David Torvi, Ph.D., P.Eng.

Professor and Graduate Chair

University of Saskatchewan

Phone: (306) 966-5493 Fax: (306) 966-5427

Ph.D. (Alberta), M.Sc. (Alberta), B.Sc. (Calgary)

Biography

Prior to joining the University of Saskatchewan, Prof. Torvi worked as a Research Officer with the Fire Research Program at the National Research Council of Canada. Before beginning graduate studies, he spent three years in industry designing HVAC equipment. Prof. Torvi is active in a number of technical societies and standards organizations, including ASEE, ASHRAE, ASTM, CGSB, ULC and SFPE.

Teaching Interests

Prof. Torvi teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in thermal fluids and design. He also offers a technical elective in Fire Protection Engineering (ME 478), one of only a few courses in this area in North America. Prof. Torvi has published several papers on course development, fire protection engineering education, and engineering education instructional programs for graduate students.

2011-12 Courses

ME 327 – Heat Transfer

ME 478 – Introduction to FPE

ME EPIP Faculty Advisor

Research Interests

Prof. Torvi and his students conduct numerical and experimental research aimed at improving the knowledge of heat transfer in materials, mainly under high heat flux conditions. His research has been funded by NSERC, CFI and the Canadian Space Agency. Current research projects include:

· evaluating the performance and durability of protective clothing,

· correlating small and full-scale fire test results of materials & products,

· developing models of heat transfer in fire and in human skin,

· evaluating the performance on energy exchangers.

Publications

Electronic Theses

Graduate Student Opportunities

Selected Publications

Rezazadeh M., Torvi D.A., 2011, Assessment of Factors Affecting the Continuing Performance of Firefighters’ Protective Clothing: A Literature Review, Fire Technology, Vol. 57, pp. 565-599.

Robson L., Obach M., Ezinwa, J., Torvi, D., Weckman, E., 2011, Effects of PU Foam Thickness on Flame Spread & HRR Measured in Cone & Furniture Calorimeter Tests, 12^th Fire & Materials Conf.

Talukdar P., Torvi D., Simonson C., Sawcyn C., 2009, Coupled CFD and Radiation Simulation of Air Gaps in Bench Top Protective Fabric Tests, Int J Heat and Mass Transfer, 53, 526-539.

Department of Mechanical Engineering

57 Campus Dr., Saskatoon, SK S7N 5A9