Overview
Personal Profile
Bidzina Kekelia focuses on novel cooling solutions for power electronics and integrated electric traction drives for ground vehicles and electrified aviation applications. His career has included extensive support for the Ministry of Energy of Georgia, including preparing pre-feasibility techno-economic studies to attract funding to major power sector projects, and developing the Georgian power generation dispatch model for assessing the technical and financial benefits of exporting surplus summer electricity production from existing and proposed hydropower plants to neighboring countries.
Research Interests
Power electronics and electric machines
Thermal management systems for integrated electric traction drives
Thermal energy recovery, storage, and applications
Passive two-phase heat transfer (heat pipes, thermosiphons)
Professional Experience
Post-Doctoral Research Associate, University of Utah (2012–2015)
Graduate Research & Teaching Assistant, University of Utah (2007–2011)
Senior Energy Expert, CORE International (2004–2006)
Project Engineer, PA Consulting Group (2001–2003)
Deputy Project Director, Academy for Educational Development – Energy & Environment Program (1999–2000)
Education/Academic Qualification
Bachelor, Mechanical Engineering, Georgian Technical University
Master, Renewable Energy, University of Oldenburg
PhD, Mechanical Engineering, University of Utah
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Collaborations and Top Research Areas From the Past 5 Years
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2025 InterPACK: Thermal Management and Reliability Aspects
Moreno, G., Chaudhary, R., DeVoto, D., Feng, X., Kekelia, B., Paret, P. & Su, G.-J., 2025, 15 p.Research output: NLR › Presentation
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Enhanced Thermal Management of Outer-Rotor Electric Motors Through Additively Manufactured Heat Exchangers With End-Winding Cooling
Hossain, M. J., Tikadar, A., Kekelia, B., Chaudhary, R., Narumanchi, S., Joshi, Y. & Kumar, S., 2025. 10 p.Research output: Contribution to conference › Paper
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High-Torque Heavy-Rare-Earth-Free Electric Motor Thermal Management
Kekelia, B., Chaudhary, R., Cousineau, E., Tomerlin, J. & Rallabandi, V., 2025, 1 p. National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR).Research output: NLR › Poster
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Thermal Management for a Novel Non-Heavy Rare-Earth Interior Permanent Magnet Machine
Chaudhary, R., Rallabandi, V., Kekelia, B., Cousineau, E., Narumanchi, S. & Ozpineci, B., 2025, 11 p.Research output: NLR › Presentation
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Thermal Management for a Novel Non-Heavy Rare-Earth Interior Permanent Magnet Machine: Paper No. V001T11A003
Chaudhary, R., Rallabandi, V., Kekelia, B., Cousineau, E., Narumanchi, S. & Ozpineci, B., 2025. 8 p.Research output: Contribution to conference › Paper
Activities
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American Society of Mechanical Engineers (External organization)
Ginley, D. (Member), Pesaran, A. (Member), Bay, C. (Member), Veers, P. (Fellow), Walker, A. (Fellow), DeVoto, D. (Member), Moreno, G. (Member), Zhu, G. (Member), Hamilton, N. (Member), Martin, M. (Member), Paret, P. (Member), Kekelia, B. (Member), Chaudhary, R. (Member), Biglu, M. (Member), Hirschey, J. (Member), Moreno Resendiz, E. (Member), Gamil, A. (Member) & Kocher, J. (Member)
0001Activity: Membership › Membership of network
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Experimental Aviation Association (External organization)
Kekelia, B. (Member)
0001Activity: Membership › Membership of network
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International Solar Energy Society (External organization)
Blair, N. (Member) & Kekelia, B. (Member)
0001Activity: Membership › Membership of network
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SAE International (External organization)
Pesaran, A. (Fellow), Markel, A. (Member), Green, J. (Fellow), Kekelia, B. (Member) & Lammert, M. (Member)
0001Activity: Membership › Membership of network
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The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) (External organization)
Ginley, D. (Member), Nagarajan, A. (Member), Markel, A. (Member), Bernstein, A. (Member), Solanki, B. (Member), Hodge, B.-M. (Member), Uriarte, C. (Member), Barrows, C. (Member), Perkins, C. (Member), Palmintier, B. (Member), Thomas, D.-M. (Member), Saleem, D. (Member), DeVoto, D. (Member), Khan, F. (Member), Seo, G.-S. (Member), Moreno, G. (Member), Johnson, G. (Member), Cavraro, G. (Member), Dunham, H. (Member), Jorgenson, J. (Member), Zhang, J. (Member), Sanyal, J. (Member), Kisacikoglu, J. (Member), Rivera, J. (Member), Duwadi, K. (Member), Doubleday, K. (Member), Panda, K. (Member), Sedzro, K. S. (Member), Panossian, N. (Member), Guba, N. (Member), Martin, M. (Member), Guerra Fernandez, O. J. (Member), Baggu, M. (Member), Emami, P. (Member), Paret, P. (Member), Koralewicz, P. (Member), Awara, S. (Member), McFly, S. (Member), Dhulipala, S. C. (Member), Ovaitt, S. (Member), Paul, S. (Member), Abraham, S. A. (Member), De Silva M, T. (Member), Singh, V. K. (Member), Zhang, X. (Member), Zhou, X. (Member), Agalgaonkar, Y. (Member), Wright, J. (Member), Pao, L. (Member), Kekelia, B. (Member), Chang, C.-Y. (Member), Kiboma, L. (Member), Ramirez Arbelaez, L. (Member), Chaudhary, R. (Member), Wijekoon, R. (Member), Ahrenkiel, R. (Fellow), Kurtz, S. (Member), Truong, T. (Member), Poudyal, A. (Member), Sekulic, W. (Member), Pawaskar, V. (Member) & Emery, K. (Member)
0001Activity: Membership › Membership of network