College of

Engineering, Architecture and Technology

 

Meet Ata Alkhatib, a first-year student of CIBS. Ata is working on a Master of Science degree and intends to graduate in 2025. When Ata is not hard at work on his studies, he enjoys soccer, swimming, and playing video games. Ata also shared that he prefers traveling and exploring new experiences. This curious nature of Ata has brought him to CIBS. The center’s many and various ongoing projects are what attracted him. What inspires him about the center is the opportunities to relate and connect with members of industry, an uncommon, yet fruitful partnership in the academic world of a research student. From his perspective, CIBS has provided these opportunities along with all the materials, expertise and components needed to succeed in one’s research.

 

Ata is currently working on the automation of a hot-gas bypass compressor load stand with vapor injection used for testing compressors on flammable refrigerants. Also, he will be developing and executing experiments on refrigeration compressors and their components. One of the goals is to study the influence and optimal use of low-GWP refrigerants. After graduation, he intends to have a couple of publications in the field to his credit as he continues his journey into a career in the industry, gaining hands-on experience and utilizing his learned skills, in the vast market here.

 

Ata’s background lies in hands-on experience, and he plans to seek out opportunities to advance his knowledge. He worked for about 4 years as a technical engineer with a German original equipment manufacturer of oil and gas reciprocating compressors, the NEUMAN AND ESSER Group’s branch in Saudi Arabia. Ata is open to new opportunities as it pertains to the role of a Research and Design engineer. His hope is, but not limited to, filling a place in a company where he can make good use of his practical and research skills in the industry, providing overall support on project implementation and research. Beyond this, Ata aspires to work on the modeling side of HVAC systems, specifically positive displacement compressors, as well as component analysis and design.

 

For now, Ata hopes that his current work will benefit the industry that he will eventually join. The automation process he is working towards will make compressor data collection easier, faster, and more accurate. To illustrate the time that will be saved by the completion of his work, the current compressor testing takes several months. When his work is complete the same testing will only take a week or two. Along the way, his work will collect more compressor test performance data for the industry to utilize. This will include data with and without vapor injection technology, making his work more useful to a broader audience.

 

Ata Alkhatib embodies the spirit of a driven, forward-thinking student, poised to make a substantial contribution to the industry while embracing the exciting challenges of research and development. His work will undoubtedly leave a lasting mark on the world of compressors and refrigeration, enhancing efficiency and sustainability for years to come.