Dr. Raymond C. Zowarka

Function: Associate Director

Biography

Dr. Zowarka joined UT-CEM in 1974.  He is an expert in the operation, control, modeling, and analysis of pulsed power systems.  He also has extensive experience with the design of diagnostics for railgun and pulsed power supplies.  Recent experience includes the design and control of high power custom generators for the operation of linear motor systems.

Dr. Zowarka has managed many projects at UT-CEM, including the design and construction of high performance railguns operating in high vacuum driven with both HPG/I, capacitor bank, and compulsator power supplies, the design and construction of high performance tactical electromagnetic launchers, the design of hypervelocity railgun powder deposition systems, the design of electromagnetic systems for geophysical exploration, and the simulation and design of Maglev systems. He managed UT-CEM’s participation in an electromagnetic aircraft launch system for the Navy under subcontract to General Atomics which is now deployed on the aircraft carrier Gerald Ford. More recently he was co-inventor on an oil field tool which supplies efficient in bore heating for oil and gas wells with a minimal influence on existing pump jack equipment. The down hole heat may be used for many applications including the prevention of the formation of paraffin, the production of heavy oil, and the prevention of the formation of hydrate plugs in gas wells. Also in the near term he has simulated linear motor driven compressors, expanders and compressor-expanders. The compressors were designed for the use of methane, whole air gas and hydrogen. The expanders were designed for the use of hydrogen and methane. One compressor featured a unique control system for methane abatement where dynamic leaks from large natural gas compressors were captured and returned to the pipeline.

Research Areas

Design, simulation and testing of linear motor compressors and expanders

Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS): The purpose of this contract is to design, fabricate, and test an electromagnetic catapult system for Naval Aircraft Carrier, CVN21.  The current technology, steam, is being replaced with electromagnetics for better control of applied forces, improved reliability and maintainability, reduced manning workload, and increased operational availability.  UT-CEM specific role is to develop the power supplies for the electromagnetic catapult system.

Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System: System Development and Demonstration: The purpose of this contract is to transfer the UT-CEM generator technology to industry.  UT-CEM is transferring generator technology to Kato Engineering who will be building the production machines for the next phase of the contract.

Oil Exploration: Design and testing of an electromagnetic vibroseis system.
Design, fabrication and testing of an oil field tool for the abatement of paraffin formation. The tool uses a novel permanent magnetic induction heater for the prevention of the formation of paraffin, the production of heavy oil, and the prevention of the formation of hydrate plugs in gas wells.

US Department of Transpotation: Design, fabrication and testing of a subscale homopolar generator and welding fixture whose function was to weld high performance bridge steel. 

The US Air Force: Design and testing of a novel electromagnetic railgun powder coating system

American Maglev: Participated in the design, modeling, procurement, fabrication, and testing of a 1 MW linear motor for a maglev system

Navy Railgun: Participated in trade studies, technical design, and proposal preparation for a Navy Railgun System

The US Army: Program manager on a prototype 30 MJ electric gun system. The program included design, simulation and testing of the power supply and gun system

Education

Ph.D., Electrical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, 2002

M.S., Electrical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, 1980

B.S., Engineering Science, Trinity University, 1972

Patents Awarded

High Performance Electromagnetic Railgun Launcher (with Damon A. Weeks, William F. Weldon, John H. Gully, Jim L. Upshaw, Mike L. Spann, and Dennis R. Peterson), US Patent #04884489, December 1989.

Explosively Actuated Thermal Opening Switch (with Jim L. Upshaw, Jonathan J. Hahne, Richard J.Hayes, John P. Kajs, and Robert L. Sledge II), US Patent No. 5,360,999, November 1994.

Welding Fixture (with James M. Weldon, Theodore A. Aanstoos, and William F. Weldon), US Patent No. 4,656,328, April 1987.

Staged Opening Switch (with William F. Weldon and Ben M. Rech), US Patent No. 4,859,819, August 1989.

Method and Apparatus for Electromagnetic Powder Deposition” , PCT/US98/12896 and U.S. Serial No. 60/050,39

Electromagnetic Seismology Vibrator Systems and Methods ( with John Uglum, Jim Upshaw, Charles Penney, Hsing-Pang Liu, Stephen Manifold, Kent Davey, Bryan Bunkowski, David Prater), US Patent No. 8,699,302, April 15, 2014.

Downhole induction heater and coupling system for oil and gas wells”, U.S. Letters Patent number 10,125,589,  Nov. 13, 2018

Patents filed as records of invention

Free Piston Linear Motor Compressor and Associated Systems of Operation, Provisional Patent Customer No. 42419, Electronically filed 11/13/13.

Fabrication of Heat-Treated Laminations for High-Speed Rotors in Electrical Machines, (with Mike Lewis and Michael D. Werst), UT Tech ID OTC-2924-LEW, submitted October 2004, pending.

Nine-Phase, Alternate Pole Connection for a Generator or Motor, (with Howard Jordan and Siddharth B. Pratap), UT Tech ID OTC-2926-JOR, submitted October 2004, pending.

M.M. Sharma; R.C. Zowarka; S. Pratap; “Downhole Induction Heater For Oil And Gas Wells,” U.S. Patent Application No.: 15/042,771, September 15, 2016. 

Homopolar Generator Pulsed Welding Generator Subsystems,” Provisional Patent 5119-51000, April 26, 2016.