Joe Currano Email & Phone Number

Rockville, Maryland, United States

Newburg, Maryland, United States

Process controls and mechanical engineering for 1400-MW coal-fired power plant and auxiliary systems.

Newburg, Maryland, United States

• DCS Modernization: Played critical role in $700k distributed control system (DCS) upgrade for two generating units, improving cybersecurity, processing speed, and longevity of plant controls. Converted hundreds of.
• Combustion Turbine Remote Start: Set up DCS servers and designed graphics using high-performance HMI techniques for remote-start-capable… Show more
• Combustion Turbine Remote Start: Set up DCS servers and designed graphics using high-performance HMI techniques for remote-start-capable digital controls of 4 combustion turbines to enable continued operation with.
• Flue Gas Desulfurization (FGD) System Startup Team: Built control system graphics for FGDs at three plants. Improved operator awareness by adding graphical indication of equipment Automatic/Manual status and sequence.
• Cybersecurity Implementation: Installed and configured firewalls to isolate control system network segments, improving cybersecurity and compliance with NERC Critical Infrastructure Protection (NERC-CIP) regulations..
• Remote View Computers: Set up and maintained DCS subnetwork computers to give managers, supervisors, and technicians remote access to live operational data.

Newburg, Maryland, United States

• Managed successful installation of clean agent fire suppression systems for plant control system, library, and IT infrastructure; and new 6-ton liquid carbon dioxide tank for fire protection in critical cable spreading.
• Designed and managed installation of bottom ash building sump pump system, to divert ash-laden water from storm drains to environmentally controlled basin to further plant’s environmental goals.
• Converted equipment database (18,000+ objects), functional… Show more
• Converted equipment database (18,000+ objects), functional locations, work orders, and preventative maintenance plans for new work management software. Wrote and revised preventive maintenance procedures for operators.

Newburg, Maryland, United States

• Valve Actuator Heat Shield: Designed heat shield with forced ventilation to reduce operating temperature of turbine valve actuators, resulting in longer life and less outage time until high-temperature components could.
• Flame Sculpting Team Member: Adjusted burner control curves to eliminate flame impingement, improving combustion and burner reliability for supercritical steam generators.
• R-Stamp Program Coordinator: Gathered and maintained documentation for… Show more
• R-Stamp Program Coordinator: Gathered and maintained documentation for boiler weld repairs and participated in program reviews with state Authorized Inspector.
• Performed beam design and stress analysis for safely hoisting and moving loads for plant maintenance.
• Conducted mechanical inspections of walking/working surfaces, presented findings to plant management, and submitted work orders for repairs to ensure safety of all personnel. Show less

College Park, Maryland, United States

• Developed novel method of emissivity measurement for spacecraft thermal control coatings using heat flux sensors in a space environment. Tested in laboratory vacuum chamber, assembled and delivered flight-ready module.
• Set up and tested 2-phase cooling loop for electronics, for research sponsored by Office of Naval Research. Designed evaporator in AutoCAD and worked with machinists to… Show more
• Set up and tested 2-phase cooling loop for electronics, for research sponsored by Office of Naval Research. Designed evaporator in AutoCAD and worked with machinists to fabricate.
• Ran CFD models to analyze heat dissipation from packaged infrared LED arrays and determine configurations that optimize thermal performance.Master’s Thesis: Heat Flux-Based Emissivity Measurement, University of.

Columbia, Maryland, United States

• Performed experiments in tubular flow reactor to study auto-ignition of liquid fuels at gas turbine premixing conditions.
• Set up apparatus for testing ignition of fuels at pressures of 5 to 10 atm.
• Built and maintained experimental setups, participated in testing and data collection for combustion research and fire protection litigation.

Master Of Science - Ms, Mechanical Engineering

Concentration in Heat Transfer. Masters Thesis: Heat Flux-Based Emissivity Measurement.

Bachelor Of Science - Bs, Mechanical Engineering

Activities and Societies: Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honors Society Graduated magna cum laude with Honors in Mechanical Engineering.