Brantley Mills

R&D S&E, Mechanical Engineering

R&D S&E, Mechanical Engineering

bramill@sandia.gov

Biography

In February 2015, Brantley joined Sandia National Laboratories as a senior member of the technical staff in the Thermal Sciences and Engineering Program. He has worked in a broad range of heat transfer and fluids subject areas including thermal systems analysis, thermal-fluid cryogenics, reduced-order modeling, concentrated solar power, and nuclear energy. While having an experimental background, his most recent work has focused on developing high-fidelity, multi-physics models for high performance computing with a focus on verification and validation.

Education

  • Bachelor of Science, Mechanical Engineering, Clemson University, May 2009
  • Doctor of Philosophy, Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, August 2014

Publications

  • Mills, B., Albrecht, K., Gonzalez-Portillo, L.F., Ho, C.K., & Ho, C.K. (2023). Model Validation of Falling Particle Receivers With On-sun Experiments [Conference Paper]. AIP Conference Proceedings. https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0149777 Publication ID: 76048
  • Mills, B., Lee, S., Schroeder, N., Ray, D., Laubscher, H.F., Sment, J., Albrecht, K., Ho, C.K., & Ho, C.K. (2022). Development of the Generation 3 Particle Pilot Plant Falling Particle Receiver [Conference Presenation]. https://doi.org/10.2172/2005259 Publication ID: 118492
  • Schroeder, N., Mills, B., Smith, B., & Smith, B. (2022). Generation 3 Particle Pilot Plant (G3P3) Flux Wand [Conference Poster]. https://doi.org/10.2172/2004769 Publication ID: 117908
  • Mills, B., Lee, S., Gonzalez-Portillo, L.F., Ho, C.K., Albrecht, K., & Albrecht, K. (2022). Technoeconomics of Particle-based CSP Featuring Falling Particle Receivers with and without Active Heliostat Control. https://doi.org/10.2172/1890267 Publication ID: 80310
  • Yue, L., Mills, B., Christian, J., Ho, C.K., & Ho, C.K. (2022). Effect of Quartz Aperture Covers on the Fluid Dynamics and Thermal Efficiency of Falling Particle Receivers. Journal of Solar Energy Engineering, Transactions of the ASME, 144(4). https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4053449 Publication ID: 100080
  • Mills, B., Lee, S., Gonzalez-Portillo, L., Albrecht, K., Ho, C.K., & Ho, C.K. (2022). Thermal Performance of Commercial Falling Particle Receivers at Different Scales [Conference Presenation]. https://doi.org/10.2172/2003941 Publication ID: 115040
  • Ho, C.K., Schroeder, N., Laubscher, H.F., Yue, L., Mills, B., Shaeffer, R., Christian, J.M., Albrecht, K., & Albrecht, K. (2022). Receiver design and On-Sun testing for G3P3-USA [Conference Poster]. AIP Conference Proceedings. https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?partnerID=HzOxMe3b&scp=85131206056&origin=inward Publication ID: 70993
  • Lee, S., Mills, B., & Mills, B. (2022). Thermal Performance of Multistage Falling Particle Receiver at Various Commercial Scales [Conference Presenation]. https://doi.org/10.2172/2003378 Publication ID: 112844
  • Mills, B., Schroeder, N., Ho, C.K., & Ho, C.K. (2022). Particle Curtain Kinematic Behavior in Multistage Falling Particle Receivers [Conference Presenation]. https://doi.org/10.2172/2003409 Publication ID: 112964
  • Mills, B., Albrecht, K., Gonzalez-Portillo, L., Ho, C.K., & Ho, C.K. (2022). Model Validation of Falling Particle Receivers with On-sun Experiments [Conference Paper]. https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1908773 Publication ID: 79891
  • Lee, S., Mills, B., & Mills, B. (2021). Evaluating the Thermal Efficiency of Multistage Falling Particle Receivers Subject to Wind [Conference Proceeding]. https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1906260 Publication ID: 77185
  • Ho, C.K., Sment, J., Albrecht, K., Mills, B., Schroeder, N., & Schroeder, N. (2021). Gen 3 Particle Pilot Plant (G3P3) — High-Temperature Particle System for Concentrating Solar Power (Phases 1 and 2). https://doi.org/10.2172/1832285 Publication ID: 76834
  • Silva, H., Mills, B., Schroeder, B., Keedy, R.M., Smith, K.D., & Smith, K.D. (2021). Defining Computational Emissivity Uncertainty Over Large Temperature Scales Due to Surface Evolution. Journal of Verification, Validation and Uncertainty Quantification, 6(3). https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4051461 Publication ID: 103704
  • Lee, S., Mills, B., & Mills, B. (2021). Evaluating the Thermal Efficiency of Multistage Falling Particle Receivers Subject to Wind [Conference Proceeding]. https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0159785 Publication ID: 75948
  • Mills, B., Albrecht, K., Gonzalez-Portillo, L., Ho, C.K., & Ho, C.K. (2021). Model Validation of Falling Particle Receivers with On-sun Experiments [Conference Presenation]. https://doi.org/10.2172/1888417 Publication ID: 75742
  • Lee, S., Mills, B., & Mills, B. (2021). Evaluating the Thermal Efficiency of Multistage Falling Particle Receivers Subject to Wind [Conference Presenation]. https://doi.org/10.2172/1887506 Publication ID: 75673
  • Gonzalez-Portillo, L., Albrecht, K., Sment, J., Mills, B., Ho, C.K., & Ho, C.K. (2021). G3P3 Panel: Technoeconomic and Scaling Considerations for Gen3 Particle Technology [Conference Presenation]. https://doi.org/10.2172/1884076 Publication ID: 75330
  • Mills, B. (2021). Falling Particle Receiver Development at Sandia National Laboratories [Presentation]. https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1883044 Publication ID: 75302
  • Sment, J., Ho, C.K., Albrecht, K., Mills, B., & Mills, B. (2021). G3P3 ? Project and Test Planning [Conference Presenation]. https://doi.org/10.2172/1889569 Publication ID: 75294
  • Mills, B., Shaeffer, R., Ho, C.K., & Ho, C.K. (2021). Predicting the Annual Thermal Performance of Next-Generation Falling Particle Receivers Subject to Wind [Conference Presenation]. https://doi.org/10.2172/1867125 Publication ID: 78359
  • Schroeder, N., Laubscher, H.F., Ho, C.K., Mills, B., & Mills, B. (2021). RECEIVER OUTLET TEMPERATURE CONTROLLER FOR FALLING PARTICLE RECEIVER APPLICATIONS [Conference Paper]. https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1862640 Publication ID: 77960
  • Ho, C.K., Schroeder, N., Laubscher, H.F., Yue, L., Mills, B., Shaeffer, R., Christian, J., Albrecht, K., & Albrecht, K. (2021). Receiver Design and On-Sun Testing for G3P3-USA (full paper) [Conference Paper]. https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1862190 Publication ID: 77941
  • Yue, L., Shaeffer, R., Mills, B., Ho, C.K., & Ho, C.K. (2020). Active airflow for reducing advective and particle loss in falling particle receivers [Conference Poster]. AIP Conference Proceedings. https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?partnerID=HzOxMe3b&scp=85098095884&origin=inward Publication ID: 73029
  • Mills, B., Schroeder, B., Yue, L., Shaeffer, R., Ho, C.K., & Ho, C.K. (2020). Optimizing a falling particle receiver geometry using CFD simulations to maximize the thermal efficiency [Conference Poster]. AIP Conference Proceedings. https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?partnerID=HzOxMe3b&scp=85098081686&origin=inward Publication ID: 64677
  • Mills, B., Shaeffer, R., Ho, C.K., & Ho, C.K. (2020). Predicting the Annual Thermal Performance of Next-Generation Falling Particle Receivers Subject to Wind [Conference Paper]. https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1832686 Publication ID: 71881
  • Mills, B., Shaeffer, R., Yue, L., Albrecht, K., Ho, C.K., & Ho, C.K. (2020). Evaluating the Performance of Utility-Scale Falling Particle Receivers Subject to Wind [Conference Poster]. https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1782994 Publication ID: 73461
  • Schroeder, B., Silva, H., Mills, B., Smith, K.D., Keedy, R.M., & Keedy, R.M. (2020). Characterizing Material Emissivity Uncertainty in Fire Environments for Computational Simulation [Conference Poster]. https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1783651 Publication ID: 73528
  • Shaeffer, R., Mills, B., Yue, L., Ho, C.K., & Ho, C.K. (2019). Evaluation of Performance Factors For a Multistage Falling Particle Receiver [Conference Poster]. https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1643405 Publication ID: 66861
  • Yue, L., Shaeffer, R., Mills, B., Ho, C.K., & Ho, C.K. (2019). Active airflow for reducing advective and particle loss in falling particle receivers [Conference Poster]. https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1642137 Publication ID: 65242
  • Mills, B., Schroeder, B., Yue, L., Shaeffer, R., Ho, C.K., & Ho, C.K. (2019). Optimizing a falling particle receiver geometry using CFD simulations to maximize the thermal efficiency [Conference Poster]. https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1642201 Publication ID: 65180
  • Ho, C., Albrecht, K., Yue, L., Mills, B., Sment, J., Christian, J., Carlson, M., & Carlson, M. (2019). Overview and Design Basis for the Gen 3 Particle Pilot Plant (G3P3) (presentation) [Conference Poster]. https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1642709 Publication ID: 65325
  • Ho, C., Albrecht, K., Yue, L., Mills, B., Sment, J., Christian, J., Carlson, M., & Carlson, M. (2019). Overview and Design Basis for the Gen 3 Particle Pilot Plant (G3P3) (paper) [Conference Poster]. https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1642710 Publication ID: 65326
  • Yue, L., Mills, B., Ho, C.K., & Ho, C.K. (2019). Effect of quartz aperture covers on the fluid dynamics and thermal efficiency of falling particle receivers [Conference Poster]. https://doi.org/10.1115/ES2019-3910 Publication ID: 64635
  • Mills, B., Ho, C.K., & Ho, C.K. (2019). Simulation and performance evaluation of on-sun particle receiver tests [Conference Poster]. AIP Conference Proceedings. https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?partnerID=HzOxMe3b&scp=85070647022&origin=inward Publication ID: 59284
  • Shaeffer, R., Ho, C.K., Yue, L., Mills, B., & Mills, B. (2019). Modeling the Thermal Performance of Falling Particle Receivers Subject to External Wind [Conference Poster]. https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1641287 Publication ID: 69791
  • Yue, L., Mills, B., Ho, C.K., & Ho, C.K. (2019). Effect of quartz aperture covers on the fluid dynamics and thermal efficiency of falling particle receivers [Conference Poster]. ASME 2019 13th International Conference on Energy Sustainability, ES 2019, collocated with the ASME 2019 Heat Transfer Summer Conference. https://doi.org/10.1115/ES2019-3910 Publication ID: 64636
  • Mills, B., Ho, C.K., & Ho, C.K. (2018). Annualized thermal performance of intermediate-scale falling particle receivers [Conference Poster]. AIP Conference Proceedings. https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?partnerID=HzOxMe3b&scp=85057125957&origin=inward Publication ID: 53183
  • Mills, B., Ho, C.K., & Ho, C.K. (2018). Annualized thermal performance of intermediate-scale falling particle receivers [Conference Poster]. AIP Conference Proceedings. https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?partnerID=HzOxMe3b&scp=85057125957&origin=inward Publication ID: 57866
  • Mills, B., Hetzler, A., Deng, O., & Deng, O. (2018). Verification of Advective Bar Elements Implemented in the Sierra/Aria Thermal Response Code. Journal of Verification, Validation and Uncertainty Quantification, 3(3), pp. 1-22. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4041837 Publication ID: 98592
  • Mills, B., Ho, C.K., & Ho, C.K. (2018). Simulation and Performance Evaluation of On-sun Particle Receiver Tests [Conference Poster]. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5117548 Publication ID: 63891
  • Ho, C.K., Peacock, G.W., Mills, B., Christian, J., Albrecht, K., Yellowhair, J., Ray, D., & Ray, D. (2018). Particle Mass Flow Control for High-Temperature Concentrating Solar Receivers. https://doi.org/10.2172/1471496 Publication ID: 62320
  • Schroeder, B., Hetzler, A.C., Mills, B., Bachman, W.B., & Bachman, W.B. (2018). An Effort Towards a Consistent VVUQ Approach for Thermal Systems Analyses [Presentation]. https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1515635 Publication ID: 62161
  • Mills, B., Hetzler, A.C., Mills, B., Ho, C.K., & Ho, C.K. (2017). Numerical Evaluation of Novel Particle Release Patterns in High-Temperature Falling Particle Receivers [Conference Poster]. https://doi.org/10.1115/ES2017-3689 Publication ID: 56999
  • Mills, B., Ho, C.K., & Ho, C.K. (2017). Numerical evaluation of novel particle release patterns in high-temperature falling particle receivers [Conference Poster]. ASME 2017 11th International Conference on Energy Sustainability, ES 2017, collocated with the ASME 2017 Power Conference Joint with ICOPE 2017, the ASME 2017 15th International Conference on Fuel Cell Science, Engineering and Technology, and the ASME 2017 Nuclear Forum. https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?partnerID=HzOxMe3b&scp=85029348627&origin=inward Publication ID: 48104
  • Mills, B., Ho, C.K., & Ho, C.K. (2016). Proposed 10 MWe North-Facing Falling Particle Receiver Design. https://doi.org/10.2172/1505363 Publication ID: 48303
  • Ho, C.K., Mills, B., Christian, J., Peacock, G.W., & Peacock, G.W. (2016). Novel particle release patterns for increased receiver thermal efficiency (paper) [Conference Poster]. https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1399194 Publication ID: 52686
  • Ho, C.K., Mills, B., Christian, J., Peacock, G.W., & Peacock, G.W. (2016). Novel particle release patterns for increased receiver thermal efficiency (presentation) [Conference Poster]. https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1404789 Publication ID: 47072
  • Mills, B., Hetzler, A.C., & Hetzler, A.C. (2016). Verification of Advective Bar Elements Implemented in the Sierra/Aria Thermal Response Code [Conference Poster]. https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1420862 Publication ID: 50055
  • Mills, B. (2016). Verification of Advective Bar Elements Implemented in the Aria Thermal Response Code. https://doi.org/10.2172/1235537 Publication ID: 46694
  • Ho, C.K., Mills, B., Christian, J., & Christian, J. (2016). Volumetric particle receivers for increased light trapping and heating [Conference Poster]. ASME 2016 10th International Conference on Energy Sustainability, ES 2016, collocated with the ASME 2016 Power Conference and the ASME 2016 14th International Conference on Fuel Cell Science, Engineering and Technology. https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?partnerID=HzOxMe3b&scp=85002407682&origin=inward Publication ID: 50767
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Research Interests

  • Heat Transfer
  • Thermal-fluid cryogenics
  • Reduced-order modeling
  • Concentrated Solar Power
  • Nuclear Energy