Dr Hongwei Zhang BEng, MSc, PhD, CEng, MIET, FHEA

I graduated with a First Class BEng degree in Automatic Control (1993), an MSc in Control Engineering (1996) and a PhD in Aerospace Engineering (1999) all from Harbin Institute of Technology, China.  

While working as a Research Associate at the University of Manchester (2001-2003), I completed my second Ph.D. in the field of Advanced Process Control and Condition Monitoring in 2004 from the School of Engineering.  

Before joining Sheffield Hallam University in 2007, I worked as a Lecturer in Control Engineering at North East Wales Institute, University of Wales (now Glyndŵr University) (2003-2006).  

At Sheffield Hallam University, I worked as a Subject Group Leader for three different subject groups in the Department of Engineering and Mathematics (2009-2018) before being appointed as the Deputy Head of Department in 2018. My main responsibility is to lead on the operational aspects of the management of the department. I am also responsible for work planning, staff development and encouraging innovation, research, and continuous quality enhancement in the department.   I have been leading and delivering many MSc, MEng and BEng modules relevant to Automation and Control Engineering. I have supervised many BEng final year projects, MSc Project and Dissertations and have successfully supervised/co-supervised 11 PhD students to completion to date.  Areas of Interest  Process Control Condition Monitoring Industrial Automation and Robotics Industry 4.0 Artificial Intelligence

Areas of Interest:
- Process Control;
- Condition Monitoring;
- Industrial Automation;
- Artificial Intelligence.

Department of Engineering and Mathematics

Business, Technology and Enterprise

Power, Electrical and Control Engineering Subject Group

• Materials and Engineering Research Institute

Current Projects:  

• SUSFOOD2 - A Horizon 2020 ERA-NET Cofund on Sustainable Food Production and Consumption, 2018 – 2021, Co-Investigator. ‘Improving sustainability in food processing using Moderate Electric Fields (MEC) for process intensification and smart processing. Project ID: MEFPROC, €1.353M in total working with University College Dublin and 5 other European partners.  

Recently Completed Projects:  

• KTP project with World Feeds Ltd, 2016 – 2018, Academic Supervisor. 'Development of embedded bespoke manufacturing processes to produce high volumes of high value advanced food products', £133K. 

• Innovate UK project, 2015 – 2017, Co-I. ‘Effective milk processing with variable composition’, approx. £700K in total working with Nestle, Foss and First Milk. 

• Consultancy Project with SSG Insight in Leeds - Publication of a White Paper 'Harnessing Brexit, Technology and Insight - British manufacturers maintaining a competitive edge in an age of uncertainty & opportunity' (Web Link: https://www.ssginsight.com/brexit-tech-insight). £3.5K

• Innovate UK 

• DEFRA 

• Nestlé UK & Ireland 

• FOSS 

• First Milk 

• World Feeds Ltd 

• C-Tech Innovation 

• United Utilities 

• Festo Didactic 

• SSG Insight

Key Publications

Zhang, H., & Lennox, B. (2004). Integrated condition monitoring and control of fed-batch fermentation processes. Journal of Process Control, 14 (1), 41-50. http://doi.org/10.1016/S0959-1524(03)00044-1

Zhang, H., & Lennox, B. (2003). Multi-way optimal control of a benchmark fed-batch fermentation process. Transactions of the Institute of Measurement and Control, 25 (5), 403-417. http://doi.org/10.1191/0142331203tm0100oa

Zhang, H., Lennox, B., Goulding, P.R., & Leung, A.Y.T. (2000). A float-encoded genetic algorithm technique for integrated optimization of piezoelectric actuator and sensor placement and feedback gains. Smart Materials and Structures, 9 (4), 552-557. http://doi.org/10.1088/0964-1726/9/4/319

Journal articles

Zhang, H., Mohamed, A., Breikin, T., & Howarth, M. (2021). Modelling and Simulation of an Ohmic Heating Process. Open Journal of Modelling and Simulation, 9 (1), 26-42. http://doi.org/10.4236/ojmsi.2021.91002

Saleh, I., Ali, R., & Zhang, H. (2018). Experimental testing and validation of the mathematical model for a self-humidifying PEM fuel cell. Journal of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering, 6 (4), 202-218. http://doi.org/10.4236/msce.2018.64019

Saleh, I.M., Ali, R., & Zhang, H. (2018). Environmental Impact of High Altitudes on the Operation of PEM Fuel Cell Based UAS. Energy and Power Engineering, 10 (03), 87-105. http://doi.org/10.4236/epe.2018.103007

Ding, Y., Zhu, C., & Zhang, H. (2017). A type of distribution control method for nonlinear stochastic systems. Paiguan Jixie Gongcheng Xuebao/Journal of Drainage and Irrigation Machinery Engineering, 35 (9), 774-779. http://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.1674-8530.17.0063

Saleh, I.M.M., Ali, R., & Zhang, H. (2016). Simplified mathematical model of proton exchange membrane fuel cell based on horizon fuel cell stack. Journal of Modern Power Systems and Clean Energy, 4 (4), 668-679. http://doi.org/10.1007/s40565-016-0196-5

Zhang, H. (2009). Software Sensors and Their Applications in Bioprocess. . http://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-01888-6_2

Zhang, H. (2008). Optimal control of a fed-batch yeast fermentation process based on Least Square Support Vector Machine. International Journal of Engineering Systems Modelling and Simulation, 1 (1), 63-68. http://doi.org/10.1504/IJESMS.2008.018850

Zhang, H., Klaveness, B., & Vagapov, Y. (2006). Least square support vector machine based soft-sensing for fed-batch yeast fermentation - A comparative study. World Journal of Engineering, 3 (4), 1-8.

Zhang, H., Lian, Z., Yan, K., Sun, Y., Yuan, J., & Zhang, Z. (2006). Decision support for choice optimal power generation projects: Fuzzy comprehensive evaluation model based on the electricity market. Energy Policy, 34 (17), 3359-3364. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2005.06.021

Lennox, B., Zhang, H., Lovett, D., & Sandoz, D. (2004). An integrated approach to advanced process control and condition monitoring. Computing and Control Engineering Journal, 15 (1), 32-37.

Kokkrathoke, S., Rawsthorne, A., Zhang, H., & Xu, X. (n.d.). Nonlinear Optimal Stabilising Control of a Two-wheel Robot. International Journal of Modelling, Identification and Control.

Conference papers

Meng, Q., Zhang, H., & Howarth, M. (2019). Performances Comparison between Real-Time Auto-Tuning PID and Conventional PID Controller for a Dairy Industrial Evaporation Process Control. 2019 International Conference on Artificial Intelligence, Control and Automation Engineering (AICAE 2019). http://doi.org/10.12783/dtcse/aicae2019/31462

Haire, M., Xu, X., Alboul, L., Penders, J., & Zhang, H. (2019). Ship Hull Repair Using A Swarm Of Autonomous Underwater Robots: A Self-Assembly Algorithm. ECMR 2019 (European Conference on Mobile Robotics). http://doi.org/10.1109/ECMR.2019.8870910

Haire, M., Xu, X., Alboul, L., Penders, J., & Zhang, H. (2019). Ship hull inspection using a swarm of autonomous underwater robots: a Search algorithm. 2019 IEEE International Symposium on Safety, Security, and Rescue Robotics (SSRR). http://doi.org/10.1109/SSRR.2019.8848963

Kalashnikov, A., Zhang, H., & Abramiuk, M. (2018). Automated recording and processing of lecture attendance data using RFID student cards. PROCEEDINGS OF THE VI INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCE ADVANCED INFORMATION SYSTEMS AND TECHNOLOGIES AIST-2018, 81-84.

Kalashnikov, A., Zhang, H., Jennings, J., & Abramriuk, M.-.M. (2017). Remote laboratory: using Internet-of-Things (IoT) for E-learning. In Comparison of the responsiveness of ultrasonic oscillating temperature sensors (UOTSes) and conventional sensors to temperature inflection points, (pp. 43-46). Springer: http://aist.sumdu.edu.ua/main/

Butler, D., & Zhang, H. (2012). Intelligent software sensors and process prediction for glass container forming processes based on multivariate statistical process control techniques. In Proceedings of 2012 UKACC International Conference on Control, (pp. 281-285). IEEE: http://doi.org/10.1109/CONTROL.2012.6334643

Zhang, H., Zhang, Z., & Lan, L.H. (2010). Evolutionary optimization of a fed-batch penicillin fermentation process. In 2010 International Symposium on Computer, Communication, Control and Automation, Tainan, 5 May 2010 - 7 May 2010 (pp. 403). http://doi.org/10.1109/3CA.2010.5533789

Lan, L.H., & Zhang, H. (2010). Frequency domain criteria for lp-robust stability of systems with fuzzy parameters. In 2010 International Symposium on Computer, Communication, Control and Automation, 3CA 2010, Tainan, 5 May 2010 - 7 May 2010 (pp. 318). http://doi.org/10.1109/3CA.2010.5533820

Zhang, H., & Vagapov, Y. (2006). LS-SVM Based Software Sensor for Fed-batch Yeast Fermentation and Comparative Studies. In 2006 IEEE International Conference on Electro/Information Technology, (pp. 564-568). IEEE: http://doi.org/10.1109/EIT.2006.252204

Belloc, C., Zhang, H., Vagapov, Y., & Moreno, P. (2006). A Step Voltage Response Method for Identification of Induction Motor Parameters at Stand Still. In 2006 IEEE International Conference on Electro/Information Technology, (pp. 109-112). IEEE: http://doi.org/10.1109/EIT.2006.252171

Katawaluwa, M., Zhang, H., Vagapov, Y., & Evans, J. (2006). Simulation of Wind Heat Generator. In 2006 IEEE International Conference on Electro/Information Technology, (pp. 479-482). IEEE: http://doi.org/10.1109/EIT.2006.252138

Zhang, H., Zouaoui, Z., & Lennox, B. (2005). A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF SOFT-SENSING METHODS FOR FED-BATCH FERMENTATION PROCESSES. IFAC Proceedings Volumes, 38 (1), 55-60. http://doi.org/10.3182/20050703-6-CZ-1902.02213

Zhang, H., & Lennox, B. (2003). Fault detection and isolation in a FED-batch penicillin fermentation process. European Control Conference, ECC 2003, 1670-1675. http://doi.org/10.23919/ecc.2003.7085204

Zhang, H., Lennox, B., Goulding, P.R., & Wang, Y. (2002). Adaptive information sharing factors in federated Kalman filtering. IFAC Proceedings Volumes (IFAC-PapersOnline), 15 (1), 79-84. http://doi.org/10.3182/20020721-6-es-1901.00666

Book chapters

Zhang, H. (2008). Intelligent software sensors for fed-batch fermentation processes. In Proceedings of the UKACC International Conference on Control 2008. University of Manchester: https://ukacc.group.shef.ac.uk/proceedings/control2008/Proceedings.html

Xu, X., Zhang, H., & Carbone, G. (n.d.). Case studies on nonlinear control theory of the inverted pendulum. In Boubake, O., & Iriarte, R. (Eds.) Inverted pendulum: from theory to new innovations in control and robotics. IET

Reports

Zhang, H., Saad, S., & Jon, M. (2018). Harnessing Brexit, Technology and Insight - British manufacturers; maintaining a competitive edge in an age of uncertainty & opportunity. Sheffield Hallam University and SSG Insight.

Theses / Dissertations

Salah, I.M.M. (2015). Modelling, simulation and performance evaluation: PEM fuel cells for high altitude UAS. (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Ali, R., & Zhang, H.

I am currently acting as an external examiner for the BEng/MEng Electrical and Electronic Engineering programmes at Staffordshire University. Previously, I worked as external examiners at The University of South Wales, Glyndŵr University and The University of Ulster.  I have also externally examined many MPhil and PhD students at various universities in the UK.  I am working in the Editorial Board of International Journal of Engineering Systems Modelling and Simulation and the International Journal of Modelling, Identification and Control. I have also been serving as a referee for many funding bodies, international journals and publishers.  I am the President of China-Britain Technology and Trade Association (CBTTA) which is a charity registered in England and Wales.

Current PhD students:  

MENG, Qingbo, PhD project: Advanced Process Control with Applications in the Food Industry. 

OLUWOLE-OJO, Oluwaloba, PhD project: Modelling, control and analysis of moderate electric fields in food manufacturing processes; 

AL BALOUSHI, Khalifa Murad, PhD project: Framework for Integrating Industry 4.0 in the UAE Defence Industry Ecosystem; 

MESTIYAGE DON, Ranjika Prasanga Gunathilaka, PhD project: Framework for Embedding Simulation / Optimization in Logistics and Supply Chain Systems; 

ALDHERAIF ALSHAMSI, Omar Mohammed, PhD project: Industry 4.0 Enabled Framework for Managing Large Scale Emergencies in the UAE;  

MOHAMED FADAAQ, Salem Hussain, PhD project: Framework for Improving Strategic Competitiveness of Container Ports in the UAE; 

HAIRE, Matthew, PhD project: Robotic Applications of Artificial Swarm Intelligence;  

GAAFAR, Amr Mohamed Ehab Moustafa, PhD project: Design and Manufacture of Medium-Voltage Contactors and Circuit Breakers;  

ALNUAIMI, Samah, PhD project: The Seventh Generation of Innovation Management - an Integrated Framework for Competitive Advantages.