With heavy-duty equipment’s reliance on diesel engines waning by the minute, L&M Radiator engineer Chris Domogalla is one engineer ushering in the new world of fuel cell and battery-operated equipment with his work on cutting-edge thermal management systems.
Hibbing, Minnesota – Back when he was an engineering student at the University of Minnesota, Duluth eleven years ago, Chris Domogalla had many ideas for what his career might look like. Would he be an astronaut? Maybe an automotive engineer?
Through all his wondering, he always knew his career would involve one thing: solving huge problems that make the world better.
As an applications engineer at L&M, he does exactly that. His job is to work with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) around the world – such as Epiroc, Komatsu, Liebherr, and more – to design custom cooling systems specifically catered to their machines and applications.
“My drive is to solve problems for people and to figure out the best way to achieve a goal,” said Domogalla. “Once I realized that L&M’s main purpose is using engineering to solve problems, I knew it would be a great fit for me. Not many engineers get to see a project from start to finish the way we do at L&M. Seeing a design come to fruition is so rewarding.”
Being on the team of the best engineering minds in heat exchange puts Domogalla on the very cutting edge of innovation. For example, L&M engineers – including Domogalla – have been working on industry-first thermal management systems (also called “chillers”) for battery-operated systems.
These systems have grown increasingly necessary in recent years, and are expected to continue to surge in popularity as the industry’s reliance on diesel engines wanes.
“As the world strives to go green, fuel cells and batteries will solve the carbon-neutral goals of mining companies and government agencies. Diesel engines will eventually make their way out,” said Domogalla. “My work developing Mesabi thermal management systems will help those green solutions come to life. The newness and challenge of it are so exciting for me. This is our future.”
Solving Problems Around the World
One point of pride for Domogalla is just how hands-on his work is.
“L&M engineers not only design the product, but we’re in front of the product,” said Domogalla. “We’re in the field supporting the product, we’re working closely with the end users to verify and make sure that we’re providing the best solution for them. I believe L&M has the most knowledgeable and experienced engineering team.”
More often than not, this means Domogalla travels to a customer to install a finished Mesabi cooling system. So far in his career, Domogalla has traveled to Panama, Russia, Finland, Australia, Canada, and “most of Europe.” But, his favorite city he’s visited is Stockholm, Sweden.
“I’ve gotten to see places through this job that I never thought I would get to see in my lifetime,” said Domogalla. “It’s turned out to be better than I could have imagined. I get to work with heavy equipment and travel, then come home to Minnesota. It doesn’t get any better than that.”
When he’s not globe-trotting or developing industry-first solutions to heavy-duty cooling problems, Domogalla enjoys all the wonderful things that come with living in northern Minnesota. He fishes all year round, hunts for deer and grouse, snowmobiles, and spends time at his family’s cabin. He loves to bring venison home to his wife and two daughters, who are two and four years old.
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