Keynote Lectures
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Professor Athanasios Tsolakis, University of Birmingham, U.K.
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Professor Heinz Pitsch, RWTH Aachen University, Germany
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Dr. Laurent Gicquel, CERFACS, Toulouse, France
Dr. Huangwei Zhang
National University of Singapore, Singapore
Short-biography:
Huangwei Zhang is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the National University of Singapore (NUS). He received his PhD in Combustion from the University of Cambridge.
Short-biography:
Huangwei Zhang is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the National University of Singapore (NUS). He received his PhD in Combustion from the University of Cambridge. His research focuses on combustion and reacting flows, particularly low-carbon fuels including hydrogen and ammonia, detonation, and energy safety. His recent research has focused on ammonia-fuelled gas turbines and integrated ammonia cracking–combustion technologies for low-carbon power generation, funded by Singapore’s Low-Carbon Energy Research (LCER) Programme. He is a recipient of the 2026 Hiroshi Tsuji Early Career Researcher Award from The Combustion Institute. He serves on the Editorial Board of Combustion and Flame, as Chair of the Singapore Section of The Combustion Institute, and on the Board of Directors of the Institute for Dynamics of Explosions and Reactive Systems (IDERS).
Flame dynamics and system integration of partially cracked ammonia combustion
Flame dynamics and system integration of partially cracked ammonia combustion
Abstract:
Partially cracked ammonia (PCA) offers a promising pathway to overcome the low reactivity of ammonia for carbon-free power generation. This keynote presents our experimental studies progressing from fundamental flame characterization to integrated cracking–combustion dynamics. First, turbulent premixed PCA swirling flames are investigated using Raman spectroscopy and PIV measurements, revealing how cracking ratio governs flame structure, turbulence–chemistry interaction, temperature and species distributions, including preferential hydrogen accumulation within the recirculation zone. The study then advances to an integrated catalytic cracker–swirl combustor, where ammonia is partially decomposed over a Ni–Al catalyst bed to generate PCA directly for combustion. Our experiments reveal study how catalyst-bed thermal inertia governs transient cracking ratio, fuel composition and downstream flame response, highlighting the importance of coupling catalytic fuel conversion with combustion for controllable ammonia-fuelled power systems.
Professor Paulo Brito
Instituto Politécnico de Portalegre, Portugal
Short-biography:
Paulo Sérgio Duque de Brito has a degree in chemical engineering, Processes and Industry specialization, in the Technical Superior Institute; has a master’s degree in “Corrosion Science and Engineering” by UMIST, Manchester University; is a PhD in Chemical Engineering, by the Superior Technical Institute in the electrochemical – on fuel cells. He has also an MBA – Master of Business and Administration.
Short-biography:
Paulo Sérgio Duque de Brito has a degree in chemical engineering, Processes and Industry specialization, in the Technical Superior Institute; has a master’s degree in “Corrosion Science and Engineering” by UMIST, Manchester University; is a PhD in Chemical Engineering, by the Superior Technical Institute in the electrochemical – on fuel cells. He has also an MBA – Master of Business and Administration.
Currently, he is Full Professor of the Superior School of Technology and Management of the Polytechnic Institute of Portalegre (IPP). Is coordinator of the research centre VALORIZA – Research Centre for Endogenous Resource Valorization and the Coordinator of the Master Technologies for Environmental Valorization and Energy Production.
The main areas he investigates are related with Bioenergy, waste environmental treatments, materials corrosion and energy galvanic production.
He has published more than 300 works, in books, articles and conferences presentations.
Waste gasification and pyrolysis for renewable gas production
Waste gasification and pyrolysis for renewable gas production
Abstract:
Ultra-low emission technologies have controlled filterable particulate matter (FPM), but condensable particulate matter (CPM) remains a challenge due to complex formation and limited control. This report introduces an improved dual-effect condensation sampling method integrating cold N₂ dilution and wall condensation for reliable CPM measurement. Laboratory and pilot studies on single fuels (coal, biomass, sludge, plastics) and co-firing (coal/biomass/ammonia) elucidate effects of O₂, temperature, S/Cl, and radicals on CPM partitioning. Coal-biomass co-firing exhibits non-linear CPM emissions driven by radical inhibition, fuel structure, and ash interactions. For control, a modified kaolin-limestone adsorbent was developed for in-furnace removal of inorganic precursors of CPM. Cu-doped VWTi catalysts deeply oxidize typical organic CPM components with concurrent NOx removal. Future work on complex fuel blends and full-scale applications is outlined.
Professor Xun Gong
Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China
Short-biography:
Xun Gong is a Professor at the School of Energy and Power Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), and a key researcher at State Key Laboratory of Coal Combustion (SKLCC) and China-EU Institute for Clean and Renewable Energy. He received his Ph.D. from HUST in 2010 and was a Visiting Postdoctoral Researcher at Curtin University, Australia from 2010 to 2011.
Short-biography:
Xun Gong is a Professor at the School of Energy and Power Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), and a key researcher at State Key Laboratory of Coal Combustion (SKLCC) and China-EU Institute for Clean and Renewable Energy. He received his Ph.D. from HUST in 2010 and was a Visiting Postdoctoral Researcher at Curtin University, Australia from 2010 to 2011.
His research expertise lies in biomass thermochemical conversion, the integration of renewable energy with coal-fired power systems, and the formation mechanisms and control strategies of pollutants from solid fuel combustion. Based at SKLCC, Prof. Gong has spearheaded numerous national and provincial initiatives, including key projects under the National Key Research and Development Program and the National Natural Science Foundation of China. He has authored 100+ peer-reviewed papers in prestigious international and domestic journals.
Beyond scholarly contributions, Prof. Gong plays a pivotal role in bridging research and industrial application. He serves as Deputy Director of the Joint Research Center for Low-Carbon Power Generation Technology (HUST-Huadian Hubei Power Generation). He has spearheaded or contributed to the development of 18 local and association standards in low-carbon energy technologies and pollution control. His significant contributions have been recognized with the First Prize of the Science and Technology Progress Award from the Ministry of Education of China.
Generation and Control of Condensable Particulate Matter from Coal Combustion
Generation and Control of Condensable Particulate Matter from Coal Combustion
Abstract:
Ultra-low emission technologies have controlled filterable particulate matter (FPM), but condensable particulate matter (CPM) remains a challenge due to complex formation and limited control. This report introduces an improved dual-effect condensation sampling method integrating cold N₂ dilution and wall condensation for reliable CPM measurement. Laboratory and pilot studies on single fuels (coal, biomass, sludge, plastics) and co-firing (coal/biomass/ammonia) elucidate effects of O₂, temperature, S/Cl, and radicals on CPM partitioning. Coal-biomass co-firing exhibits non-linear CPM emissions driven by radical inhibition, fuel structure, and ash interactions. For control, a modified kaolin-limestone adsorbent was developed for in-furnace removal of inorganic precursors of CPM. Cu-doped VWTi catalysts deeply oxidize typical organic CPM components with concurrent NOx removal. Future work on complex fuel blends and full-scale applications is outlined.