Personal profile

Personal Statement

Dr Jun Li is a Reader in the Department of Chemical and Process Engineering at the University of Strathclyde. Dr Li sits on the Project Management Group for the UK Supergen Bioenergy Impact Hub and is leading a project on biomass electrolysis for hydrogen project. Dr served as the Deputy Theme Lead (Bioenergy) at ETP Scotland from 2020 to its formal closure in 2025. Dr Li received his PhD from KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden and worked as a Research Associate at the University of Glasgow. He is a member of the Editorial Board for the journals 'International Journal of Green Energy' and 'Frontiers in Thermal Engineering'.

Dr Li leads a bioenergy research group focusing on innovation pathways to decarbonise energy and chemical systems. His work emphasises the cost-effective valorisation of biomass and waste to produce low-carbon energy and fuels, contributing to the transition towards a net-zero circular economy. His research spans the fundamentals of reacting and conversion processes, advanced CFD modelling for engineering prediction and design, and plant-wise process simulations for techno-economic and environmental assessments, with particular current interests in green hydrogen production from biomass, advancing clean bioenergy solutions, and biofuel synthesis.

Research Interests

Dr Li's research interests include the fundamental investigation and understanding of problems associated with the complex interactions of thermo-fluids dynamics, thermochemical processes, and heat & mass thansfer in thermal/chemical processes, predominantly focusing on:

  • Clean bioenergy technologies, such as clean combustion, gasification, pyrolysis, and wet waste-to-energy conversion. 
  • The production and utilisation of renewable hydrogen/hydrogen-rich syngas for decarbonising industry systems. 
  • The development and application of advanced computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modelling for multiphase reacting fluids.
  • The development and demonstration of innovative, affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy systems.
  • Techno-economic and environmental assessment of energy and chemical systems.

Accepting PhD student applications in the following topics:

  • Hydrogen production from biomass and waste
  • Advanced hydrothermal processing 
  • Biofuel synthesis and upgrading

Current RAs:

  • Dr Lewis McDonnald (Project: Biomass electrolysis for green hydrogen production )
  • Ms Shuya Jia (Project: biosynthesis green hydrogen demonstration)

Current PhD students:

  • Arslan Anwar 
  • Chigozie Akanno
  • Nicola Voiculescu
  • Asuquo Jackson Asuquo 
  • Robert Sait-Stewart 
  • Haitian Chen 
  • Ali Rabeeah 
  • Fahad Alajmi

Formal PhD students:

  • Dr Morgen Mukamwi (PhD thesis: Development of a sulphur-tolerant carbon-based catalyst for steam reforming syngas hydrocarbons to maximise hydrogen production in biomass gasification)
  • Dr Jixiang Zhang (PhD thesis: Beyond Green Planet: A Comprehensive and Systematic Second-Generation Biomass Supply Chain Optimisation)
  • Dr Teresa Marti Rossello (PhD thesis: Development of robust modelling methods for a quick evaluation of biomass pyrolysis performance and its transient behaviour at a particle level)
  • Dr Wenhan Cao (PhD thesis: Experimental and modelling study on the release of potassium during biomass combustion)  

Formal RAs:

  • Dr Robert Price (2022-2024)
  • Dr Jakub Mularski (2020-2022) 
  • Dr Muhammad Uzair (2022-2023)
  • Teresa Marti Rossello (2019)
  • Robert Sait-Stewart (2022, 2024)

Teaching Interests

Currently taught modules:

  • CP533: Clean Combustion Technologies 
  • CP102: ChemEng: Fundamentals, Techniques and Tools

Previously taught modules:

  • CP206: Chemical Engineering Practice 1
  • CP414: Particle Technology & Advanced Reactors  

Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals

In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):

  • SDG 7 - Affordable and Clean Energy
  • SDG 8 - Decent Work and Economic Growth
  • SDG 12 - Responsible Consumption and Production

Education/Academic qualification

Doctor of Philosophy, Volumetric combustion of torrefied biomass for large percentage biomass co-firing up to 100% fuel switch, KTH - Royal Institute of Technology

15 Jun 201017 Feb 2014

Award Date: 17 Feb 2014

Master of Engineering, The Key Technology of Zero-emission Combustion using Solid Fuels-Density Functional Study in the Twin Reactors of Chemical-looping-combustion” project, North China Electric Power University

10 Sept 20071 Apr 2010

Award Date: 1 Apr 2010

Keywords

  • Biomass
  • CFD
  • Energy efficiency, energy optimisation, energy modelling, demand side management, renewable energy, hybrid energy systems.
  • thermodynamics
  • Thermal analysis
  • Renewable energy technology
  • thermo-conversions
  • Furnace/Bioler

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