Professor Yang Zhang

School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering

School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering

Professor of Combustion and Energy

Yang Zhang
Profile picture of Yang Zhang
yz100@sheffield.ac.uk
+44 114 222 7880
+44 114 222 7890 (fax)
Sir Frederick Mappin Building

Full contact details

Professor Yang Zhang
School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering
Sir Frederick Mappin Building
Mappin Street
Sheffield
S1 3JD
Profile

Professor Yang Zhang received BEng from Zhejiang University, China and PhD in the Engineering Department of Cambridge University. He then worked as a Research Associate and Research Fellow (Darwin College, Cambridge University) on two projects (Integrated Diesel European Action : IDEA and the follow-on project IDEA EFFECT) supported by six European car manufacturers and EU. After this, he moved to UMIST and then the University of Manchester before taking the Chair of Combustion and Energy in Sheffield.

His laboratory specialises in combustion and advanced flow diagnostics. The combustion lab has several lab scale burners for both fundamental research and teaching. An industrial gas turbine combustor (1 MW) is available for testing and research. A high pressure test burner up to 20 bar has been built for combustion studies. The burner has two quartz windows and two pure silicon windows, which are transparent to infrared and longer wavelength (e.g. Terahertz wave).

Besides the conventional diagnostic techniques, the group is known for in-house developed diagnostic techniques, which can be applied not only in flame dynamics studies but also in many fast moving dynamic systems. The team has great strength in signal and image processing capabilities, including multi-channel data acquisition, high speed imaging and stereo imaging.

Research interests
  • Digital image and signal processing of flame dynamics and structure
  • Flame and acoustic wave interactions
  • Combustion instability
  • Innovative flow diagnostics and data processing
  • Clean coal combustion
  • Future energy system

Research projects

  • Laminar flame dynamics at high pressure
  • Fuel variability effect on combustion instability
  • High speed stereo Schlieren imaging of flame dynamics and structure
  • Flame and acoustic wave interactions
  • 3D Imaging of re-ignition process in a jet engine combustor at sub atmospheric conditions
  • Turbulent impinging flames
Publications

Journal articles

  • Lei H, Zhang Y & Khandelwal B (2025) . Fuel, 401.
  • Meng X, Lai Y, Zhang Z, Willmott J & Zhang Y (2025) . Fuel, 401.
  • Aboalhamayie A, Zhang Y & Ghamari M (2025) . Fuel, 380.
  • Wang B, Lai Y, Liu X, Davies M, Willmott JR, Zhang Y & Yang J (2025) . Combustion Science and Technology, 197(9), 2223-2245.
  • Lai Y, Liu X, Pan M, Davies M, Fisk C, King D, Zhang Y & Willmott J (2024) . Fuel, 378, 132901-132901.
  • Pan M, Liu X, Lai Y, Zhang Y & Zhang Y (2024) . Aerospace, 11(12).
  • Aboalhamayie A, Ahmad N, Zhang Y, Ghamari M, Salah N & Alshahrani J (2024) . Fuel Processing Technology, 266.
  • Lai Y, Liu X, Davies M, Fisk C, Holliday M, King D, Zhang Y & Willmott J (2024) . Fuel, 373, 132397-132397.
  • Liu X, Lai Y, Fisk C, Willmott J, Zhou H & Zhang Y (2024) . Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science, 150.
  • Lai Y, Liu X, Li Y, Leonidas E, Fisk C, Yang J, Zhang Y & Willmott J (2023) . Construction and Building Materials, 407.
  • Lai Y, Liu X, Fisk C, Davies M, Wang Y, Yang J, du Plessis C, Cotton L, Zhang Y & Willmott J (2023) . Fire Safety Journal, 140.
  • Zheng L, Wei C, Zhang Y & Khandelwal B (2023) . The Aeronautical Journal, 127(1317), 1952-1967.
  • Liu X, Zhou H, Lai Y & Zhang Y (2023) . Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science, 146.
  • Zhao H, Zhao D, Becker S & Zhang Y (2023) . Fuel, 341.
  • Liu X, Zhou H, Lai Y & Zhang Y (2023) . Journal of Sound and Vibration, 547.
  • Wang Q, Zhu P, Mei XH, Foroughi V, Casal J, Planas E, Albadi A, Zhang YC & Zhang Y (2023) . Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science, 140.
  • Lai Y, Albadi A, Liu X, Davies M, Hobbs M, Willmott J & Zhang Y (2022) . Proceedings of the Combustion Institute.
  • Fuad Abdul Rasid A & Zhang Y (2022) . Journal of Advanced Research in Fluid Mechanics and Thermal Sciences, 96(1), 60-69.
  • Yang J, Ma Z, Huang L, Li X, Jiang H, Yang H & Zhang Y (2022) . Thermal Science and Engineering Progress, 30, 101250-101250.
  • Lai Y, Wang X, Rockett TBO, Willmott JR & Zhang Y (2022) . Fire Safety Journal, 127.
  • Zheng L, Singh P, Cronly J, Ubogu EA, Ahmed I, Ling C, Zhang Y & Khandelwal B (2021) . Journal of Energy Resources Technology, 143(12).
  • Faik AME-D, Theeb MA & Zhang Y (2021) . International Journal of Renewable Energy Development, 10(2), 297-306.
  • Wang Q, Mei XH, Wei ZY, Zhao CY & Zhang Y (2021) . Fuel, 290.
  • Abdul Rasid AF & Zhang Y (2021) . Proceedings of the Combustion Institute, 38(2), 3159-3166.
  • Albadi A & Zhang Y (2020) . Review of Scientific Instruments, 91(12).
  • Lai Y, Wang X, Rockett TBO, Willmott JR, Zhou H & Zhang Y (2020) . Fire Safety Journal, 118.
  • Albadi A & Zhang Y (2020) . Proceedings of the Combustion Institute, 38(3), 4605-4613.
  • Muneerel-Deen Faik A & Zhang Y (2020) . Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science, 115.
  • Sun Y, Zhao D, Ni S, David T & Zhang Y (2020) . Energy, 194.
  • Faik AMED, Zhang Y & Hanriot SDM (2019) . Heat Transfer Engineering, 40(13-14), 1085-1098.
  • Zhang J & Zhang Y (2019) . Fuel, 247, 135-147.
  • Yang J, Ma Z & Zhang Y (2019) . Measurement, 141, 235-240.
  • Zheng L, Cronly J, Ubogu E, Ahmed I, Zhang Y & Khandelwal B (2019) . Applied Energy, 238, 1530-1542.
  • Rasid AFA & Zhang Y (2019) . Proceedings of the Combustion Institute, 37(3), 3401-3408.
  • Zheng L, Ji S & Zhang Y (2018) . Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science, 98, 683-692.
  • Zheng L, Ling C, Ubogu EA, Cronly J, Ahmed I, Zhang Y & Khandelwal B (2018) . Energy & Fuels, 32(9), 9883-9897.
  • Mortazavi H, Wang Y, Ma Z & Zhang Y (2018) . Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science, 92, 97-102.
  • Faik AMD & Zhang Y (2018) . Fuel, 221, 89-109.
  • Wang Q, Zhang Y & Zhao C (2018) . Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science, 91, 184-196.
  • Gan Y, Chen X, Tong Y, Zhang X & Zhang Y (2018) . Applied Thermal Engineering, 128, 274-281.
  • Carranza F & Zhang Y (2017) . Powder Technology, 311, 185-199.
  • Wang Y, Zheng L, Woolley R & Zhang Y (2016) . Fuel, 185, 500-507.
  • Gan Y, Zhang X, Li H, Tong Y, Zhang Y, Shi Y & Yang Z (2016) . Journal of Aerosol Science, 98, 15-29.
  • Fu J, Leung CW, Huang Z, Zhang Y & Cheung CS (2016) . Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science, 70, 335-340.
  • Chen LW & Zhang Y (2015) . Flow Measurement and Instrumentation, 46(Part A), 12-17.
  • Wang Q, Zhao CY & Zhang Y (2015) . Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science, 62, 78-84.
  • Zheng L & Zhang Y (2015) . Energy Procedia, 66, 237-240.
  • Wang Y & Zhang Y (2015) . Energy Procedia, 66, 241-244.
  • Yang J, Mossa FMS, Huang HW, Wang Q, Woolley R & Zhang Y (2015) . Proceedings of the Combustion Institute, 35(2), 2075-2082.
  • Clifton L, Clifton DA, Zhang Y, Watkinson P, Tarassenko L & Yin H (2014) . IEEE Transactions on Reliability, 63(2), 455-467.
  • Wang Q, Yang J, Huang HW, Zhang Y & Zhao C (2014) . Fuel, 116, 448-454.
  • Thi LD, Zhang Y, Fu J & Huang Z (2013) . Canadian Journal of Chemical Engineering.
  • Huang H & Zhang Y (2013) . International Journal of Hydrogen Energy(38), 4839-4847.
  • Chen LW, Wang Q & Zhang Y (2013) . Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science, 45, 227-233.
  • Wang Q, Zhao C, Huang HW & Zhang Y (2013) . Fuel.
  • Fu J, Tang C, Jin W, Thi LD, Huang Z & Zhang Y (2012) . International Journal of Hydrogen Energy.
  • Huang HW, Yang J, Zhang Y & Wang Q (2012) . Fuel.
  • McDaid C, Zhou J & Zhang Y (2012) . Fuel.
  • Hu E, Fu J, Pan L, Jiang X, Huang Z & Zhang Y (2012) . International Journal of Hydrogen Energy.
  • Wang Q, Zhang Y, Tang HJ & Zhu M (2012) . Combustion Science and Technology, 184(10-11), 1445-1455.
  • Wang Q & Zhang Y (2012) . Combustion Science and Technology, 184(10-11), 1526-1540.
  • Chen LW, Wang Q & Zhang Y (2012) . Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science, 41, 84-93.
  • Wang Q, Huang H, Tan HJ, Zhu M & Zhang Y (2012) . Fuel: the science and technology of fuel and energy.
  • Huang HW & Zhang Y (2012) . International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 37(6), 5257-5267.
  • Wang Q, Gohari Darabkhani H, Chen L & Zhang Y (2012) . Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science, 37, 84-90.
  • Huang HW & Zhang Y (2011) Syngas combustion radiation profiling through spectrometry and DFCD processing techniques. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy.
  • Wang Q, Gohari Darabkhani H, Chen L & Zhang Y (2011) Vortex dynamics and structures of methane/air jet diffusion flames with air coflow. Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science.
  • McDaid C & Zhang Y (2011) . Measurement Science and Technology, 22(12).
  • Gohari Darabkhani H, Wang Q, Chen L & Zhang Y (2011) . Energy Conversion and Management, 52(8-9), 2996-3003.
  • Wang Q & Zhang Y (2011) . MEAS SCI TECHNOL, 22(6).
  • Su ZX, Zhou WZ & Zhang Y (2011) . CHEM COMMUN, 47(16), 4700-4702.
  • Huang HW & Zhang Y (2011) . MEAS SCI TECHNOL, 22(7).
  • Li J & Zhang Y (2011) . Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers Part C Journal of Mechanical Engineering Science, 225(1), 155-162.
  • Huang HW & Zhang Y (2010) . MEAS SCI TECHNOL, 21(8).
  • Darabkhani HG & Zhang Y (2010) . COMBUST SCI TECHNOL, 182(3), 231-251.
  • G Darabkhani H & Yang Z (2010) Stabilisation Mechanism of a Flickering Methane Diffusion Flame with Co-flow of Air. Engineering Letters, 18(4).
  • Huang HW & Zhang Y (2010) Digital colour image processing based measurement of premixed CH4 + air and C2H4 + air flame chemiluminescence. Fuel.
  • Han Y, Zhang Y, Zhang H & Han G (2009) . Journal of Quantitative Spectroscopy and Radiative Transfer, 110(14-16), 1375-1381.
  • Bassi J, Stringer M, Miles B & Zhang Y (2009) . Frontiers of Energy and Power Engineering in China, 3(2), 123-133.
  • Li J & Zhang Y (2009) . Frontiers of Energy and Power Engineering in China, 3(2), 134-140.
  • Bassi J, Gohari Darabkhani H, Huang H & Zhang Y (2009) . Fuel, 88(2), 264-271.
  • Han G, Han Y, Liu J & Zhang Y (2008) . Journal of the Optical Society of America B, 25(12), 2064-2064.
  • Wang R, Li X & Zhang Y (2008) . Journal of the European Optical Society-Rapid Publications, 3, 08033-08033.
  • Huang HW & Zhang Y (2008) . Meas. Sci. Technol., 19(8).
  • Zhang Y, Hajim S, Bassi J & Farhat S (2008) . The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 123(5_Supplement), 3403-3403.
  • Cheung KY & Zhang Y (2006) . Measurement Science and Technology, 17(12), 3221-3228.
  • Xu J, Zhao C, Zhang Y & Zhang Y (2006) . Science Bulletin, 51(7), 777-784.
  • Zhang Y (2006) Three-dimensional reconstruction of free-flying insect based on single camera. Guangxue Xuebao/Acta Optica Sinica.
  • Clifton LA, Yin H & Zhang Y (2006) , 836-843.
  • Zhao CX, Xu JL & Zhang Y (2005) . Journal of Flow Visualization and Image Processing, 12(4), 343-362.
  • Farhat SA, Ng WB & Zhang Y (2005) . Fuel, 84(14-15), 1760-1767.
  • Bassi J, Naftaly M, Miles B & Zhang Y (2005) . Flow Measurement and Instrumentation, 16(5), 341-345.
  • Cheung K, Ng WB & Zhang Y (2005) . Flow Measurement and Instrumentation, 16(5), 295-302.
  • Ng WB & Zhang Y (2005) . International Journal of Imaging Systems and Technology, 15(2), 114-122.
  • Farhat S, Kleiner D & Zhang Y (2005) . Combustion and Flame, 142(3), 317-323.
  • Ng WB, Syed KJ & Zhang Y (2005) . Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science, 29(6), 715-723.
  • Ng WB, Clough E, Syed KJ & Zhang Y (2004) . Measurement Science and Technology, 15(11), 2303-2309.
  • Ng WB & Zhang Y (2003) . Experiments in Fluids, 34(4), 484-493.
  • Ng WB, Salem AF & Zhang Y (2003) . Journal of Visualization, 6(4), 329-336.
  • Foat T, Yap KP & Zhang Y (2001) . Combustion and Flame, 125(1-2), 839-851.
  • Papadopoulos T, Pritchard M, Green C & Zhang Y (2001) . Journal of Visualization, 4(2), 179-184.
  • Yuan J & Zhang Y (2000) . Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Series C: Applied Statistics, 49(4), 509-515.
  • Zhang Y (2000) . Experiments in Fluids, 29(7), S282-S290.
  • Chan WT, Craft TJ & Zhang Y (2000) Modelling of turbulent impinging jet flames. American Society of Mechanical Engineers Pressure Vessels and Piping Division Publication PVP, 424, 227-237.
  • ZHANG Y & BRAY K (1999) . Combustion and Flame, 116(4), 671-674.
  • ZHANG Y, BRAY KNC & ROGG B (1998) . Combustion Science and Technology, 137(1-6), 347-358.
  • CHANG CS, ZHANG Y, BRAY KNC & ROGG B (1996) . Combustion Science and Technology, 113(1), 205-219.
  • ZHANG Y, BRAY KNC & ROGG B (1996) . Combustion Science and Technology, 113(1), 255-271.
  • ZHANG Y, ROGG B & BRAY KNC (1995) . Combustion Science and Technology, 105(4-6), 211-227.
  • Lakshmisha KN, Zhang Y, Rogg B & Bray KNC (1992) . Symposium (International) on Combustion, 24(1), 421-428.
  • Ma Z, Yang J, Li X, Huang L, Liu R & Zhang Y () . Journal of Vibration Engineering & Technologies.
  • Zhang Y () . Aerospace, 1(3), 100-100.

Book chapters

  • Hisham SHB, Abdul Rasid AF, Tamaldin N, Zamberi MM & Zhang Y (2024) , Lecture Notes in Mechanical Engineering (pp. 459-466). Springer Nature Singapore
  • Bin Abdul Rasid AF & Zhang Y (2022) , Lecture Notes in Mechanical Engineering (pp. 448-451). Springer Nature Singapore
  • Wang Q, Zhang Y & Zhao CY (2013) Stereoscopic schlieren/shadowgraph 3D reconstruction techniques and its applications, 3D Reconstruction Methods Applications and Challenges (pp. 83-105).
  • Ng WB, Cheung KY & Zhang Y (2002) Flame Visualisation Enhancement by Image Processing Techniques In Greated, C, Cosgrove, J & Buick J (Ed.), Optical Methods for Data Processing in Heat and Fluid Flow John Wiley & Sons

Conference proceedings

  • Zheng L, Ji S & Zhang Y (2017) Impact of acoustic excitation frequency on laminar premixed flame. ICDERS proceedings. Boston, USA, 30 July 2017 - 30 July 2017.
  • Zheng L, Ji S & Zhang Y (2017) Experimental Investigation on the flame wrinkle fluctuation under external acoustic excitation. ICDERS Proceedings. Boston, USA, 30 July 2017 - 30 July 2017.
  • Zheng L, Faik A & Zhang Y (2016) Flame colour analysis for the droplet combustion of water-in-diesel emulsions. 12th HEFAT proceedings (pp 212-217). Costa del Sol, Spain, 11 July 2016 - 11 July 2016.
  • Faik AMED & Zhang Y (2015) . EFM14 – Experimental Fluid Mechanics 2014, Vol. 92. Czech Republic
  • Ma Z & Zhang Y (2014) . Aip Conference Proceedings, Vol. 1592 (pp 246-253)
  • Saeed H, Huang HW & Zhang Y (2014) . Aip Conference Proceedings, Vol. 1592 (pp 187-197)
  • Darabkhani HG, Oakey J, Zhang Y & Keshmiri A (2013) Study of the flame structure and dynamics using nonintrusive combustion diagnostic techniques. 43rd Fluid Dynamics Conference
  • Darabkhani HG, Banuelos-Saucedo M, Young J, Stringer M, Wright P, Wang Q, Zhang Y, Miles RE & Ozanyan KB (2012) . Proceedings of IEEE Sensors
  • Darabkhani HG, Oakey JE & Zhang Y (2011) . ASME 2011 5th International Conference on Energy Sustainability Es 2011(PARTS A, B, AND C) (pp 941-950)
  • Gohari Darabkhani H & Zhang Y (2010) Suppression dynamics of a laminar oscillating diffusion flame with co-flow air. Wce 2010 World Congress on Engineering 2010, Vol. 2 (pp 1421-1426)
  • Stringer MR, Bassi J, Miles RE, Zhang Y & Ozanyan K (2008) . 2008 33rd International Conference on Infrared, Millimeter and Terahertz Waves (pp 1-2), 15 September 2008 - 19 September 2008.
  • Clifton LA, Yin H, Clifton DA & Zhang Y (2007) . 2007 IEEE International Conference on Networking, Sensing and Control (pp 495-500), 15 April 2007 - 17 April 2007.
  • Farhat S & Zhang Y (2006) Jet diffusion flame properties in acoustic standing wave. 13th International Congress on Sound and Vibration 2006 Icsv 2006, Vol. 1 (pp 606-613)
  • Naftaly M, Stringer MR, Miles RE, Bassi J & Zhang Y (2005) Terahertz transmission spectroscopy of high-pressure flames. Joint 30th International Conference on Infrared and Millimeter Waves and 13th International Conference on Terahertz Electronics 2005 Irmmw Thz 2005, Vol. 2 (pp 415-416)
  • Ng WB & Zhang Y (2003) . SPIE Proceedings, Vol. 5006 (pp 327-327)
  • Zhang Y, Bray KNC & Rogg B (1996) Time resolved two-dimensional visualization of flame and wall interactions. INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR ON OPTICAL METHODS AND DATA PROCESSING IN HEAT AND FLUID FLOW, Vol. 1996(3) (pp 111-120)
  • Zhang Y, Bray KNC, Walder B, Boaler J & Mangat S (1995) High speed laser sheet tomography of flame and wall interactions. FLOW VISUALIZATION VII (pp 518-523)
  • Zhang Y, Rogg B & Bray KNC (1991) Ignition in turbulent non-premixed systems. Internationale Jahrestagung Fraunhofer Institut Fuer Treib Und Explosivstoffe (pp 27.14)
Grants
  • Clean Energy Utilisation from Biogas and Biomass Gasification (until 2016), EPSRC
  • Coupling Membrane with a High Speed Camera and its Analysis (until 2013), John Crane
  • Clean Coal Combustion: Burning Issues of Syngas Burning (until 2012), EPSRC
  • Fuel Variability Effect on Combustion Stability (until 2013), BP Alternative Energy Intl Ltd.
  • GT100 Combustor Test (until 2012), Siemens Industrial Turbomachinery Ltd
  • Intumescent Paint Under Fire Impingement (until 2013), International Paint Ltd.
  • Digital Stereo Imaging and Signal Processing Based Condition Monitoring Technology for Wind Turbine Blades (until 2012), KTA.
Teaching interests
  • Advanced Aero Propulsion
  • Experiments and Modelling
  • Fluids Laboratory and Aero Group Design