Research Interests

Practical propulsion and energy application-oriented fundamental research on thermofluid multiphysics processes: 

Turbulent Combustion, Thermoacoustic Instability, MILD/Flameless Combustion, Supersonic Flows, High-fidelity Numerical Simulation, Massively Parallel Computing, Physics-infomed Machine Learning

【Thermofluid Multiphysics Group】We look for highly motivated, enthusiastic and fun researchers to join our team, preferably with fluid mechanics, thermophysics or computer science background. All starting levels and all nationalities are welcome!

Professional Experience

2021.06 – Present       Peking University | Assistant Professor
2019.11 – 2021.05      University of Cambridge | College Senior Research Fellow (P.I.)
2019.05 – 2019.07      German Aerospace Center (DLR) | Visiting Scientist
2018.01 – 2018.02      Sandia National Labs | Visiting Scholar
2017.05 – 2019.11      University of Cambridge | Postdoctoral Research Associate 

Education

2012.10 – 2017.04      University of Cambridge | Ph.D.  
2010.10 – 2012.07      University of Birmingham | B.Eng. 
2008.09 – 2010.06      Huazhong University of Science and Technology | B.Eng. 

Awards & Honours

2020    Bernard Lewis Fellowship, The Combustion Institute
2019    Tier 1 Exceptional Talent, Royal Academy of Engineering, UK
2019    Fellow of Robinson College, University of Cambridge, UK
2018    Transnational Access Award, EU Horizon 2020
2017    Best Use of ARCHER, EPSRC, UK

Selected Publications

– Book Chapters

Z. X. Chen*, I. Langella, N. Swaminathan. “The Role of CFD in Modern Jet Engine Combustor Design” in Environmental Impact of Aviation and Sustainable Solutions, R. K. Agarwal (eds.), ISBN 978-1-83962-358-5, Intech Open Ltd., London, UK (2019). DOI

– Journal Articles

1. Z. X. Chen*, S. Iavarone, G. Ghiasi, V. Kanan, G. D’Alessio, A. Parente, N. Swaminathan. “Application of machine learning for filtered density function closure in MILD combustion”, Combust. Flame, 225:160-179 (2021). DOI
2. M. Zhao^#, Z. X. Chen^#, H. Zhang*, N. Swaminathan. “Large Eddy simulation of a supersonic lifted hydrogen flame with perfectly stirred reactor model”. Combust. Flame, 230:111441 (2021). DOI
3. Z. Li*, S. Tomasch, Z. X. Chen*, A. Parente, I. S. Ertesvåg, N. Swaminathan. “Study of MILD combustion using LES and advanced analysis tools”. Proc. Combust. Inst., 38:5423-5432 (2021). DOI
4. S. Iavarone*, A. Péquin, Z. X. Chen*, N. A. D. Doan, N. Swaminathan, A. Parente*. “An a-priori assessment of the Partially Stirred Reactor (PaSR) model for MILD combustion”. Proc. Combust. Inst., 38:5403-5414 (2021). DOI
5. Z. X. Chen*, N. Swaminathan. “Influence of fuel plenum on thermoacoustic oscillations inside a swirl combustor”. Fuel, 275:117868 (2020). DOI
6. Z. X. Chen*^#, I. Langella*^#, R. S. Barlow*, N. Swaminathan. “Prediction of local extinctions in piloted jet flames with inhomogeneous inlets using unstrained flamelets”. Combust. Flame, 212:415-423 (2020). DOI-
7. Z. X. Chen*, I. Langella, N. Swaminathan, M. Stöhr, W. Meier, H. Kolla. “Large Eddy Simulation of a dual swirl gas turbine combustor: Flame/flow structures and stabilisation under thermoacoustically stable and unstable conditions”. Combust. Flame, 203:279-300 (2019). DOI
8. Z. X. Chen*, N. Swaminathan, M. Stöhr, W. Meier. “Interaction between self-excited oscillations and fuel-air mixing in a dual swirl combustor”, Proc. Combust. Inst., 37:2325-2333 (2019). DOI
9. J. C. Massey, Z. X. Chen*, N. Swaminathan. “Lean flame root dynamics inside a model gas turbine combustor”. Combust. Sci. Technol., 191:1019-1042 (2019). DOI
10. Z. X. Chen*, N. A. K. Doan, X. J. Lv, N. Swaminathan, G. Ceriello, G. Sorrentino, A. Cavaliere. “A numerical study of a cyclonic combustor under MILD conditions using non-adiabatic tabulated chemistry”, Energy Fuels, 32:10256-10265 (2018). DOI
11. Z. X. Chen*, N. A. K. Doan, S. Ruan, I. Langella, N. Swaminathan. “A priori investigation of subgrid correlation of mixture fraction and progress variable in partially premixed flames”. Combust. Theory Model., 22:862-882 (2018). DOI
12. Z. Chen, V. M. Reddy, S. Ruan, N. A. K. Doan, W. L. Roberts*, N. Swaminathan. “Simulation of MILD combustion using Perfectly Stirred Reactor model”. Proc. Combust. Inst., 36:4279-4286 (2017). DOI
13. Z. Chen*, S. Ruan, N. Swaminathan. “Large Eddy Simulation of flame edge evolution in a spark-ignited methane-air jet”. Proc. Combust. Inst., 36:1645-1652 (2017). DOI
14. Z. Chen*, S. Ruan, N. Swaminathan. “Numerical study of transient evolution of lifted jet flames: partially premixed flame propagation and influence of physical dimensions”. Combust. Theory Model., 20:592-612 (2016). DOI
15. Z. Chen, S. Ruan, N. Swaminathan*. “Simulation of turbulent lifted methane jet flames: Effects of air-dilution and transient flame propagation”. Combust. Flame, 162:703-716 (2015). DOI
16. J. C. Massey*, Z. X. Chen, N. Swaminathan. “Modelling Heat Loss Effects in the LES of a Lean Swirl-Stabilised Flame Close To Blow-Off”, Flow, Turbul. Combust., 106:1355-1378 (2021). DOI
17. I. Langella, Z. X. Chen, N. Swaminathan*, S. K. Sadasivuni. “Large- Eddy Simulation of Reacting Flows in Industrial Gas Turbine Combustor”, J. Propuls. Power, 34:1269-1284 (2018). DOI
18. G. Wang, X. Liu, L. Li*, Z. X. Chen, F. Qi. “Investigation on the flame front and flow field in acoustically excited swirling flames with and without confinement”, Combust. Sci. Technol., in press. DOI