George N. Khawly, P.E.

Research Engineer · Southwest Research Institute

George N. Khawly, P.E.

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineer specializing in power cycle machinery, supercritical CO₂ systems, and energy systems modeling. Licensed Professional Engineer in the State of Texas.

6+ years at SwRI 10+ ASME publications M.S. Georgia Tech
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Professional Photo

About

Engineering Background

During my childhood in Mexico, I worked in my grandfather's ball-bearing shop and always tried to figure out why things moved the way they moved. This fostered my curiosity about physical systems and how they function, leading to my fascination with Mechanical Engineering.

As mechanical engineers, we are trained to design and manufacture devices. To do this, we must understand how everything around us works, which is what I love to do, with the goal of understanding how the world around us operates.

My goal is to continue research and work experience in order to diversify and improve my skill-sets. With experiences in various subjects, I aim to further industry and academic knowledge of why things work the way they do.

Credentials

  • P.E. Professional Engineer, Texas
  • M.S. Aerospace Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology
  • B.S. Mechanical Engineering, St. Mary's University
  • Minor in Chemistry, St. Mary's University

Languages

  • English - Native/Bilingual
  • Spanish - Native/Bilingual

Location

San Antonio, Texas, United States

Experience

Professional Experience

Research Engineer

Southwest Research Institute (SwRI)

Oct 2022 - Present
  • Perform pressure testing and calibration of large-scale machinery systems
  • Assist in sCO₂ plant operation, component design, and component integration
  • Optimize C/C++ algorithms for optimal performance
  • Develop, model, analyze and maintain engineering techno-economic analysis for multi-grid strategic systems
  • Create Piping and Instrumentation Diagrams (P&ID) for as-built systems
  • Creation and maintenance of various APIs and unit-tests in Python and C++
  • Develop and teach courses on a wide variety of topics
  • Perform centrifugal compressor commissioning, maintenance and installation activities
  • Reviews and generate as-builts for pilot power plant electrical termination drawings
  • Create and maintain electrical termination drawings for various control systems
  • Perform sizing and analysis for various equipment such as valves to meet API 526 and other standards
  • Analyze equipment, perform validation and verification and suggest changes for safe operation of pilot-plant sub-system integration
C/C++ Python sCO₂ Systems P&ID API 526 Compressors

Engineer

Southwest Research Institute (SwRI)

Jul 2020 - Oct 2022
  • Maintain and develop C++ software for the Numerical Propulsion System Simulation (NPSS) framework - a NASA-developed object-oriented modeling environment for propulsion and power cycle systems
  • Automate sizing of 100+ pieces of pressure transducers
  • Develop and test NPSS modeling tools and component libraries
  • Perform data analysis and modeling utilizing Python and corresponding libraries
  • Assist in drawing and reviews of electrical wiring diagrams
  • Abet in procurement of various fluid hardware
NPSS Python Power Cycle Modeling Data Analysis

Student Engineer - Power Cycle Machinery

Southwest Research Institute (SwRI)

Nov 2019 - Jul 2020
  • Power cycle machinery modeling and simulation
  • Data analysis and engineering support

(Poly) Lactic Acid Characterization

St. Mary's University

Feb 2019 - May 2020
  • Characterize the mechanical properties of (Poly) Lactic Acid by 3D printing specimens
  • Perform probabilistic methods on obtained data distribution

Summer Undergraduate Research Trainee

University of Iowa

Jun 2019 - Jul 2019
  • Utilize engineering principles to determine various modulus of biopolymers
  • Characterize the mechanical properties of Hyaluronic acid and Gelatin
  • Optimize the mechanical properties to determine most viable solution

Mechanical Engineering Intern

Texas Biomedical Research Institute

Aug 2018 - Apr 2019
  • Research and develop an automated batch-wise system for delivery and mixture of corrosive disinfectants
  • Managed and oversaw the unification of hardware and software
  • Quantify the concentration of unknown substances
  • Perform efficacy analysis on newly developed system

Research Scientist Intern

UT Health San Antonio

May 2018 - Dec 2018
  • Collaborated with mentor Randolph Glickman, PhD
  • Research and develop various ways to test release kinetics for nanoparticles and biomaterials
  • Identify and quantitate unknown compounds utilizing chemistry analytical techniques
Education

Academic Credentials

M.S. Aerospace Engineering
Georgia Institute of Technology
August 2021 - December 2024
B.S. Mechanical Engineering Minor in Chemistry
St. Mary's University
2015 - 2020
Research

Publications

Contact

Get in Touch

I am available for research collaborations, consulting engagements, and professional inquiries related to power cycle systems, sCO₂ technology, and energy systems engineering.

https://linkedin.com/in/khawly