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Yunzhu Qin

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PhD student (2021 - )

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Research Centre for Fire Safety Engineering

Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering

Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong

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Email: yunzhu.qin@connect.polyu.hk

Office: ZN 808

Biography

Mr. Yunzhu Qin is currently a Dual PhD student at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and University Technology Sydney. He received his Bachelor’s Degree (2021) from School of Chemical Engineering at Sichuan University (SCU). His research primarily focuses on combustion, wildfires, fire emissions, and remote sensing. His work spans from micro- and small-scale fire experiments at lab to full-scales field experiments. He also conducts simulation studies, ranging from reaction kinetics and fire modeling, as well as leveraging remote sensing techniques to evaluate global-scale fire emissions and their long-term atmospheric transport. Through these efforts, he aims to help better understand wildfire dynamics and their interactions with Earth's ecosystems and human activities.

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Background of Education

  • 2021 - Present, Ph.D., Dept. of Building Environment and Energy Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

  • 2024 - Present, Ph.D., School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney

  • 2017 - 2021, B.Eng., School of Chemical Engineering, Sichuan University.

 

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Research Areas

Smouldering, Wildland Fire, Fire Ecology, Fire Emission, Remote Sensing, Aerosols.

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Prizes and Awards

  • Best student oral presentation, The 23rd Cross-strait and Hong Kong Macao Symposium on Environment, Resources and Ecological ConservationBest student oral presentation, The 23rd Cross-strait and Hong Kong Macao Symposium on Environment, Resources and Ecological Conservation (2023)

  • 2022 Student Essay Competition, Merit Award (The Hong Kong Institute of Engineering, Fire Division, 2022)

  • Outstanding graduate of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Provincial Department of Education (2021)

  • Top 100 Student Cadres of Sichuan University (Top 10%) (2020)

  • Comprehensive First Class Scholarship of Sichuan University (2020)

  • Chengda Scholarship of Sichuan University (2019)

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Journal Publications

  1. Y. Qin¹, Y. Zhang¹, Y. Chen, S. Lin*, Y. Shu*, Y. Huang, X. Huang* and M. Zhou (2025). Impact of Snow on Underground Smouldering Wildfire in Arctic-Boreal Peatlands. Environmental Science and Technology, 59, 8, 3915-3924 (Highlighted as supplementary cover paper).

  2. Y. Qin, Y. Chen, Y. Zhang, S. Lin* and X. Huang* (2024). Modeling Smothering Limit of Smoldering Combustion: Oxygen Supply, Fuel Density, and Moisture Content. Combustion and Flame, 269, 113683.

  3. Y. Qin, Y. Zhang, Y. Chen, S. Lin* and X. Huang* (2024). Minimum oxygen supply rate for smouldering propagation: Effect of fuel bulk density and particle size. Combustion and Flame, 261, 113292.

  4. Y. Qin, Y. Chen, S. Lin* and X. Huang* (2022). Limiting Oxygen Concentration and Supply Rate of Smoldering Propagation. Combustion and Flame, 245, 112380.

  5. Y. Qin, D. Musa, S. Lin* and X. Huang* (2022). Deep Peat Fire Persistently Smouldering for Weeks: A Laboratory Demonstration. International Journal of Wildland Fire, 32, 86-98.

  6. Y. Zhang, Y. Shu, Y. Qin, Y. Chen, S. Lin*, X. Huang*, M. Zhou (2024). Resurfacing of underground peat fire: smouldering transition to flaming wildfire on litter surface. International Journal of Wildland Fire. 33(2).

  7. S. Lin, Y. Qin and X. Huang* (2023). The Use of Pre-Charred Wood Surfaces as a Fire-Retardant Approach. Fire Safety Journal, 136, 103745.

  8. Y. Chen, S. Lin, Y. Qin, N.C. Surawski* and X. Huang* (2023). Carbon distribution and multi-criteria decision analysis of flexible waste biomass smouldering processing technologies. Waste Management, 167. 183-193.

  9. Y. Chen, Z. Wang*, S. Lin, Y. Qin and X. Huang* (2023) A review on biomass thermal-oxidative decomposition data and machine learning prediction of thermal analysis. Cleaner Materials, 100206.​

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Conference Communications

  1. Y. Qin, Y. Chen, Y. Zhang, S. Lin* and X. Huang*, Influence of fuel and ambient conditions on the smoldering oxygen limits. Combustion Institute’s 40th International Symposium, Milan, Italy, July 21-26. [Poster]

  2. Y. Qin, Y. Zhang, Y. Shu*, S. Lin* and X. Huang* (2023). Interaction between Snow Layer and Smoldering Peat Fire under Extreme Environment. 9th Conference on Fire Effects on Soil Properties, The Netherlands, 20 - 22 June 2023. [Oral].

  3. Y. Qin, Y. Zhang, Y. Chen, Y. Shu*, S. Lin*, X. Huang*, M. Zhou (2024). How do snow weathers influence smouldering peat fires? 7th International Fire Behaviour and Fuels Conference, Canberra, April 15-19, 2024 [Poster]

  4. Y. Qin, Y. Zhang, Y. Chen, Y. Shu*, S. Lin*, X. Huang*, M. Zhou (2023). The role of snow in Arctic-boreal peatland fires. The 23rd Cross-strait and Hong Kong Macao Symposium on Environment, Resources and Ecological Conservation, Hong Kong SAR, December 18-23, 2023. [Oral]

  5. Y. Qin, Y. Zhang, Y. Chen, S. Lin, X. Huang, The Role of Fuel Properties on Oxygen Thresholds of Smouldering Fire, 14th International Symposium on Fire Safety Science, Tsukuba, Japan, October 23-27, 2023. [Poster]

  6. S. Lin, Y. Qin, T. Zhang, S. Wang, X. Huang, M. Gollner. Can Pre-Charring Improve the Reaction-to-Fire Behaviors of Wood? 14th International Symposium on Fire Safety Science, Tsukuba, Japan, 22-27 Oct. 2023. [Poster]

  7. Y. Qin, Y. Zhang, Y. Shu*, S. Lin* and X. Huang* (2023). Interaction between Snow Layer and Smoldering Peat Fire under Extreme Environment. 9th Conference on Fire Effects on Soil Properties, The Netherlands, 20 - 22 June 2023. [Oral].

  8. Y. Qin, Y. Chen, S. Lin* and X. Huang* (2023). Minimum Oxidizer Supply of Smouldering Combustion in Biomass Fuels. The 14th Asia-Pacific Conference on Combustion (ASPACC 2023) Program, Taiwan, 14 - 18 May 2023. [Oral].

  9. Y. Qin, D. Musa, S. Lin* and X. Huang* (2022). Persistent Underground Smouldering Fire in Deep Peat Layer. IX International Conference on Forest Fire Research, Coimbra, Portugal, 11 - 18 Nov 2022. [Oral]

  10. Y. Qin, Y. Chen, S. Lin* and X. Huang* (2022). What is the limiting oxygen condition for smoldering fire? 39th International Symposium on Combustion, Vancouver, Canada, 24 -29 July 2022. [Poster].

  11. S. Lin, Y. Qin and X. Huang* (2022). Evaluation of Fire Performance of Pre-Charred Woods. SiF 2022: The 12th International Conference on Structures in Fire, Hong Kong, 30 Nov - 2 Dec, 2022. [Oral].

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Patents (pending)

  1. X. Huang, S. Lin, Y. Qin, Y. Chen, System and method of measuring the limiting oxygen supply and index for smouldering ignition and fire spread, China Patent, Application No. 202211154962.3

  2. X. Huang, Y. Qin, S. Lin, Y. Liu, An underground smoldering fire detection and firefighting system based on heat pipes, China Patent, Application No. 202310284750.5

  3. X. Huang, Y. Qin, S. Lin, A fireproof cigarette based on the quenching principle of smoldering. China Patent, Application No. 202410179598.9

 

(last updated on 3/Sep/2024)

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©2025 by PolyU X Fire Lab. 

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