Dr. Yu Qiu is currently an Professor of the School of Energy Science and Engineering at Central South University (CSU). His research interests are in the following areas.

(I) High-temprature (>400°C) and ultra-high-temperature(>1300°C) solar thermal power (Concentrators, Receivers, Solar selective absorbers, SCO2 & He cycles, and corresponding methods & models); 

(II) Thermal energy storage (Materials, devices, and systems); 

(III) Solar-driven hydrogen production (Reactors, Simulations); 

(IV) Smart passive cooling (Radiative cooling & evaporate cooling).

Topic I: High- / Ultra-high temperature Concentrating Solar Power

① Optical characterization and configuration optimization of various CSP collectors. Corresponding codes have been developed based on Monte Carol ray tracing.  

② Optical-thermal coversion mechanisms in solar receivers under extremely non-uniform solar flux. Thermal enhancement ideas, such as the optimization of receiver and tube geometries, the use of inserts and fins, etc. are considered. 

③ Solar Selective Coating Design through Radiation Manipulation

④ Novel SCO₂ Brayton cycle and He-SCO₂ Brayton cycle

Fig. 1 Four typical practical CSP technologies.

Fig. 2 Main subsystems, and energy transfer & conversion processes in CSP.

Topic II: High-Density and High-Speed Thermal Energy Storage (TES)

Topic III: Solar-driven Hydrogen Production

Topic IV: Radiative Cooling and Evaporative Cooling

Topic V: Solar-Driven Interfacial Evaporation