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Dr. Andy McIntosh

Dr. Andy McIntosh

Professor University of Leeds, Research Associate DSc, FIMA, C.Math, FInstE, CEng, FInstP, MIGEM, FRAeS

Professor Andrew Charles McIntosh holds an emeritus chair in Thermodynamics and Combustion Theory in Energy and Resources Research Institute at the University of Leeds, England, where he has lectured and researched in the field of Combustion and Explosions for over 20 years.  His research has included investigations involving fluids (the interaction of pressure waves with flames) as well as solids.  In the area of heterogeneous combustion he is interested in the safety of reactive substances, which can include traditional fuels such as coal, but also may include agrochemicals, some of which are now being used widely to increase crop yields, but in bulk can have unusual ignition properties. Unusual chemical behavior is also being studied in collaboration with industry, with a view to developing carbon capture reactors for energy generation.


In the last few years Professor McIntosh has been involved in research in the area of biomimetics where the minute combusion chamber of the bombardier beetle has inspired a patented novel spray technology.  This led to research first sponsored by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), followed by extensive funding from industry to apply the technology to fuel injectors, pharmaceutical sprays, aerosols, and fire extinguishers.  Professor McIntosh is a trained mathematician and has worked in aerodynamics at Cranfield University and the Royal Aircraft  Establishment (Bedford) before going to Leeds where he gained a DSc in 1998 and a personal chair in 2000.  He became a Fellow of the Institute of Physics in 2002 and in 2003 was elected a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society.  He has over 180 publication in Journals and Conferences and has lectured widely internationally on these subjects and on the scientific question of origins on which the discipline  of thermodynamics has a fundamental bearing.

Selected Papers & Books:

  • Shah, A.A., Brindley, J. and McIntosh, A.C. “Gas-phase and heat-exchange effects on the ignition of high- and low – exothermicity porous solids subject to constant heating”, Jnl. Eng. Maths 56, 161-177, Nov. 2006.

  • Shah, A.A., Brindley J., McIntosh, A.C. and Griffiths J.F. (2007) “Ignition and combustion of low – exothermicity porous materials by a local hotspot.” Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series A. Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences, 463, pp.1287-1305.

  • Teerling, O.J.; McIntosh, A.C.; Brindley, J. (2007) Pressure wave excitation of natural flame frequencies. Combustion Theory and Modelling, 11(1), pp.147-164.

  • Beheshti, N. and McIntosh, A.C. (2007) “A biomimetic study of the explosive discharge of the Bombardier Beetle.” Int. J. of Design & Nature, 1(1), pp.61-69.

  • McIntosh, A.C., “True Science and Origins”, Science in Parliament 64 (3), 22-24, 2007

  • McIntosh, A.C., Combustion, fire, and explosion in nature – some biomimetic possibilities. Proc. IMechE, Part C: Journal of Mechanical Engineering Science, 221(C10), 1157–1164, 2007

  • Beheshti, N. and McIntosh, A.C. “The bombardier beetle and its use of a pressure relief valve system to deliver a periodic pulsed spray” Bioinspiration and Biomimetics (Inst of Physics), 2, pp.57-64, 2007.

  • McIntosh, A.C. “New technology derived from a beetle”, Public Service Review (PSCA International), Central Government 16, 150-151, April 2008.

  • McIntosh, A.C. and Beheshti, N, “Bio-inspiration for new pharmaceutical sprays”, Industrial Pharmacy (Euromed Communications), 17, 12-14, March 2008.

  • McIntosh, A.C. and Beheshti, N, “Insect inspiration”, Physics World (Inst of Physics), 21(4), 29-31, April 2008.

  • Shah, A.A., Brindley, J., McIntosh, A.C. and Rademacher, J. “The effects of heat exchange and fluid production on the ignition of a porous solid” Nonlinear Analysis: Real World Applications, 9(2), 562-584, April 2008.

  • McIntosh, A.C. “Evidence of design in bird feather and avian respiration”, Int. J. of Design & Nature and Ecodynamics, Vol. 4, No. 2, 154-169, 2009.

  • McIntosh, A.C. “Information and Entropy – Top-down or bottom-up development in living systems?” Int. J. of Design & Nature and Ecodynamics, Vol. 4, No. 4, 351-385, 2009.

  • Hmaidi, A., McIntosh, A.C. and Brindley, J. “A mathematical model of hotspot condensed phase ignition in the presence of a competitive endothermic reaction”, Comb. Theory and Modelling 14(6), 893–920, October 2010. DOI: 10.1080/13647830.2010.519050.

  • McIntosh, A.C. (2007) “Functional Information and entropy in living systems” In: 3rd International Conference on Design and Nature, New Forest June 2006, edited by C.A. Brebbia, WIT Press; pp. 115-126; ISBN 1-84564-166-3

  • Beheshti, N. and McIntosh, A.C. “A novel spray system inspired by the bombardier beetle” Presented Weds 25th June 2008 as Invited Presentation, Design and Nature IV, Proc of 4th Int. Conference on Design and Nature, Tivoli Almansor,  Algarve, Portugal, 24-26 June 2008, Ed. C.A. Brebbia, WIT Transactions on Ecology and the Environment, Vol 114, pp 13-21, WIT Press, 2008, 978-1-84564-120-7

  • McIntosh, A. C., “Biomimetic inspiration from fire and combustion in nature including the bombardier beetle” in Biomimetics and Bioinspiration, edited by Raul J. Martin-Palma, Akhlesh Lakhtakia, Proceedings of SPIE Conference San Diego, August 2009 SPIE Vol. 7401 (SPIE, Bellingham, WA 2009) 74010F.

  • McIntosh, A.C. and Prongidis, A. “Further biomimetic challenges from the Bombardier Beetle – the intricate chemical production system”, Invited presentation at Design and Nature V, Proc of 5th Int. Conference on Design and Nature, Pisa, Italy, 28-30 June 2010

  • McIntosh, A.C., “Information and Thermodynamics in Living Systems”, Invited presentation at Biological Information New Perspectives symposium, Cornell University, 31 May-3 June, 2011.

  • McIntosh, A. C. “Genesis for Today – Showing the relevance of the Creation / Evolution debate to today’s society”, 4th Edition, Day One Publications, Epsom, U.K. (2010).McIntosh, A.C. “Design in the world and the universe”, in sec. 1 ‘Science and Origins’ of “In six days – why 50 scientists choose to believe in creation” (Ed. J. Ashton), 141-156  New Holland Publishers, Sydney, Auckland, London, Cape Town  (1999).     ISBN 1 86436-443-2

  • McIntosh, A.C. “Information and Thermodynamics”, Chapter 9D of book “Should Christians Embrace Evolution?” Ed. N. Nevin, IVP, Nov 2009. Published in USA, Presbyterian and Reformed, May 2011.


Patents:

  • McIntosh, A.C. and Beheshti, N. European Patent granted  Sept 2009 06794578.2 “Drug Delivery – Spray system based on bombardier beetle”

  • Beheshti, N. and McIntosh, A.C US Patent granted  Jan 2011 11/528,297 “Vapour Explosion Chamber”

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