In 1988 he took up a post as lecturer in the Thermodynamics Division of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Stellenbosch. In this capacity he has specialised as undergraduate lecturer in Heat Transfer and Food Engineering. At postgraduate level he has specialised in two-phase flow and heat transfer and thermal management and control. He has published both locally and internationally on heat pipes, thermosyphons and two-phase flow devices and is the founder member of the South African Heat Pipe Association SAPHA.
National Diploma
(Mechanical Engineering), Pretoria Technicon, 1965
BScEng
(Mechanical), University of the Witwatersrand, 1969
MScEng (Nuclear Engineering), University of Cape Town, 1970
MBL, University of South Africa, 1985
2007 - present: |
Stellenbosch University, Dept Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering |
1988 - 2006 : |
Stellenbosch University, Dept Mechanical Engineering |
1985 - 1987: |
Kentron (Pty) LTD, Irene |
1980 - 1985: |
Kwikot LTD |
1971 - 1980: |
Atomic Energy Board |
Heat Transfer
Two-phase Flow and Heat Transfer
Heat Pipes
Termosyphons
Other Two-phase Flow Devices
Therrmal-fluid-mechanics
Dynamics
Thermal management and temperature control of just-about-anything-concrete-and-specific-that-one-can-think-of” using, if possible, heat pipes, thermosyphons and other two-phase flow and heat transfer devices, and, especially again if possible, without the use of any mechanically moving parts and active electrical control mechanisms, but rather emphasising natural phenomenon such as thermally induced buoyancy and/or surface tension driven flow.
| 1. | J Botha, R T Dobson & J P Driver-Jowitt. Dorsiflextion of Foot Device. South African Patent 2003. |
1. |
R T Dobson. Thermal characteristics of a two-phase closed thermosyphon. SARA Journal, Sept 1999. |
2. |
R T Dobson. Design, manufacture and testing of two-phase closed thermosyphons. SARA Journal, November 1999. |
3. |
R T Dobson. Features of two-phase closed thermosyphons. SARA Journal, January 2000. |
4. |
R T Dobson. The uses of two-phase closed thermosyphons. SARA Journal, March 2000. |
5. |
R T Dobson. Capillary pumped heat pipes. SARA Journal, April 2000. |
6. |
R T Dobson and D G Kröger. Thermal characterisation of an ammonia-charged two-phase closed thermosyphon. R & D Journal, Vol 16, No 2, July 2000, pp 33-40. |
7. |
R Wang, R T Dobson & Kamper, M. Thermofluid analysis of an axial flux permanent magnet (AFPM) generator. R & D Journal Vol 17 No 1 March 2001. |
8. |
R T Dobson and S A Pakkies. Development of a heat pipe (two-phase closed thermosyphon) heat recovery heat exchanger for a spray drier. Journal of Energy in South Africa. Vol 13 No 4 November 2002. |
9. |
G Swanepoel, R T Dobson & A B Taylor. Modelling and experimental verification of the heat transfer behaviour of a water charged closed end pulsating heat pipe. Applied Thermal Engineering. Submitted for review in 2001, reviewed and under revision at present. |
10. |
G Swanepoel, R T Dobson & A B Taylor. Experimental determination of the film thickness deposited by the trailing end of a liquid plug in a capillary tube. Journal of Heat Transfer. Submitted 2001, rejected 2002 and under revision at present. |
11. |
G Swanepoel, R T Dobson & A B Taylor. Comparison of heat transfer controlled and kinetic gas theory evaporation of the liquid film in a pulsating heat pipe. International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer. Submitted 2001, rejected 2002 and under revision at present. |
12. |
R T Dobson and S A Pakkies. Development of an air-to-air R134a refrigerant charged two-phase closed thermosyphon heat exchanger, Part I. Refrigeration & Airconditioning Africa, Vol 19 No1, January 2003. |
13. |
R T Dobson and S A Pakkies. Development of an air-to-air R134a refrigerant charged two-phase closed thermosyphon heat exchanger, Part II. Refrigeration & Airconditioning Africa, Vol 18 No12, February 2003. |
14. |
R T Dobson, S T Scowby & M J Kamper. Thermal modelling of an axial flux permanent magnet (AFPM) machine, Applied Thermal Engineering, Vol 24 (2004) pp 193-207. |
15. |
R T Dobson, P A van Wyk and K van der Westhuizen. Thermal Management of SUNSAT using TAS. Journal of Energy in South Africa, Vol 15 N0 1 February 2004, pp 16-25. |
16. |
R T Dobson. Theoretical and experimental modelling of an open oscillatory heat pipe including gravity. Int. J. Thermal Science. Vol 43, 2004, pp 113-119. |
17. |
R B Weyer, R T Dobson and K van der Westhuizen. Development of a liquefied-gas micro-satellite propulsion system Part I Theoretical Modelling. R & D Journal, Vol 20, No 3 November 2004. |
18. |
R B Weyer, R T Dobson and K van der Westhuizen. Development of a liquefied-gas micro-satellite propulsion system Part II Experimental Evaluation. R & D Journal, Vol 20, No 3 November 2004. |
19. |
R T Dobson. An Open Oscillatory Heat Pipe water pump. Applied Thermal Engineering, Vol 25, 2005, pp 603-621. |
20. |
R –J Wang, M J Kamper & R T Dobson. Development of a thermofluid model for axial flux permanent-magnet machines, IEEE Transactions on Energy Conversion, Vol 20, No 1, March 2005, pp80-87. |
21. |
R B Weyer, R T Dobson and K van der Westhuizen. Development of a liquefied-gas micro-satellite propulsion system, AIAA Student Journal, Published Electronically. |
22. |
R T Dobson. Thermal modelling of a night sky radiation cooling system. Journal of Energy in South Africa, Volume 16 No. 2 May 2005. |
23. |
A Meyer and R T Dobson, Heat pipe heat recovery heat exchanger for a mini-drier, Journal of Energy in Southern Africa, Vol 17, No 1, February 2006, pp 50-57. |
24. |
A Meyer and R T Dobson, Thermal performance characterization of R134a and Butane charged two-phase closed thermosyphons, R&D Journal, Vol xx, No x, Novenber 2006. |
1. |
R T Dobson, Simulation of the two-phase flow using an inclined transparent tube with the lower-end closed and the upper-en open, 3rd ISHP Minsk Sept 1997. |
2. |
R T Dobson and D G Kröger, Effect of evaporator surface on the maximum heat transfer rate of an inclined two-phase thermosyphon, 10th IHPC, Stuttgart, 1997. |
3. |
R T Dobson, Simulation of the two-phase flow using an inclined transparent tube with the lower-end closed and the upper-en open, Rev.Gén. Therm. 1998. |
4. |
Dobson R.T. and Harms, T.M. Lumped parameter Analysis of closed and open oscillatory heat pipes. 11th Int. Heat Pipe Conf. Tokyo, 12-16 September 1999 . |
5. |
Dobson R.T. and Kröger, D.G. Evaporator heat transfer coefficient and maximum heat transfer rate of an ammonia-charged inclined two-phase closed thermosyphon. 11th Int. Heat Pipe Conf. Tokyo, 12-16 September, 1999 . |
6. |
R T Dobson and D G Kröger. Thermal characteristics of an ammonia charged two-phase closed thermosyphon. 10th Int. Air Conditioning, Refrigeration & and Ventilation Congress. Midrand, South Africa, 8-10 March 2000. |
7. |
R T Dobson. Theoretical modelling of an Open Oscillatory Heat Pipe. 6th International Heat Pipe Symposium. Chiang Mai, Thailand, 5- 9 November 2000.. |
8. |
A Groenewald, A H Basson & R T Dobson. Theoretical modelling and numerical simulation of a two-phase closed thermosyphon considering splashing and geysering. 6th International Heat Pipe Symposium. Chiang Mai, Thailand, 5- 9 November 2000. |
9. |
G Swanepoel, A B Taylor & R T Dobson. Theoretical modelling of pulsating heat pipes. 6th International Heat Pipe Symposium. Chiang Mai, Thailand, 5- 9 November 2000. |
10. |
C. J. Mouton, S. Scowby, R T Dobson, R. Wang & M. Kamper. Thermofluid Modelling of an Axial Flux Permanent Magnet Machine. ISES 2001 Solar World Congress, Adelaide, 25 November- 2 December 2001. Submitted, accepted but not presented.. |
11. |
R T Dobson and S A Pakkies. Development of an air-to-air R134a refrigerant charged two-phase closed thermosyphon heat exchanger. 11th Int. Air Conditioning, Refrigeration & and Ventilation Congress, FRIGAIR 2002. Midrand, South Africa, 13-15 March 2002. |
12. |
S Scowby & R T Dobson. Thermal management of an axial flux permanent magnet machine considering heat pipes. 1st South African Heat Pipe Workshop, Stellenbosch, South Africa, 14-16 April 2002. |
13. |
P van Wyk & R T Dobson. Thermal management of a micro-satellite. 1st South African Heat Pipe Workshop, Stellenbosch, South Africa, 14-16 April 2002. |
14. |
G Graf & R T Dobson. Thermal Management of Motor Vehicles using Heat Pipes. 1st South African Heat Pipe Workshop, Stellenbosch, South Africa, 14-16 April 2002. |
15. |
R Weyer & R T Dobson. Two-phase flow and heat transfer aspects of a vapour micro-satellite thruster. 1st South African Heat Pipe Workshop, Stellenbosch, South Africa, 14-16 April 2002. |
16. |
S A Pakkies & R T Dobson. University of Stellenbosch and Peninsula Technikon Thermal characterisation of an air-to-air R134a-refrigerant two-phase closed thermosyphon heat exchanger. 1st South African Heat Pipe Workshop, Stellenbosch, South Africa, 14-16 April 2002. |
17. |
R T Dobson. Theoretical and experimental modelling of an open oscillatory heat pipe including gravity. 12th International Heat Pipe Conference. Moscow-Kostroma-Moscow19 – 24 May 2002. |
18. |
G Swanepoel and R T Dobson. The thermal management of an air-born electro-optical observation and sighting system. 14th Spacecraft Thermal Control Workshop, 11 – 13 March 2003, El Segundo, CA. |
19. |
R T Dobson, P A van Wyk & K van der Westhuizen. Thermal management of SUNSAT using TAS. 14th Spacecraft Thermal Control Workshop, 11 – 13 March 2003, El Segundo, CA. |
20. |
R T Dobson and G Graf. Thermal Characterization of an Ammonia-charged Pulsating Heat Pipe. 7th Int. Heat Pipe Symposium, Jeju, Korea, 12 – 16 October 2003. |
21. |
R. T. Dobson. An open oscillatory heat pipe steam powered boat. International Journal Mechanical Engineering Education. Vol 31, No4 October 2003. |
22. |
R B Weyer, R T Dobson and K van der Westhuizen. Development of a liquefied-gas micro-satellite propulsion system, 18th International Small Satellite Conference, University of Utah, Logan, 9 – 12 August 2004. |
23. |
R T Dobson and S A Pakkies, Thermal performance prediction and verification of a steam-heated air-cooled ammonia-charged two-phase closed thermosyphon, 13th International Heat Pipe Conference, Shanghai, 20 – 25 September 2004 . |
24. |
R T Dobson. Thermal modelling of a night sky radiation cooling systems. International Conference on the Domestic Use of Energy, Cape Town, 29-31 March 2005. |
25. |
R T Dobson and A Meyer, Use of a heat pipe heat recovery heat exchanger to improve the energy utilisation of a drier, Industrial & Commercial Use of Energy Conference (ICUE), Cape Town, 22-24 May 2006, pp 59-64. |
26. |
R T Dobson, Night sky radiation cooling, Sustainable Built Environments (SBE) Conference, Bloemfontein, 21-28 July 2006, pp 72-85. |
27. |
R T Dobson and J C Ruppersberg, A novel closed loop thermosyphon heat pipe reactor cooling system (RCCS) for a pebble bed modular reactor (PBMR), 8th International Heat Pipe Symposium, Kumamoto, 24-27 September 2006. |
28. |
R T Dobson, Energy saving using heat pipe heat recovery heat exchangers, Southern Africa Energy Efficiency Convention (SAEEC), 19-20 October 2006, Gauteng, South Africa. |
29. |
Y U Jeggels and R T Dobson, Use of heat pipes for cooling of electronics, Armscor conference, IMT, Simonstown, South Africa, 6-7 December, 2006. |