Education Background
Ph.D in Mechanical Engineering Cornell University,Ithaca, NY 2006
M.S. in Mechanical Engineering Cornell University,Ithaca, NY 2005
B.S. in Mechanical Engineering Univ. of Sci. & Tech of China 2001
Work Experiences
Professor Tsinghua University, Beijing 2013-present
Assistant Professor University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 2011- 2013
Mechanical Engineer GE Global Research, Niskayuna, NY 2010- 2011
Fluid Specialist ANSYS/Fluent, Inc, Lebanon, NH 2008- 2010
Postdoctoral Research Associate Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 2006- 2007
Visiting scholar CTR, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 2004
Other Professional Positions
Professional Activities
Member of Combustion Institute; American Physical Society; Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics, senior member of AIAA
Editorial Board: Combustion Theory and Modelling
Journal Reviewer: Proceedings of the Combustion Institute; Combustion and Flame; Combustion Theory and Modeling; Energy and Fuels; Combustion Science and Technology; Computers and Fluids; Neural Computation; Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Quarterly; Communications in Computational Physics; Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science; ASME Turbo Expo 2012; ASME: Journal of Thermal Science and Engineering Applications; Journal of Fluids and Structures.
Research Areas and Interests
I am pursuing research in the disciplines of reactive flows, heat transfer, fluid mechanics, energy systems, and atmospheric chemistry and physics. Specifically, I am interested in
· Turbulence and combustion, statistical methods for turbulent reactive flows,
· Modeling and simulation of turbulent reactive flows with detailed chemistry.
· Combustion processes in energy and propulsion systems
· Pollutant prediction in atmospheric processes
· Renewable energy and sustainable energy systems
Honors and Awards
· Outstanding Performance Award ANSYS, Inc. 2009
· Bernard Lewis Fellowship The Combustion Institute 2008
· CTR 2004 Summer Program Fellowship Stanford University 2004
· Cornell Graduate School Fellowship Cornell University 2002
· McMullen Fellowship Cornell University 2001-2002
· Best B.S. Thesis Award Univ. of Sci. & Tech. of China 2001
Books and Patents
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Journal Publications
Referred Journal Articles ( *: corresponding author)
1. M. Kuron,Z. Ren*, E. R Hawkes, H. Zhou, H. Kolla, J. H. Chen, T. Lu, A mixing timescale model for TPDF simulations of turbulent premixed flames,Combustion and Flame, accepted, 2016
2. H. Wei, L. Zhou, H. Zhou, Z. Lu,Z. Ren*, G.M. Goldin “Toward efficient chemistry calculations in engine simulations through static adaptive acceleration”,Combustion Science and Technology, in press, 2016
3. H. Wei, C. Chen, H. Zhou, W. Zhao,Z. Ren*, “Effect of turbulent mixing on the end gas auto-ignition of n-heptane/air mixtures under IC Engine-relevant conditions”Combustion and Flame, 174, 25–36, 2016.
4. M. Kuron, E. R Hawkes,Z. Ren, J. Tang, H. Zhou, J. H. Chen, T. Lu, “Performance of transported PDF mixing models in a turbulent premixed flame”,Proceedings of the Combustion Institute, in press, 2016.
5. W. Xie, L. Zhen,Z. Ren*, L. Hou, “ Dynamic adaptive chemistry via species time-scale and Jacobian-aided rate analysis”,Proceedings of the Combustion Institute, in press, 2016
6. W. Ji, P. Zhao, P. Zhang,Z. Ren, X. He, C. K. Law, “On the crossover temperature and lower turnover state in the NTC regime”,Proceedings of the Combustion Institute, in press, 2016
7. Z. Ren*, Z. Lu, Y. Gao, T. Lu, L. Hou, “A kinetics-based method for constraint selection in rate-controlled constrained equilibrium”,Combustion Theory and Modelling, in press, 2016
8. B. Zhang,Z. Ren, S. Shi, S. Yan, F. Fang, “Numerical analysis of gasification and emission characteristics of a two-stage entrained flow gasifier”,Chemical Engineering Science, 152(2) 227-238, 2016
9. Z. Lu, L. Zhou,Z. Ren*, T. Lu, C. K. Law, “Effects of spray and turbulence modelling on the mixing and combustion characteristics of an n-heptane spray flame simulated with dynamic adaptive chemistry”,Flow Turbulence and Combustion, 97(2) 609-629, 2016
10. C. Xu, Y. Gao,Z. Ren, T. Lu, “A sparse stiff chemistry solver based on dynamic adaptive integration for efficient combustion simulations”,Combustion and Flame, 172, 183-193, 2016
11. H. Zhang, C. Han, T. Ye,Z. Ren“Large eddy simulation of turbulent premixed combustion using tabulated detailed chemistry and presumed probability density function”,Journal of Turbulence, 17(3) 327-355, 2016
12. L. Hou, X. Zhang,Z. Ren, Coke suppression of kerosene by wall catalytic steam reforming. Fuel Processing Technology, 2016, 154: 117-122.
13. X. Pei, L. Hou,Z. Ren, “Flow Pattern Effects on the Oxidation Deposition Rate of Aviation Kerosene”Energy & Fuels29 (9), 6088–6094, 2015
14. L. Zhou, Z. Lu,Z. Ren, T. Lu, K. H. Luo,Numerical analysis of ignition and flame stabilization in an n-heptane spray flame,International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, 88, 565–571, 2015
15. L. Zhou, Z. Lu,Z. Ren,T. Lu, et al., "Large Eddy Simulation of an n-Heptane Spray Flame with Dynamic Adaptive Chemistry under Different Oxygen Concentrations,"SAE Int. J. Engines8(2):447-454, 2015
16. O. Oluwole,Z. Ren, C. Petre, G.M. Goldin, “Decoupled species and reaction reduction: an error-controlled method for dynamic adaptive chemistry simulations”,Combustion and Flame, 162(5) 1934-1943, 2015
17. Y. Gao, Y. Liu,Z. Ren, T. Lu, “A dynamic adaptive method for hybrid integration of stiff chemistry”,Combustion and Flame, 162, 287-295,2015
18. L. Hou, N. Dong,Z. Ren, B. Zhang, S. Hu, “Cooling and coke deposition of hydrocarbon fuel with catalytic steam reforming”,Fuel Processing Technology, 128, 128-133, 2014
19. L. Hou, D. Niu,Z. Ren,“Partially premixed flamelet modeling in a hydrogen-fueled supersonic combustor”, International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 39 (17) , 9497–9504, 2014
20. Z. Ren*, Zhen Lu, L. Hou, L. Lu, “Numerical simulation of turbulent combustion: Scientific challenges”,SCIENCE CHINA Physics, Mechanics & Astronomy, 2014, 57(8):1495-1503
21. Z. Ren*, C. Xu, T. Lu, M.A. Singer, “Dynamic adaptive chemistry with operator splitting schemes for reactive flow simulations”,Journal of Computational Physics, 263, 19–36, 2014
22. Z. Ren*,Y. Liu, T. Lu, L. Lu, O.O. Oluwole, G.M. Goldin,“The use of dynamic adaptive chemistry and tabulation in reactive flow simulations”,Combustion and Flame,161, 127-137, 2014
23. Z. Ren*, H. Yang; T. Lu, “Effects of small-scale turbulence on NOx formation in premixed flame fronts”,Fuel,115, 241-247, 2014
24. W. Xiao, Y. Guo, Z. Ren, G. Wrobel,Z. Ren, T. Lu, P. Gao, “Mechanical agitation assisted growth of large scale and uniform ZnO nanorod arrays within 3D multi-channel monolithic substrates”,Crystal Growth & Design, 13 (8), 3657–3664, 2013
25. H. Yang,Z. Ren*, T. Lu, G.M. Goldin, “Dynamic adaptive chemistry for turbulent flame simulations”,Combustion Theory and Modelling, 17( 1), 167-183, 2013
26. Z. Ren*,G.M. Goldin, V. Hiremath, and S.B. Pope, “Simulations of a turbulent nonpremixed flame using combined dimension reduction and tabulation for combustion chemistry”,Fuel, 105, 636-644, 2013
27. H. Yang,Z. Ren*, T. Lu, G.M. Goldin, “Dynamic adaptive chemistry for turbulent flame simulations”,Combustion Theory and Modelling, 17( 1), 167-183, 2013
28. Z. Ren*,G.M. Goldin, V. Hiremath, and S.B. Pope, “Simulations of a turbulent nonpremixed flame using combined dimension reduction and tabulation for combustion chemistry”,Fuel, 105, 636-644 2013
29. T. Zhang, Y. Xin,Z.Ren, F. Qi, C.K. Law, “Catalytic oxidation of methane over PdO in wire microcalorimetry”,Combustion and Flame, 160, 149-154, 2013
30. Z. Ren, S.L. Wang, and M.A. Singer, “Modeling hemodynamics in an unoccluded and partially occluded inferior vena cava under rest and exercise conditions”, Medical & Biological Engineering & Computing, 50 (3) 277-287, 2012
31. Z. Ren*,G.M. Goldin, V. Hiremath, and S.B. Pope, “Reduced description of reactive flows with tabulation of chemistry”,Combustion Theory and Modelling, 15(6), 827-848 (2011)
32. V. Hiremath,Z. Ren, and S.B. Pope, “Combined dimension reduction and tabulation strategy using ISAT–RCCE–GALI for the efficient implementation of combustion chemistry”,Combustion and Flame,
158(11) (2011) 2113-2127
33. Z. Ren*and G.M. Goldin, “An efficient time scale model with tabulation of chemical equilibrium”,Combustion and Flame, 158(10) (2011) 1977-1979
34. V. Hiremath,Z. Ren, and S.B. Pope, “A greedy algorithm for species selection in dimension reduction of combustion chemistry”,Combustion Theory and Modelling, 14(5) (2010) 619-652
35. G.M. Goldin,Z. Ren, and S. Zahirovic, “A cell agglomeration algorithm for accelerating detailed chemistry in CFD”,Combustion Theory and Modelling, 13(4) (2009) 721-739
36. L. Lu, S.R. Lantz,Z. Ren, and S.B. Pope, “Computationally efficient implementation of combustion chemistry in parallel PDF calculations”,Journal of Computational Physics, 228 (2009) 5490-5525.
37. Z. Ren*and S.B. Pope, “Sensitivity calculations in PDF modeling of turbulent flames”,Proceedings of the Combustion Institute, 32 (2009) 1629-1637.
38. S.B. Pope andZ. Ren, “Efficient implementation of chemistry in computational combustion”,Flow, Turbulence and Combustion, 82(4) (2009) 437-453.
39. Z. Ren*and S.B. Pope, “Second-order splitting schemes for a class of reactive systems”,Journal of Computational Physics, 227 (2008), 8165-8176.
40. Z. Ren*and S.B. Pope, “Sensitivity calculations in PDF particle method”,Combustion and Flame, 153 (2008), 202-215.
41. Z. Ren*and S.B. Pope, “Reduced description of complex dynamics in reactive systems”,Journal of Physical Chemistry A,111 (2007) 8464-8474.
42. Z. Ren*and S.B. Pope, “Transport-chemistry coupling in the reduced description of reactive flows”,Combustion Theory and Modelling, 11(5) (2007) 1-25.
43. Z. Ren*, S.B. Pope, A. Vladimirsky, and J.M. Guckenheimer, “Application of the ICE-PIC method for the dimension reduction of chemical kinetics coupled with transport”,Proceedings of the Combustion Institute, 31 (2007) 473-481.
44. Z. Ren*and S.B. Pope, “The use of slow manifolds in reactive flows”,Combustion and Flame, 147 (2006) 243-261.
45. Z. Ren*, S.B. Pope, A. Vladimirsky, and J.M. Guckenheimer, “The ICE-PIC method for the dimension reduction of chemical kinetics”,Journal of Chemical Physics, 124 (2006) 114111.
46. Z. Ren*and S.B. Pope, “The geometry of reaction trajectories and attracting manifolds in composition space”,Combustion Theory and Modelling, 10 (3) (2006) 361-388.
47. Z. Ren*and S.B. Pope, “Species reconstruction using pre-image curves”,Proceedings of the Combustion Institute,30 (2005) 1293-1300.
48. Z. Ren*and S.B. Pope, “Entropy production and element conservation in the quasi-steady-state approximation”,Combustion and Flame, 137 (2004) 251-254.
49. Z. Ren*and S.B. Pope, “An investigation of the performance of turbulent mixing models”,Combustion and Flame,136 (2004) 208-216.