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Professor Liu Ye
Professor

Liu Ye

Email: 
Phone: 
+61 7 336 54152

Overview

Background

Dr Liu Ye is is a Professor at The University of Queensland (UQ) in the School of Chemical Engineering. Dr Ye’s research is focused on sustainable environmental engineering and is dedicated to finding innovative and practical solutions to tackle challenges in achieving net zero emissions, climate resilience, and sustainability. She is the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) research program leader at UQ urban water engineering. She has an established national and international leadership in the research field of net-zero emissions from urban wastewater systems. Prof Ye has been awarded over AU$10M competitive research funding and has a broad research collaboration within academia and industry. She collaborated extensively with water industry partners (> 15, both Australia and overseas water utilities), Australian state Government, Industry peak bodies (Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA), Water Research Australia (WarterRA)) and Technology companies (e.g., Jacob, Suez, Veolia). She has also received more than eight scientific awards (including Research Innovation Award from Australia Water Association, UQ Foundation Research Excellence Award, etc.), and the EAIT faculty teaching excellence award. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) and an elected member in the Strategic Council of International Water Association (IWA). She is also a member of the Australia Association for Engineering Education (AAEE) and Engineers Australia (EA). She current servers as the Associate editor of Environmental Science: Water Research and Technology and in the Editorial board of Engineering journal.

Research:

Liu’s research includes greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and mitigation from biological wastewater treatment processes; sludge minimization and biogas production enhancement; advanced biological nutrient removal (BNR) technology development; on-line process control and optimisation and resource recovery from wastes.

Teaching and Learning:

CHEE2020: Process Equipment and Control (Coordinator and Lecturer);

CHEE2501: Environmental Systems Engineering I: Processes (Lecturer);

CHEE4012: Industrial Wastewater & Solid Waste Management (Lecturer);

CHEE4007/4027 Thesis project;

Availability

Professor Liu Ye is:
Not available for supervision
Media expert

Qualifications

  • Bachelor of Engineering, Zhengzhou University
  • Doctor of Philosophy, Beijing University of Technology

Research impacts

Prof Liu Ye's research is having a substantive impact in gaining a deeper scientific understanding of biological nutrient removal and recovery during wastewater treatment and outputs from her research are used by industry to recover nutrients from wastewater and reduce greenhouse gas emission and activate sludge production during wastewater treatment, which directly benefits the Australia water utilities and the living environment-:

  • Leader and one of the key drivers to the development of N2O research at UQ, with solid and active collaboration with Australia water utilities. Research outcome has set a benchmark for reducing emissions by 35% at one of the largest Australian treatment plants in Adelaide, translating to potential annual savings of $50M for the water industry.
  • GHG outcome featured as an exemplar of how chemical engineering can drive real change for a better future, as recognized by the IChemE in their publication "Chemical Engineering Impact in Australia" at the end of 2019.
  • Featured by IChemE Sustainability Hub: Sustainability success stories on “Wastewater treatment and process emissions – Dr Liu Ye”, (https://www.icheme.org/knowledge-networks/sustainability-hub/sdg-6-clean-water-and-sanitation/making-a-difference-sustainability-success-stories/)
  • Her methodology for real-time greenhouse gas emission measurement, which was applied in Melbourne Water’s full-scale treatment plant, won the 2022 Australia Water Association Research Excellence and Innovation award (Victoria region).
  • Developed the first systematic approach to quantify the N2O emissions from wastewater system with surface aerators. It was successfully applied to estimate the N2O emission factor for a well-mixed full-scale oxidation ditch wastewater treatment plant in Perth.
  • Her ground-breaking research has led to substantial development and commercialisation of the free nitrous acid (FNA) technology. Her research revealed, for the first time, FNA at a low concentration can completely suppress bacterial growth. This research, together with another research result, underpinned the application of FNA as a green chemical to control biofilm growth on sewers and to reduce the sludge production during urban wastewater treatment.

Works

Search Professor Liu Ye’s works on UQ eSpace

113 works between 2005 and 2024

1 - 20 of 113 works

2024

Journal Article

Coarse bubble mixing in anoxic zone greatly stimulates nitrous oxide emissions from biological nitrogen removal process

Duan, Haoran, Watt, Shane, Erler, Dirk, Li, Huijuan, Wang, Zhiyao, Zheng, Min, Hu, Shihu, Ye, Liu and Yuan, Zhiguo (2024). Coarse bubble mixing in anoxic zone greatly stimulates nitrous oxide emissions from biological nitrogen removal process. Water Research X, 25 100263, 100263. doi: 10.1016/j.wroa.2024.100263

Coarse bubble mixing in anoxic zone greatly stimulates nitrous oxide emissions from biological nitrogen removal process

2024

Conference Publication

Threading process control and process safety concepts through undergraduate chemical engineering courses at UQ

Coulter, Bev, Ye, Liu, Oehmen, Adrian and Rufford, Thomas E. (2024). Threading process control and process safety concepts through undergraduate chemical engineering courses at UQ. CHEMECA 2024, Gold Coast, QLD Australia, 29 September - 1 October 2024. IChemE.

Threading process control and process safety concepts through undergraduate chemical engineering courses at UQ

2024

Conference Publication

Scaffolding development of process engineering drawing skills across an undergraduate chemical engineering curriculum

Rufford, Thomas E., Coulter, Bev, Ye, Liu, Fraga, Gabriel and Jensen, Paul (2024). Scaffolding development of process engineering drawing skills across an undergraduate chemical engineering curriculum. CHEMECA 2024, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia, 29 September-1 October 2024. IChemE.

Scaffolding development of process engineering drawing skills across an undergraduate chemical engineering curriculum

2024

Conference Publication

Towards net-zero carbon utilities: challenges and opportunities

Ye, Liu, Duan, Haoran, Li, Kaili and Zhang, Xueying (2024). Towards net-zero carbon utilities: challenges and opportunities. Singapore International Water Week 2024, Sands Expo & Convention Centre Marina Bay Sands, Singapore, 18 – 22 June 2024.

Towards net-zero carbon utilities: challenges and opportunities

2023

Journal Article

Insights on biological phosphorus removal with partial nitrification in single sludge system via sidestream free ammonia and free nitrous acid dosing

Lu, Xuanyu, Oehmen, Adrian, Zhao, Jing, Duan, Haoran, Yuan, Zhiguo and Ye, Liu (2023). Insights on biological phosphorus removal with partial nitrification in single sludge system via sidestream free ammonia and free nitrous acid dosing. Science of the Total Environment, 895 165174, 165174. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165174

Insights on biological phosphorus removal with partial nitrification in single sludge system via sidestream free ammonia and free nitrous acid dosing

2023

Journal Article

Decoupling the simultaneous effects of NO2−, pH and free nitrous acid on N2O and NO production from enriched nitrifying activated sludge

Zhao, Yingfen, Duan, Haoran, Erler, Dirk, Yuan, Zhiguo and Ye, Liu (2023). Decoupling the simultaneous effects of NO2−, pH and free nitrous acid on N2O and NO production from enriched nitrifying activated sludge. Water Research, 245 120609, 1-9. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.120609

Decoupling the simultaneous effects of NO2−, pH and free nitrous acid on N2O and NO production from enriched nitrifying activated sludge

2023

Journal Article

In a quest for high-efficiency mainstream partial nitritation-anammox (PN/A) implementation: One-stage or two-stage?

Cao, Shenbin, Koch, Konrad, Duan, Haoran, Wells, George F., Ye, Liu, Zhao, Yingfen and Du, Rui (2023). In a quest for high-efficiency mainstream partial nitritation-anammox (PN/A) implementation: One-stage or two-stage?. Science of the Total Environment, 883 163540, 1-11. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163540

In a quest for high-efficiency mainstream partial nitritation-anammox (PN/A) implementation: One-stage or two-stage?

2023

Journal Article

Impact of electrochemically generated iron on the performance of an anaerobic wastewater treatment process

Hu, Zhetai, Hu, Shihu, Hong, Pei-Ying, Zhang, Xueqin, Prodanovic, Veljko, Zhang, Kefeng, Ye, Liu, Deletic, Ana, Yuan, Zhiguo and Zheng, Min (2023). Impact of electrochemically generated iron on the performance of an anaerobic wastewater treatment process. Science of the Total Environment, 875 162628, 1-7. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162628

Impact of electrochemically generated iron on the performance of an anaerobic wastewater treatment process

2023

Journal Article

Novel use of a ferric salt to enhance mainstream nitrogen removal from anaerobically pretreated wastewater

Hu, Zhetai, Hu, Shihu, Ye, Liu, Duan, Haoran, Wu, Ziping, Hong, Pei-Ying, Yuan, Zhiguo and Zheng, Min (2023). Novel use of a ferric salt to enhance mainstream nitrogen removal from anaerobically pretreated wastewater. Environmental Science and Technology, 57 (16), 6712-6722. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.2c08325

Novel use of a ferric salt to enhance mainstream nitrogen removal from anaerobically pretreated wastewater

2023

Journal Article

Significant production of nitric oxide by aerobic nitrite reduction at acidic pH

Lu, Xi, Wang, Zhiyao, Duan, Haoran, Wu, Ziping, Hu, Shihu, Ye, Liu, Yuan, Zhiguo and Zheng, Min (2023). Significant production of nitric oxide by aerobic nitrite reduction at acidic pH. Water Research, 230 119542, 1-9. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.119542

Significant production of nitric oxide by aerobic nitrite reduction at acidic pH

2023

Journal Article

High hydraulic loading rates favored mainstream partial nitritation: experimental demonstration and model-based analysis

Duan, Haoran, Zheng, Min, Li, Jiyun, Liu, Tao, Wang, Zhiyao, Shrestha, Sohan, Wang, Bingzheng, Ye, Liu, Hu, Shihu and Yuan, Zhiguo (2023). High hydraulic loading rates favored mainstream partial nitritation: experimental demonstration and model-based analysis. ACS ES and T Water, 3 (2), 556-564. doi: 10.1021/acsestwater.2c00569

High hydraulic loading rates favored mainstream partial nitritation: experimental demonstration and model-based analysis

2022

Journal Article

A comprehensive carbon footprint analysis of different wastewater treatment plant configurations

Wu, Ziping, Duan, Haoran, Li, Kaili and Ye, Liu (2022). A comprehensive carbon footprint analysis of different wastewater treatment plant configurations. Environmental Research, 214 (Pt 2) 113818, 1-11. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.113818

A comprehensive carbon footprint analysis of different wastewater treatment plant configurations

2022

Conference Publication

Hybridizing mechanistic and deep learning approaches to model and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions from full-scale wastewater treatment plants

Li , Kaili, Duan, Haoran, Yuan, Zhiguo and Ye, Liu (2022). Hybridizing mechanistic and deep learning approaches to model and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions from full-scale wastewater treatment plants. 13th IWA Conference on Instrumentation, Control and Automation, Virtual, Beijing, China, 17 - 21 October 2022.

Hybridizing mechanistic and deep learning approaches to model and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions from full-scale wastewater treatment plants

2022

Journal Article

Electrochemical iron production to enhance anaerobic membrane treatment of wastewater

Hu, Zhetai, Zheng, Min, Hu, Shihu, Hong, Pei-Ying, Zhang, Xueqing, Prodanovic, Veljko, Zhang, Kefeng, Pikaar, Ilje, Ye, Liu, Deletic, Ana and Yuan, Zhiguo (2022). Electrochemical iron production to enhance anaerobic membrane treatment of wastewater. Water Research, 225 119202, 119202. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.119202

Electrochemical iron production to enhance anaerobic membrane treatment of wastewater

2022

Conference Publication

Novel PAOs play the key role to achieve combined biological short-cut N and P removal in the one-sludge system with side-stream sludge treatment

Lu, Xuanyu , Oehmen, Adrian , Zhao, Jing , Duan, Haoran , Carvalho, Gilda , Yuan, Zhiguo and Ye, Liu (2022). Novel PAOs play the key role to achieve combined biological short-cut N and P removal in the one-sludge system with side-stream sludge treatment. IWA World Water Congress & Exhibition, Copenhagen, Denmark, 11-15 September 2022. IWA.

Novel PAOs play the key role to achieve combined biological short-cut N and P removal in the one-sludge system with side-stream sludge treatment

2022

Conference Publication

Modelling and mitigating greenhouse gas emissions from sewage treatment plants using an integrated mechanistic and deep learning approach

Li, Kaili, Duan, Haoran, Liu, Linfeng, Qiu, Ruihong, Yuan, Zhiguo and Ye, Liu (2022). Modelling and mitigating greenhouse gas emissions from sewage treatment plants using an integrated mechanistic and deep learning approach. World Water Congress and Exhibition 2022, Copenhagen, Denmark, 11 – 15 September 2022.

Modelling and mitigating greenhouse gas emissions from sewage treatment plants using an integrated mechanistic and deep learning approach

2022

Journal Article

Toward mainstream anammox by integrating sidestream treatment

Cao, Shenbin, Koch, Konrad, Du, Rui, Wells, George F, Ye, Liu and Drewes, Jörg E. (2022). Toward mainstream anammox by integrating sidestream treatment. Environmental Science and Technology, 56 (15), 10553-10556. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.2c03256

Toward mainstream anammox by integrating sidestream treatment

2022

Journal Article

Wastewater primary treatment using forward osmosis introduces inhibition to achieve stable mainstream partial nitrification

Zhao, Yingfen, Ab Hamid, Nur Hafizah, Reddy, Nichelle, Zheng, Min, Yuan, Zhiguo, Duan, Haoran and Ye, Liu (2022). Wastewater primary treatment using forward osmosis introduces inhibition to achieve stable mainstream partial nitrification. Environmental Science and Technology, 56 (12), 8663-8672. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.1c05672

Wastewater primary treatment using forward osmosis introduces inhibition to achieve stable mainstream partial nitrification

2022

Book

Quantification and Modelling of Fugitive Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Urban Water Systems

Ye, Liu, Porro, Jose and Nopen, Ingmar eds. (2022). Quantification and Modelling of Fugitive Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Urban Water Systems. London, United Kingdom: IWA Publishing. doi: 10.2166/9781789060461

Quantification and Modelling of Fugitive Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Urban Water Systems

2022

Book Chapter

Perspectives on fugitive GHGs reduction from urban wastewater systems

Nopens, Ingmar, Porro, Jose and Ye, Liu (2022). Perspectives on fugitive GHGs reduction from urban wastewater systems. Quantification and modelling of fugitive greenhouse gas emissions from urban water systems. (pp. 245-257) edited by Liu Ye, Jose Porro and Ingmar Nopens. London, United Kingdom: IWA Publishing. doi: 10.2166/9781789060461_0245

Perspectives on fugitive GHGs reduction from urban wastewater systems

Funding

Current funding

  • 2024 - 2027
    Reducing direct greenhouse gas emissions from urban wastewater systems
    ARC Linkage Projects
    Open grant
  • 2023 - 2024
    A practical approach for water utilities to quantify direct greenhouse gas emissions
    UQ Knowledge Exchange & Translation Fund
    Open grant
  • 2022 - 2026
    ARC Research Hub for Nutrients in a Circular Economy (NiCE) (ARC ITRP Hub administered by the University of Technology Sydney)
    University of Technology Sydney
    Open grant
  • 2020 - 2024
    Sustainable Water Reuse and Resource Recovery through Cost-Effective BNR
    ARC Linkage Projects
    Open grant

Past funding

  • 2021 - 2024
    Scope 1 N2O emissions from advanced wastewater treatment processes
    Water Corporation
    Open grant
  • 2021 - 2022
    State of knowledge of scope 1 emissions from sewage treatment plants
    Water Research Australia Research Programs
    Open grant
  • 2021 - 2022
    Quantifying Fugitive Greenhouse Gas Emissions from 160S nutrient removal plant
    Melbourne Water Corporation
    Open grant
  • 2019
    Advanced Nanoparticle, Colloid and Microparticle Characterisation and Precision Engineering Nanosystems Facility
    UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure
    Open grant
  • 2019
    Towards the unravelling of nitrous oxide production from agricultural systems
    UQ Foundation Research Excellence Awards
    Open grant
  • 2018 - 2024
    Unravelling the dynamics of nitrous oxide production in wastewater systems
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2018
    Epifluorescent and live-cell imaging microscopes for the investigation of host-pathogen interactions and for molecular and cellular biology
    UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2017
    Dr Liu Ye - Maternity Funding (Advance Queensland Women's Academic Fund)
    Queensland Government Advance Queensland Women's Academic Fund
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2017
    Intracellular regulation of N2O production from wastewater treatment
    Universities Australia - Germany Joint Research Co-operation Scheme
    Open grant
  • 2015 - 2018
    Reducing nitrous oxide emission in wastewater systems by pathway regulation
    ARC Discovery Early Career Researcher Award
    Open grant
  • 2014
    The next generation of wastewater treatment - from pollutant removal to resource recovery with neutralised carbon footprint
    AAS - France-Australia Science Innovation Collaboration (FASIC) Program Early Career Fellowships
    Open grant
  • 2014 - 2017
    Treatment of secondary sludge using free nitrous acid to enhance performance and economics of a wastewater treatment plant
    ARC Linkage Projects
    Open grant
  • 2014
    A Platform for Translational Water Research
    UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure
    Open grant
  • 2012 - 2014
    Cost-effective and sustainable wastewater management through novel treatment of wasted activated sludge using a renewable material from wastewater
    UQ FirstLink Scheme
    Open grant
  • 2012 - 2013
    Quantifying Fugitive Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Bolivar WWTP
    South Australian Water Corporation
    Open grant
  • 2012 - 2014
    Biofilm Control in Wastewater Systems using Free Nitrous Acid - a Renewable Material from Wastewater
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2011 - 2012
    ResTeach 2011 0.1 FTE School of Chemical Engineering
    UQ ResTeach
    Open grant
  • 2011 - 2012
    A novel method for reducing sludge production in biological wastewater treatment plants
    UQ Early Career Researcher
    Open grant
  • 2010 - 2012
    The effect of Free Nitrous Acid on anaerobic metabolism of PAOs and GAOs in EBPR system
    UQ New Staff Research Start-Up Fund
    Open grant

Supervision

Availability

Professor Liu Ye is:
Not available for supervision

Supervision history

Current supervision

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Evaluating and reducing the carbon footprint of biosolids treatment from urban wastewater system

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Damien Batstone

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Climate smart biological wastewater treatment processes

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Haoran Duan

  • Doctor Philosophy

    State of Knowledge and modeling of Scope 1 emissions from Sewage Treatment Plants

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Haoran Duan, Dr Shakil Ahmmed

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Novel biofilm-based nitrogen removal technology and its N2O emission in wastewater treatment

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Haoran Duan

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Quantification and reducing direct greenhouse gas emissions from next generation wastewater treatment systems

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Haoran Duan

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Understanding nitrous oxide emissions from wastewater treatment processes with stable isotopes and mathematical modelling

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Haoran Duan, Professor Hongzhi Yin

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Novel Phosphorous accumulating organisms in next generation wastewater treatment systems

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Associate Professor Adrian Oehmen

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Understanding and mitigating greenhouse gas emissions from wastewater system in the data era

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Haoran Duan, Professor Hongzhi Yin

  • Doctor Philosophy

    A sustainable biological nutrient removal and recovery process for cost-effective wastewater treatment

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Associate Professor Adrian Oehmen, Associate Professor Gilda Carvalho

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Investigating novel microbes for simultaneous nutrient removal from wastewater in Carbon Neutral era

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Associate Professor Adrian Oehmen, Dr Zhiyao Wang

  • Doctor Philosophy

    The development of process control strategies to optimise biological phosphorus removal and recovery

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Associate Professor Gilda Carvalho, Associate Professor Adrian Oehmen

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Cost-effective and sustainable treatment of ammonium-rich industrial wastewater

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Associate Professor Shihu Hu, Dr Haoran Duan

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Establishment LCA method coupled with an activated sludge model for sustainable nitrogen management technology evaluation.

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Rocky Chen, Dr Shakil Ahmmed

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Sustainable and cost-effective biological phosphorus removal technology in urban water systems

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Associate Professor Gilda Carvalho, Associate Professor Adrian Oehmen

Completed supervision

Media

Enquiries

Contact Professor Liu Ye directly for media enquiries about:

  • Biological wastewater treatment
  • Greenhouse gas emissions
  • nitrous acid
  • online process control
  • saline wastewater treatment
  • sludge reduction

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