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Niall Burke

Department of Polymer, Mechanical & Design and Department of Civil Engineering & Trades Lecturer

  • nburke@ait.ie
  • Room: V305
  • Building: Faculty of Engineering and Informatics
  • Faculty: Faculty of Engineering and Informatics

Dr. Niall Burke is a lecturer in the Mechanical Engineering department of the Athlone Institute of Technology since 2008, where his areas of specialisation are sustainable energy systems, thermodynamics and heat transfer. Niall graduated from the Hanzehogeschool in Groningen (Holland) in 2003 with an honours degree in international power generation, and subsequently received his doctorate in engineering at the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT) in 2010, evaluating the performance of ground and air source heat pump systems operating under the Irish maritime climate. His research and publications to date has focused primarily on the utilisation and integration of climate appropriate sustainable energy technologies. Outside of academia, Niall has accumulated industrial experience, with Pure Energy Technology, in the installation of solar thermal systems and small scale wind turbines, along with energy consultancy on heating system design for the built environment, horticulture and aquaculture. Niall has also built up industrial experience working for Intel, Shannon Aerospace and Galway Stainless. Over the past number of years he has participated on the AIT Learning and Teaching course, gaining Certificates in Learning & Teaching, and Assessment & Evaluation. Other training undertaken includes energy rating/auditing/management (2006), building air infiltration testing (2007), thermography (2008), heat pump installer training (SEI Train the Trainers, 2008).

Burke, N., Greene,M., Dimache, L. and Lohan, J., (2013), “An Extensive Experimental Characterisation of a Horizontal Collector Ground Source Heat Pump System in Ireland’s Cool Marine Climate”, 8th Conference on Sustainable Development of Energy, Water and Enviro nmental Systems, Dubrovnik, Croatia, 22-27 September, 2013.

Greene, M., Lohan, J., and Burke, N., (2013), “Ground Source Heat Pumps with Horizontal Collectors – A Literature Review and Rationale for Further Analysis”, 8th Conference on Sustainable Development of Energy, Water and Environmental Systems, Dubrovnik, Croatia, 22-27 September, 2013.

Burke, N.,Lohan, J., Greene, M., Dimache, L and Clarke, R.. (2011), “Developing an Irish Based Heat Pump Characterisation and Research Facility”, Geothermal Association of Ireland Conference “Geothermal Energy – Progress and Developments”, Newpark Hotel, Kilkenny, 10 May, 2011.

Burke, N., (2010), “An Experimental Characterisation of both Ground and Air Source Heat Pump Technologies in the Irish Maritime Climate”, Ph.D. Thesis, Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology, 2010.

Greene, M., Lohan, J., Burke, N., Dimache, L. and Clarke R., (2010), “An Efficient Numerical Method for Simulation of Long-term Operation of Horizontal Ground Heat Exchangers with
Parallel Shallow Pipes”, Renewable Energy Beyond 2020, Trondheim, Norway, 7-8 June, 2010.

Dimache, L., Greene, M., Fitzgerald, F., Burke, N. and Lohan, J., (2010), “Optimum Sizing and Operation Control of an Ideal Hybrid Thermal Renewable Energy System Investigated a Posteriori”, Renewable Energy Beyond 2020, Trondheim, Norway, 7-8 June 2010.

Burke, N., Greene, M. and Lohan, J., (2008), “Experimental Characterisation of Both Air and Ground Source Heat Pump Technologies in the Irish Maritime Climate”, The Challenge of Sustainability Conference, Dundalk IT, Ireland, 20 June, 2008.

Lohan, J., Clarke, R., Burke, N., Greene, M. and Fitzgerald, F., (2008), “Development of an Experimental Test Facility to Continuously Monitor the Performance of Sustainable Energy Technologies in Maritime Climates”, The Challenge of Sustainability Conference, Dundalk IT, Ireland, 20 June, 2008.

Greene, M., Burke, N., Lohan, J. and Clarke, R.,(2008), “Ground Temperature and Moisture Content Surrounding Horizontal Heat Pump Collectors in a Maritime Climate Region”, 9th International Energy Agency Heat Pump Conference, Zürich, Switzerland, 20-22 May, 2008.

Burke,N.,Greene, M., Lohan, J. and Clarke, R., (2008), “Heat Pump Performance Sensitivity to Horizontal and Vertical Collector Configurations in a Maritime Climate Region”, 9th International Energy Agency Heat Pump Conference, Zürich, Switzerland, 20-22 May, 2008.

Burke,N.,Greene, M., Lohan, J., Dimache, L., Clarke, R. and Fitzgerald, F., (2008),“Experimental Characterisation of both Air and Ground Source Heat Pumps Operating under the Irish Maritime Climate”, AGMET, Energy and the Irish Climate – Harnessing Irish Climate for Energy, Dublin, Ireland, 29 February, 2008.

Dimache, L., Lohan, J., Allen, B., Burke, N., Greene, M.and Fitzgerald, D.F., (2008), “Investigating Energy Solutions for Sustainable Aquaculture”, AGMET, Energy and the Irish Climate – Harnessing Irish Climate for Energy, Dublin, Ireland, 29 February, 2008.

Greene, M., Burke, N., Lohan, J. and Clarke, R.,(2007), “Ground Temperature Gradients Surrounding Horizontal Heat Pump Collectors in a Maritime Climate Region,” First International Conference on Energy and Sustainability (ENERGY 2007), New Forest, UK, 20-22 June, 2007.

Lohan, J., Burke, N., and Greene, M., (2006),“Climate Variables that Influence the Thermal Performance of Horizontal Collector Ground Source Heat Pumps,” Proceedings of ESDA 2006: 8th Biennial ASME Conference on Engineering Systems Design and Analysis, Torino, Italy, 4-7 July, 2006.

Lohan, J., Greene, M.,and Burke, N., (2006), “The Development of a Ground Source Heat Pump Characterisation Facility for the Irish Maritime Climate,” Proceedings of the 2nd Renewable Energy in Maritime Island Climates Conference (REMIC2), Dublin Institute of Technology, Dublin, Ireland, 26-28 April, 2006.

Burke, N. and Lohan, J., (2005), “Development of Sustainable Energy Design Methodologies to guide the integration of Renewable Energy Systems within the built environment”, Embark Initiative Symposium for the Irish Research Council For Science Engineering and Technology (IRCSET), Croke Park, Dublin, Ireland, 3 November, 2005.

Secured own Ph.D. fund through the Irish Research Council for Science, Engineering and Technology(IRCSET) under the “Embark Initiative” (2004 - 2008).

President’s seed fund (2014)

Lecturing in AIT since 2008.

Lectured in the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT) CPD evening course entitled: “Energy Efficient Buildings and Renewable Energy Systems”, along with lecturing undergraduates on Heat and Mass Transfer module (2006 -2007).

  • Biography

    Dr. Niall Burke is a lecturer in the Mechanical Engineering department of the Athlone Institute of Technology since 2008, where his areas of specialisation are sustainable energy systems, thermodynamics and heat transfer. Niall graduated from the Hanzehogeschool in Groningen (Holland) in 2003 with an honours degree in international power generation, and subsequently received his doctorate in engineering at the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT) in 2010, evaluating the performance of ground and air source heat pump systems operating under the Irish maritime climate. His research and publications to date has focused primarily on the utilisation and integration of climate appropriate sustainable energy technologies. Outside of academia, Niall has accumulated industrial experience, with Pure Energy Technology, in the installation of solar thermal systems and small scale wind turbines, along with energy consultancy on heating system design for the built environment, horticulture and aquaculture. Niall has also built up industrial experience working for Intel, Shannon Aerospace and Galway Stainless. Over the past number of years he has participated on the AIT Learning and Teaching course, gaining Certificates in Learning & Teaching, and Assessment & Evaluation. Other training undertaken includes energy rating/auditing/management (2006), building air infiltration testing (2007), thermography (2008), heat pump installer training (SEI Train the Trainers, 2008).

  • Research & Consultancy

    Burke, N., Greene,M., Dimache, L. and Lohan, J., (2013), “An Extensive Experimental Characterisation of a Horizontal Collector Ground Source Heat Pump System in Ireland’s Cool Marine Climate”, 8th Conference on Sustainable Development of Energy, Water and Enviro nmental Systems, Dubrovnik, Croatia, 22-27 September, 2013.

    Greene, M., Lohan, J., and Burke, N., (2013), “Ground Source Heat Pumps with Horizontal Collectors – A Literature Review and Rationale for Further Analysis”, 8th Conference on Sustainable Development of Energy, Water and Environmental Systems, Dubrovnik, Croatia, 22-27 September, 2013.

    Burke, N.,Lohan, J., Greene, M., Dimache, L and Clarke, R.. (2011), “Developing an Irish Based Heat Pump Characterisation and Research Facility”, Geothermal Association of Ireland Conference “Geothermal Energy – Progress and Developments”, Newpark Hotel, Kilkenny, 10 May, 2011.

    Burke, N., (2010), “An Experimental Characterisation of both Ground and Air Source Heat Pump Technologies in the Irish Maritime Climate”, Ph.D. Thesis, Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology, 2010.

    Greene, M., Lohan, J., Burke, N., Dimache, L. and Clarke R., (2010), “An Efficient Numerical Method for Simulation of Long-term Operation of Horizontal Ground Heat Exchangers with
    Parallel Shallow Pipes”, Renewable Energy Beyond 2020, Trondheim, Norway, 7-8 June, 2010.

    Dimache, L., Greene, M., Fitzgerald, F., Burke, N. and Lohan, J., (2010), “Optimum Sizing and Operation Control of an Ideal Hybrid Thermal Renewable Energy System Investigated a Posteriori”, Renewable Energy Beyond 2020, Trondheim, Norway, 7-8 June 2010.

    Burke, N., Greene, M. and Lohan, J., (2008), “Experimental Characterisation of Both Air and Ground Source Heat Pump Technologies in the Irish Maritime Climate”, The Challenge of Sustainability Conference, Dundalk IT, Ireland, 20 June, 2008.

    Lohan, J., Clarke, R., Burke, N., Greene, M. and Fitzgerald, F., (2008), “Development of an Experimental Test Facility to Continuously Monitor the Performance of Sustainable Energy Technologies in Maritime Climates”, The Challenge of Sustainability Conference, Dundalk IT, Ireland, 20 June, 2008.

    Greene, M., Burke, N., Lohan, J. and Clarke, R.,(2008), “Ground Temperature and Moisture Content Surrounding Horizontal Heat Pump Collectors in a Maritime Climate Region”, 9th International Energy Agency Heat Pump Conference, Zürich, Switzerland, 20-22 May, 2008.

    Burke,N.,Greene, M., Lohan, J. and Clarke, R., (2008), “Heat Pump Performance Sensitivity to Horizontal and Vertical Collector Configurations in a Maritime Climate Region”, 9th International Energy Agency Heat Pump Conference, Zürich, Switzerland, 20-22 May, 2008.

    Burke,N.,Greene, M., Lohan, J., Dimache, L., Clarke, R. and Fitzgerald, F., (2008),“Experimental Characterisation of both Air and Ground Source Heat Pumps Operating under the Irish Maritime Climate”, AGMET, Energy and the Irish Climate – Harnessing Irish Climate for Energy, Dublin, Ireland, 29 February, 2008.

    Dimache, L., Lohan, J., Allen, B., Burke, N., Greene, M.and Fitzgerald, D.F., (2008), “Investigating Energy Solutions for Sustainable Aquaculture”, AGMET, Energy and the Irish Climate – Harnessing Irish Climate for Energy, Dublin, Ireland, 29 February, 2008.

    Greene, M., Burke, N., Lohan, J. and Clarke, R.,(2007), “Ground Temperature Gradients Surrounding Horizontal Heat Pump Collectors in a Maritime Climate Region,” First International Conference on Energy and Sustainability (ENERGY 2007), New Forest, UK, 20-22 June, 2007.

    Lohan, J., Burke, N., and Greene, M., (2006),“Climate Variables that Influence the Thermal Performance of Horizontal Collector Ground Source Heat Pumps,” Proceedings of ESDA 2006: 8th Biennial ASME Conference on Engineering Systems Design and Analysis, Torino, Italy, 4-7 July, 2006.

    Lohan, J., Greene, M.,and Burke, N., (2006), “The Development of a Ground Source Heat Pump Characterisation Facility for the Irish Maritime Climate,” Proceedings of the 2nd Renewable Energy in Maritime Island Climates Conference (REMIC2), Dublin Institute of Technology, Dublin, Ireland, 26-28 April, 2006.

    Burke, N. and Lohan, J., (2005), “Development of Sustainable Energy Design Methodologies to guide the integration of Renewable Energy Systems within the built environment”, Embark Initiative Symposium for the Irish Research Council For Science Engineering and Technology (IRCSET), Croke Park, Dublin, Ireland, 3 November, 2005.

    Secured own Ph.D. fund through the Irish Research Council for Science, Engineering and Technology(IRCSET) under the “Embark Initiative” (2004 - 2008).

    President’s seed fund (2014)

  • Teaching Experience

    Lecturing in AIT since 2008.

    Lectured in the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT) CPD evening course entitled: “Energy Efficient Buildings and Renewable Energy Systems”, along with lecturing undergraduates on Heat and Mass Transfer module (2006 -2007).