Author: Stefaan Simons

Professor Yulong Ding holds the founding Chamberlain chair of Chemical Engineering and RAEng- Highview Chair of Cryogenic Energy Storage. He is the founding Director of the Birmingham Centre for Energy Storage at the University of Birmingham (Uo B) and founding Co-Director of Joint Uo B–GEIRIEU Industrial Lab for Energy Storage Research. He joined Birmingham in October 2013. Prior to this appointment, he was Professor and Director of Institute of Particle Science & Engineering at the University of Leeds. Professor Ding’s research has been multidisciplinary, across energy engineering, chemical & process engineering, materials and physics. His current research interests cover both fundamental and applied aspects, with the fundamental research focusing on multiphase transport phenomena across length scales, and the applied research concentrating on new energy storage technologies, and microstructured materials for heat transfer intensification and energy harvesting and storage applications. He has published over 450 papers with ~250 in peer reviewed journals (H-Index of ~ 52), filed over 50 patents. He invented the liquid air energy storage and cryogenic engine technologies and led the initial stage of development/validation of the technologies, which are respectively commercialised by Highview Power and Dearman Engine, two UK engineering companies. He is a leading researcher in thermal energy storage using composite phase change materials. He developed a general method for formulating and large-scale manufacture of the materials, and led the technology development and commercialisation. He is a receiver of the Distinguished Energy Storage Individual Award (Beijing International Energy Storage and Expo, 2018); Finalist of UK Energy Innovation Awards – Best University Technology (Composite Phase Change Materials, 2017); Cryogenic Energy Storage Research Chair Award (Royal Academy of Engineering, 2014); Beijing Municipal Science and Technology Achievements Award (First Prize, Advanced Compressed Air Energy Storage System, 2014); Energy & Environment Award and Technology and Innovation Grand Prix Award (Liquid Air Energy Storage, ‘The Engineer’ Magazine, 2011); 1000-Talent Expert (Chinese Government, 2009); and Transport Phenomena – Innovative Teaching (First Prize, Ministry of Metallurgical Industry of China, 1993, and First Prize, Beijing Municipal City, 1994).