Dr. Luis San Andrés is the recipient of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) 2022 Aircraft Engine Technology Award, recognizing his sustained contributions to the field.
San Andrés serves as the Mast-Childs Chair Professor in the J. Mike Walker '66 Department of Mechanical Engineering at Texas A&M University and is a member of the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station (TEES) Turbomachinery Laboratory.
He is a fellow of ASME, the Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers, and the Global Power and Propulsion Society.
The award recognizes San Andrés' years of contributions in researching and improving squeeze film dampers, which stabilize gas turbines.
"The award recognizes the Turbo Lab students and faculty for their long-standing dedication to address and solve industrial needs," San Andrés said. "Using gas turbines for power and air transportation has changed the world. Our work has helped make gas turbines more stable, efficient and safer."
San Andrés has worked for more than 30 years in the Turbo Lab at Texas A&M, working alongside his students to produce squeeze film dampers. Applications for this research include dampers for aircraft engines, hybrid bearings for cryogenic turbopumps, nonlinear dynamics of turbochargers, gas foil bearings for oil-free machinery, lubricated bearings for high-performance turbomachinery and multiple-phase flow seals for wet gas compressors.
The award arrives as San Andrés plans to retire later in 2022. A welcomed surprise, he said his family is proud of the honor — even as they expect the recognition will further fuel his passion in continuing to pursue his research.
Ultimately, he said this award is more of a reflection of the collective achievements and dedication of the Turbo Lab and all of its members.
"I am walking on the clouds with a gift falling from an airplane to land in my lap," San Andrés said. "Without a doubt, the award recognizes our Turbo Lab and the many students working in the rotordynamics laboratory and presently serving with distinction toward improving the performance and reliability of turbomachinery, small and large, slow and fast."