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Research/Focus Areas

Thermophysical Properties of Fluids and Fluid Mixtures
Nonequilibrium Thermodynamics
Exergy Analysis of Processes and Systems

Academic Programs

Mechanical Engineering

My Courses

ENGR 320 Engineering Thermodynamics and Heat Transfer
ME 345 Heat Transfer
ME 435 Thermal Energy Systems Design
ME 443 Analysis of Thermal Energy Systems: Refrigeration
ME 527 Thermodynamics

“Die Energie der Welt ist constant. Die Entropie der Welt strebt einem Maximum zu.” Rudolph Clausius, physicist and mathematician, considered one of the founders of classical thermodynamics (1822-1888)

Steve Penoncello, Ph.D., P.E.

College of Engineering
Mechanical Engineering Department
Professor

Home Town
Hibbing, MN

Campus Locations
Moscow

With UI Since
1985

Office: GJ 234D
Phone: 208-885-9048
Email: stevep@uidaho.edu
Mailing Address:
c/o Mechanical Engineering
PO Box 440902
Moscow, ID 83844-0902

Homepage

Ph.D., University of Idaho, Mechanical Engineering, 1986
M.S., University of North Dakota, Mechanical Engineering, 1980
B.S., University of North Dakota, Mechanical Engineering, 1978
A.S., Hibbing Community College, Engineering, 1976

Dr. Penoncello has been teaching courses and doing research in the thermal sciences since 1980. He first taught at the University of Idaho in 1985 as a Visiting Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering while he was completing his doctoral studies. He returned to the University of Idaho 1990 as an Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering. In 1995, he was selected by the mechanical engineering faculty to be the department chair. He served in that capacity from 1995-1999. In 1999, he moved into the dean’s office in the College of Engineering as the associate dean for research and graduate studies, where he served until 2004. During 2004-2005, Dr. Penoncello took a sabbatical leave and worked with Spraycool, Inc., a regional company that develops innovative technologies for the thermal management of electronics. Upon completion of his sabbatical leave, he returned to his faculty position in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. He also serves as the director of the Center for Applied Thermodynamic Studies (CATS). CATS is an internationally recognized research center where basic analytical and experimental research is done to quantify the thermophysical properties of fluids and fluid mixtures.

Selected Publications

Schwarzkopf, J.D., Penoncello, S.G, and Dutta, P., “Enhanced Boiling Heat Transfer in Mesochannels,” Int. J. Heat and Mass Transfer, v52, issues 25-26, 5802-5813, 2009.
Leachman, J.W., Jacobsen, R.T, and Penoncello, S.G., “Fundamental Equations of State for Parahydrogen, Normal Hydrogen and Orthohydrogen”, J. Phys. Chem. Ref. Data, v38, n3, 721 – 748, 2009.
Leachman J.W., Jacobsen, R.T, Penoncello, S.G., and Huber, M.L., “Current Status of Transport Properties of Hydrogen” Int. J. Thermophysics, v28, 773 – 795, 2007.
Jacobsen, R.T, *Leachman, J.W., Penoncello, S.G., and Lemmon, E.W., “Current Status of Thermodynamic Properties of Hydrogen.” Int. J. Thermophysics, v28, 758 – 772, 2007.
*Paulus, M.E. and Penoncello, S.G., “Correlation for the Carbon Dioxide and Water Mixture Based on the Lemmon-Jacobsen Mixture Model and the Peng-Robinson Equation of State,” Int. J. Thermophysics, v27, n5, 1373-1386, 2006.
*Dillon, H.E. and Penoncello, S.G., “A Fundamental Equation for the Thermodynamic Properties of Ethanol,” Int. J. Thermophysics, v25, n2, 321 – 335, 2004.
Penoncello, S.G, Lemmon, E.W., Jacobsen, R.T, and Shan, Z., “A Fundamental Equation for Trifluoromethane (R-23),” J. Phys. Chem. Ref. Data, v32, n4, 1473-1499, 2003

Awards and Honors

Teaching Excellence Award, University of Idaho, 2010
Outstanding Faculty Award, University of Idaho, Naval ROTC, May 2009
Outstanding Educator Award, University of Idaho, College of Engineering, May, 2008
Outstanding Faculty Award, University of Idaho, Naval ROTC, May 2007