General

Postdoctoral Associate, Reacting Gas Dynamics Laboratory/Center for Energy and Propulsion Research, MIT

http://xywu.scripts.mit.edu/xywu/

Research Interests:

My research interests focus on the kinetics and reliability in the thermo-electro-chemical processes under extremely-harsh operating conditions, e.g., high temperature/pressure (depending on the materials), supercritical conditions, and corrosive and radioactive environment for combustion, advanced energy conversion and chemical production. My lab will aim at investigating the reacting flows under these harsh conditions in energy conversion systems, drawing on the operando experimental methods. We will also explore numerical methods to study the relationship between the performance and economics on a system-scaled level. We will then apply the understanding about kinetics to avoid performance degradation and improve reliability. My personal aim is to closely collaborate with scientists and industrial partners to develop the scientific findings in my lab into engineering applications in industry.

My experience in high-temperature heterogeneous reactions, electrochemical reactions and enhanced heat transfer has motivated the following proposed research topics. Two topics on membrane-supported H₂O/CO₂ to value-added chemicals and supercritical hydrocarbon pyrolysis regenerative cooling are developed from my previous research topics. And two other topics, (i.e., ultra-lean methane utilization and sensing in harsh environments) are under development to be my future directions.

Teaching Interests:

I am planning to teach courses in the fields of thermodynamics, transport theory, separation, chemical kinetics.

Selected Publications:

1. X.Y. Wu, A.F. Ghoniem, “CO₂ reduction and methane partial oxidation on surface catalyzed La_0.9Ca_0.1FeO_3-δ oxygen transport membranes”, the Proceedings of the Combustion Institute, vol. 37, 2018, in press
2. X.Y. Wu, A.F. Ghoniem, “Hydrogen-assisted Carbon Dioxide Thermochemical Reduction on La_0.9Ca_0.1FeO_3-δ Membranes: A Kinetics Study”, ChemSusChem, 11 2018 483 - 493 (featured at MIT News, and picked up by other media)
3. Y. Luo, X.Y. Wu, Y. Shi, A.F. Ghoniem, N. Cai, “Exergy Analysis of an Integrated Solid Oxide Electrolysis Cell-Methanation Reactor for Renewable Energy Storage”, Applied Energy, 215 2018 371 - 383
4. X.Y. Wu, M. Uddi, A.F. Ghoniem, “Enhancing co-production of H₂ and syngas via water splitting and POM on surface-modified oxygen permeable membranes”, AIChE Journal, 62 (12) 2016, 4427 - 4435, (invited contribution to AIChE Journal as “Best paper” initiative)
5. X.Y. Wu, L. Chang, M. Uddi, P. Kirchen, A.F. Ghoniem, “Toward enhanced hydrogen generation from water using oxygen permeating LCF membranes”, Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 17 2015 10093-10107
6. Huang, X. Y. Wu, Z. Wu, W. Li, H. T. Zhu, B. Sunden, “Experimental Study on Heat Transfer of Nanofluids in a Vertical tube at Supercritical Pressures”, International Communications in Heat and Mass Transfer, 63 2015 54-61