Dr. Zhiwei Yang

Zhiwei Yang received his bachelor’s degrees and doctorate from Tsinghua University in China. His Ph.D. research focused on dynamic modeling of entrained flow gasification systems. He joined LACER at Washington University in St. Louis as a post-doctoral researcher in 2014.

Research
Traditional coal power plants face challenges due to their large carbon footprints. However, coal is one our most important fuels, supplying 40% of the world’s electricity. Even in the U.S., a large fraction of our energy supply will continue to be supplied by coal combustion.

To mitigate the impacts of coal utilization on climate, advanced low carbon-emission technologies must be developed. Currently, LACER is developing a staged, pressurized oxy-combustion technology. The process incorporates a fuel-staged combustion mode for power plants designed for carbon management. The approach permits control of temperature and heat flux associated with oxy-combustion. The potential benefits of the process are higher efficiency and lower capital and operating costs. Reduced gas volumes, oxygen and auxiliary power demands, and increased CO2 purity in the flue gas are additional anticipated benefits.

The primary focus of Dr. Yang’s research is on developing dynamic process models as well as CFD simulation tools for the staged, pressurized oxy-combustion technology. The models will be used to guide the combustion reactor design and to evaluate the reliability and economics of the system.