Flame Shapes, Proceedings of the Combustion Institute 33 (2011) 2489-2496.

24.    V.R. Lecoustre, P.B. Sunderland, B.H. Chao, R.L. Axelbaum, Extremely Weak Hydrogen Flames, Combustion and Flame 157 (2010) 2209-2210.

23.    K.M. Allan, J.R. Kaminski, J.C. Bertrand, J. Head, P.B. Sunderland, Laminar Smoke Points of Wax Candles, Combustion Science and Technology 181 (2009) 800-811.

22.    M.S. Butler, C.W. Moran, P.B. Sunderland, R.L. Axelbaum, Limits for Hydrogen Leaks that Can Support Stable Flames, International Journal of Hydrogen Energy 34 (2009) 5174-5182.

21.    F.J. Diez, C. Aalburg, P.B. Sunderland, D.L. Urban, Z.-G. Yuan, G.M. Faeth, Soot Properties of Laminar Jet Diffusion Flames in Microgravity, Combustion and Flame 156 (2009) 1514-1524.

20.    S.S. Krishnan, J.M. Abshire, P.B. Sunderland, Z.-G. Yuan, J.P. Gore, Analytical Predictions of Shapes of Laminar Diffusion Flames in Microgravity and Earth Gravity, Combustion Theory and Modelling 12 (2008) 605-620.

19.    K.B. Lim, B.H. Chao, P.B. Sunderland, R.L. Axelbaum, A Theoretical Study of Spontaneous Ignition of Fuel Jets in an Oxidizing Ambient with Emphasis on Hydrogen Jets, Combustion Theory and Modelling 12 (2008) 1179-1196.

18.    P.B. Sunderland, J.E. Haylett, D.L. Urban, V. Nayagam, Lengths of Laminar Jet Diffusion Flames under Elevated Gravity, Combustion and Flame 152 (2008) 60-68.

17.    J.D. Maun, P.B. Sunderland, D.L. Urban, Thin-Filament Pyrometry with a Digital Still Camera, Applied Optics 46 (2007) 483-488.

16.    K.J. Santa, B.H. Chao, P.B. Sunderland, D.L. Urban, D.P. Stocker, R.L. Axelbaum, Radiative Extinction of Gaseous Spherical Diffusion Flames in Microgravity, Combustion and Flame 151 (2007) 665-675.

15.    K.J. Santa, Z. Sun, B.H. Chao, P.B. Sunderland, R.L. Axelbaum, D.L. Urban, D.P. Stocker, Numerical and Experimental Observations of Spherical Diffusion Flames, Combustion Theory and Modelling 11 (2007) 639-652.

14.    C. Aalburg, F.J. Diez, G.M. Faeth, P.B. Sunderland, D.L. Urban, Z.-G. Yuan, Shapes of Nonbuoyant Round Hydrocarbon-Fueled Laminar Jet Diffusion Flames in Still Air, Combustion and Flame 142 (2005) 1-16.

13.    P.B. Sunderland, S.S. Krishnan, J.P. Gore, Effects of Oxygen Enhancement and Gravity on Normal and Inverse Laminar Jet Diffusion Flames, Combustion and Flame 136 (2004) 254-256.

12.    P.B. Sunderland, D.L. Urban, D.P. Stocker, B.-H. Chao, R.L. Axelbaum, Sooting Limits of Microgravity Spherical Diffusion Flames in Oxygen-Enriched Air and Diluted Fuel, Combustion Science and Technology 176 (2004) 2143-2164.

11.    P.B. Sunderland, R.L. Axelbaum, D.L. Urban, B.H. Chao, S. Liu, Effects of Structure and Hydrodynamics on the Sooting Behavior of Spherical Microgravity Diffusion Flames, Combustion and Flame 132 (2003) 25-33.

10.    D.L. Urban, Z.–G. Yuan, P.B. Sunderland, K.–C. Lin, Z. Dai, G.M. Faeth, Smoke-Point Properties of Nonbuoyant Round Laminar Jet Diffusion Flames, Proceedings of the Combustion Institute 28 (2000) 1965-1972.

9.      K.–C. Lin, G.M. Faeth, P.B. Sunderland, D.L. Urban, Z.–G. Yuan, Shapes of Nonbuoyant Round Luminous Hydrocarbon/Air Laminar Jet Diffusion Flames, Combustion and Flame 116 (1999) 415-431.

8.      P.B. Sunderland, B.J. Mendelson, Z.–G. Yuan, D.L. Urban, Shapes of Buoyant and Nonbuoyant Laminar Jet Diffusion Flames, Combustion and Flame 116 (1999) 376-386.

7.      D.L. Urban, Z.–G. Yuan, P.B. Sunderland, G.T. Linteris, J.E. Voss, K.–C. Lin, Z. Dai, K. Sun, G.M. Faeth, Structure and Soot Properties of Nonbuoyant Ethylene/Air Laminar Jet Diffusion Flames, AIAA Journal 36 (1998) 1346-1360.

6.      F. Xu, P.B. Sunderland, G.M. Faeth, Soot Formation in Laminar Premixed Ethylene/Air Flames at Atmospheric Pressure, Combustion and Flame 108 (1997) 471-493.

5.      K.–C. Lin, P.B. Sunderland, G.M. Faeth, Soot Nucleation and Growth in Acetylene Air Laminar Coflowing Jet Diffusion Flames, Combustion and Flame 104 (1996) 369-375.

4.      P.B. Sunderland, G.M. Faeth, Soot Formation in Hydrocarbon/Air Laminar Jet Diffusion Flames, Combustion and Flame 105 (1996) 132-146.

3.      P.B. Sunderland, Ü.Ö. Köylü, G.M. Faeth, Soot Formation in Weakly-Buoyant Acetylene-Fueled Laminar Jet Diffusion Flames Burning in Air, Combustion and Flame 100 (1995) 310-322, also in Proceedings of the Combustion Institute, Volume 25.

2.      P.B. Sunderland, S. Mortazavi, G.M. Faeth, D.L. Urban, Laminar Smoke Points of Nonbuoyant Jet Diffusion Flames, Combustion and Flame 96 (1994) 97-103.

1.      T.R. Blake, H. Webb, P.B. Sunderland, The Nondimensionalization of Equations Describing Fluidization with Application to the Correlation of Jet Penetration Height, Chemical Engineering Science 45 (1990) 365-371.

Theses
  • P.B. Sunderland, Soot Formation in Laminar Jet Diffusion Flames, Ph.D. Dissertation, University of Michigan (1995) 114 pp. Advisor: Gerard M. Faeth.
  • P.B. Sunderland, A Dimensional Analysis of Fluidized Bed Dynamics with Application to Jet Penetration Measurements, M.S. Thesis, University of Massachusetts (1986) 78 pp. Advisor: Thomas R. Blake.

Firefighter Exoskeleton Built by UMD Students Wins Second Place at ASTM International Games

A prototype that reduces the physical burden for firefighters, created by Terp engineers and a geology student, also won first place at the ASTM International Exo Games. 

DOE Ups Its Investment in UMD to Develop Eco-Friendly Heat Pumps

Agency awards UMD and partners $4.8 million to improve heat pump performance and safety.

Stoliarov’s Research Recognized at Premier International Fire Science Symposium

The professor was an invited speaker at the 14th International Symposium on Fire Safety Science to address one of the main challenges in fire research.

Sunderland Receives NSF Award for Newly Discovered Class of Flame

The $360K award will expand research into cool diffusion flames and possibly contribute to stemming the spread of wildland fire.

Parham Dehghani Receives IAFSS Best Thesis Award

Dehghani will present his research at the 14th symposium next fall.

Sunderland Selected for National Academies Decadal Survey

NASA-sponsored study will focus on research in space.

Fire Protection Engineers Track a Different Kind of "Superspreader"

Clark School research aims to make buildings more resistant to wildfire.

Unusual "cool flames" discovered aboard International Space Station

Maryland-led discovery is a first for microgravity flame research

Sunderland Named Fellow of the Combustion Institute

Sunderland's research on micro-gravity combustion has made headlines as of late.

Unlocking the Mysteries of Fire ... in Space

A University of Maryland engineer's work aboard the International Space Station could lead to cleaner engines and power plants, and safer living conditions in space.

Three Engineering Students Named Philip Merrill Presidential Scholars

The Merrill Scholars program recognizes the University of Maryland's top graduating seniors and their faculty/teacher mentors.

UMD Fire Researchers Ignite the First of Two Space Station Experiments

BRE experiment commenced aboard the International Space Station on February 8.

FPE Professor Peter Sunderland Designated PI on Upcoming NIST and NSF Projects

Grant money will be used in research aimed at developing wild-fire suppression methods, and cleaner, more efficient internal combustion engines.

UMD Experiments Launched into Orbit on SpaceX Capsule

Fire Protection Engineering research will further understanding of combustion and pollutants.

Peter Sunderland Wins Poole and Kent Teaching Award for Senior Faculty

He will be recognized at the 2017 Clark School of Engineering Commencement on May 20.

FPE Ph.D. Candidate Wins 2017 Outstanding Graduate Assistant Award

Akshit Markan will be honored at the UMD Graduate School Fellowship and Awards Celebration on May 11th.

UMD Hosts the Premier Combustion Science Meeting in the U.S.

A record number of attendees made the 2017 meeting the most successful in its history.

Two FPE Faculty Members Granted Tenure, Promotion

Drs. Peter Sunderland and Michael Gollner will be promoted, effective August 1.

AHRI Grant Supports Study of Refrigerant Flammability

Drs. Peter Sunderland and Vivien Lecoustre lead Investigation of Energy Produced by Potential Ignition Sources in Residential Application.

Fire Protection Team wins IAFSS Award

FPE Research Team wins 11th IAFSS Symposium Best Fire Science Image Award

Clark School Freshmen Compete in Hovercraft Competition

ENES100 students build autonomous hovercrafts for final exam.

Marshall Spray Systems Research Earns Grants

Fire protection engineering professor and colleagues to quantify fire-spray interactions, form company.

Clark School Expert, Visualization Tool Demonstrate Crisis Communication

Peter Sunderland, Center for Advanced Transportation Technology assist National Academy of Engineering presentation at USA Science and Engineering Expo.

Faculty News Roundup

Clark School faculty promotions, moves announced.

Is It Safe to Breathe Yet?

"Double-flame" research seeks to improve soot combustion, reduce pollutants.

Sunderland Wins CAREER Award

Research aims to reduce pollution from soot oxidation.

GM Showcases Fuel Cell Vehicles

Hydrogen Seminar at Clark School includes preview of Chevy Equinox.

Clark School Holds 2009 Commencement

Conservation advocate Philip Hannam serves as student speaker.

Six New Keystone Professors Selected

Appointments to group of distinguished educators effective as of July 1.

Other professional society fellows

  • The Combustion Institute , 2021

American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA)


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