Currently I am interested in the research and development of renewable energy & solar thermal energy, concentrated solar power (CSP) technologies, solar thermochemical fuel production & energy storage, solar desalination, heat and mass transfer with/without reactions in porous media or packed beds, computational fluid dynamics, numerical heat transfer and enhancements, energy saving technologies, etc.
Including but not limited to the following research topics:
1. Efficient renewable energy & solar thermal energy applications
2. Concentrated solar collectors & receivers modeling and analysis
3. High-efficiency photo-thermal conversion mechanisms
4. High-efficiency solar absorber designing & optimizations
5. Solar thermochemistry for hydrogen production and energy storage
6. Catalytic chemical reactions in micro-channel/miniture energy systems
7. Heat and mass transfer and fluid flow in porous media or packed beds
8. Computational Fluid Dynamics for heat transfer and enhancements
9. Monte Carlo ray-tracing simulations and optimizations on optical systems
I'm also interested in Monte Carlo ray-tracing methodology, thermal stress problems, thermal management technologies, thermochemistry catalyst characteristics, thermal/chemical energy storage, carbon capture & utilization & storage, carbon neutral, efficient conversion technologies for biomass to renewable energy, etc.
Opening positions for graduate students are available at Dr. Cheng's group.
The candidates must have a Bachelor degree, with solid training in one of the fields of Renewable Energy, Power Engineering and Engineering Thermophysics, Thermo-Fluid Science and Engineering, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science or closely related fields. Those who are enthusiastic, ambitious and determined to develop excellent academic and industrial careers are particularly welcome.