Information and process systems engineering

Digital technologies and computation are changing the way that industries and governments make decisions and understand large, complex systems. Developing combinations of first principles and data-driven multi-scale models, we use cutting-edge approaches to understand and manage complex processes and systems to address grand challenges in energy, water, environment, health and food.

Research areas

We deliver world-class multi-disciplinary research through combining state-of-the-art and novel computational and mathematical techniques and applying these to a wide range of industrial and theoretical problems.

We have expertise in developing multi-scale models, from the atomic scale and unit modelling to plant- and industry-wide systems, to solve problems to understand, design, optimise and control new and existing systems. We use a variety of computational techniques, from more traditional computational fluid dynamics and deterministic optimisation models to modern statistical data-driven approaches such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, knowledge modelling and lattice-Boltzmann modelling, to develop algorithms and techniques to solve important industrial problems and gain deeper understanding of complex systems.

Available equipment and software

  • High-performance computing resources
  • GAMS
  • COMSOL multiphysics
  • COSMOTherm
  • gPROMS process builder.

Collaborations

Combining over 15 years of research expertise and £5million of research funding, we work with industrial and academic partners from around the world to deliver cutting edge solutions to important problems found across diverse industries such as chemicals, pharmaceuticals, energy, consumer goods, agriculture, and biomedical industries.

Industry partners

  • BASF
  • Chelsea Technologies
  • Cosmetics Europe
  • CropLife Europe
  • Eli Lilly and Company
  • Honeywell
  • JFE Steel Corporation (Japan)
  • Laizhou Mingbo Aquatic Co. Ltd. (China)
  • National Metrology Laboratory
  • National Physical Laboratory
  • Perceptive Engineering
  • Process Systems Enterprise
  • Royal Surrey County Hospital
  • Syngenta
  • Unilever
  • US Food & Drug Administration.

Small and medium-sized enterprises

  • Aria Sustainability Ltd
  • Bio-Sep Ltd
  • Biox Ltd
  • DIREK Ltd
  • Hatfields London Ltd
  • Inspro Ltd
  • Octeract
  • Phytoceutical Ltd
  • Pplus Skin Care Ltd.

Projects

Active projects

Start date: September 2020

End date: September 2024

Completed projects

Start date:

End date:

Meet the team

Along with our research interests and industrial partnerships, we boast a vibrant community of PhD students and postdoctoral research fellows from around the world. View specific research interests, expertise, publications, and contact details via our profiles.

Theme leads

Tao Chen profile image

Professor Tao Chen

Professor in Chemical Engineering; Associate Dean (International)

Contributing academics

Madeleine Bussemaker profile image

Dr Madeleine Bussemaker

Senior Lecturer in Chemical Engineering

Oleksiy Klymenko profile image

Dr Oleksiy Klymenko

Lecturer in Chemical Process Engineering

Jhuma Sadhukhan profile image

Professor Jhuma Sadhukhan

Director of Research and Innovation | Professor of Environmental, Energy and Chemical Engineering

Michael Short profile image

Dr Michael Short

Senior Lecturer of Process Systems Engineering

Dimitrios Tsaoulidis profile image

Dr Dimitrios Tsaoulidis

Senior Lecturer in Chemical Engineering

Lei Xing profile image

Dr Lei Xing

Lecturer in Digital Chemical Engineering / Fellow of Institute for Sustainability / Fellow of Institute for People-Centred AI

Postgraduate research students

Ishanki Anjana De Mel profile image

Ishanki De Mel

Project: Optimisation of distributed energy systems

Panagiotis Demis

Postgraduate Research Student

Olcay Gunay

Project: Distributed model predictive control strategies and their applications in chemical engineering

Sahar Hajizeinalibioki

Postgraduate Research Student

Mustapha Hamdan

Postgraduate Research Student

Gul Hameed profile image

Gul Hameed

Postgraduate Researcher

Shuya Hou profile image

Shuya Hou

Project: Risk assessment and emergency response study of multiple pool fires domino accidents

Anamika Kushwah profile image

Anamika Kushwah

Project: Studying interactions between the catalytic upgrading of biomethane and fuel cells to obtain optimal flowsheets

Yufan Liu profile image

Yufan Liu

Project: Chemical safety assessment using omics and machine learning technology

Samadhi Silva profile image

Samadhi Silva Silva

Project: Computational modelling of the effect of product formulations on skin penetration

Robert Steven

Postgraduate Research Student

Arek Wojtasik

PhD Candidate/Tutorial Demonstrator

Dapeng Zhang

PhD student

Ruosi Zhang

Project: Optimization of integrated energy systems in aquaculture

Xueliang Zhu

Project: Breakup dynamics of flashing jet throughout accidental release of superheated liquids

Find us

Address

School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
University of Surrey
Guildford
Surrey
GU2 7XH
See map