Staff profile

Lian obtained his BEng (UK MEng equivalent) degree from National University of Singapore, major in Mechanical Engineering (aeronautics), minor in Material Science and Engineering. This degree is supported by full-scholarship from Singapore government. He then obtained his PhD degree from University of Cambridge, Department of Engineering, fluid mechanics group on experimental (PIV) investigation of pulsatile turbulent flows. 

His research focuses on pulsatile and periodic flow dynamics, flow-structure interactions, and other inhomogeneous turbulent flows. The primary goal is to model and characterize the dynamics of coherent vortex structures in these flow problems using data generated from in-house developed non-invasive measurements (in particular, PIV related techniques, from 2D, Tomo to particle tracking) and CFD tools (in particular, LES). This will enhance our fundamental understanding of the physical processes governing the evolution of these flow structures, aiding in the optimization of scalar mixing and momentum delivery in various applications from optimal delivery of scalar substances using pulsatile jets to motion characterization of dynamic cables for floating offshore wind turbine platforms.  

In recent years, his research extends to the application of fluid dynamics in biomedical areas, collaborating with physicists and cardiologists. This includes the investigations of the role of pulsatile vortex dynamics in human cardiac flows using data collected through 4D Flow Magnetic Resonance scanning, and development of novel ventricular assist devices for congenital and pediatric patient groups. 

Dr Gan is also an active developer of laser-based experimental techniques for laboratory flow measurements. He contributed to developing the Cambridge University version of Tomographic Particle Image Velocimetry (TomoPIV, a volumetric non-invasive flow field measurement technique). He also developed other techniques including a stereo-scanning PIV to resolve volumetric turbulent flow fields at high spatial resolution and recently a novel technique to simultaneously resolve velocity field and the scalar interface applicable for liquid and gas phase inhomogeneous turbulent flows. Integrating to CFD tools, these PIV-based measurement led to variational data assimilation techniques.  

Lian is taking PhD students. The annual university studentship application usually opens in late October and closes in early January. 

Gan Lab - Pulsatile & Periodic Turbulent Flows

• Pulsatile and periodic flow dynamics, flow-structure interaction
• Flow measurement technique development and applications
• Experimental and computational fluid mechanics in engineering and biomedical applications

Chapter in book

• Gan, L. (2012). Stereoscopic PIV and Its Applications on Reconstruction Three-Dimensional Flow Field. In G. Cavazzini (Ed.), The Particle Image Velocimetry - Characteristics, Limits and Possible Applications. https://doi.org/10.5772/48017

Journal Article

• Cheng, H., Masoudi, E., Liu, Y., & Gan, L. (2024). On the asymmetric vortex evolution in the near wake behind polygonal cylinders in an incident flow. Ocean Engineering, 307, Article 118142. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oceaneng.2024.118142
• Fuentes Holden, J. P., Gan, L., Sims-Williams, D., Gilbert, J., Osborne, P., & Bastankhah, M. (2024). Characterisation and Integration of Piezoelectric Trimorph Actuators for Blade Active Surface Control on a Scaled Wind Turbine. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 2767(9), Article 092094. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/2767/9/092094
• Zeng, X., Qu, H., He, C., Liu, Y., & Gan, L. (2024). A Polynomial Model with Line-of-Sight Constraints for Lagrangian Particle Tracking Under Interface Refraction. Measurement Science and Technology, 35(6), Article 066011. https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6501/ad34ec
• Ortega Chavez, R., Gan, L., & Gaskell, P. (2023). Formation and evolution of vortex rings with weak to moderate swirl. Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 967, Article A16
• Masoudi, E., Sims-Williams, D., & Gan, L. (2023). Flow separation from polygonal cylinders in an incident flow. Physical Review Fluids, 8(1), Article 014701. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevfluids.8.014701
• Xiao, L., Wang, Q., Zhu, X., Bu, H., Huang, T., Yuan, X., …Sims-Williams, D. B. (2022). Representative On-Road Aerodynamic Yaw Angle Distribution in China for Vehicle Development. SAE International Journal of Passenger Vehicle Systems, 16(2), https://doi.org/10.4271/15-16-02-0008
• He, C., Wang, P., Liu, Y., & Gan, L. (2022). Flow Enhancement of Tomographic Particle Image Velocimetry Measurements Using Sequential Data Assimilation. Physics of Fluids, 34(3), Article 035101. https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0082460
• Forouzi, B., He, S., Scarano, F., Gan, L., & Morton, C. (2022). A review of experiments on stationary bluff-body wakes. Physics of Fluids, 34(1), Article 011301. https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0077323
• Masoudi, E., Gan, L., & Sims-Williams, D. (2021). Large Eddy Simulation of incident flows around polygonal cylinders. Physics of Fluids, 33(10), Article 105112. https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0063046
• Masoudi, E., & Gan, L. (2021). Diffraction waves on general two-legged rectangular floating breakwaters. Ocean Engineering, 235, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oceaneng.2021.109420
• Wang, J., Zhang, J., Liang, D., & Gan, L. (2021). Numerical investigation of shallow wake behind a patch of rigid emergent vegetation. Journal of Hydrodynamics, 33(4), 673-687. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42241-021-0071-3
• He, C., Liu, Y., & Gan, L. (2021). Dynamics of the Jet Flow Issued from a Lobed Nozzle: Tomographic Particle Image Velocimetry Measurements. International Journal of Heat and Fluid Flow, 89, Article 108795. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheatfluidflow.2021.108795
• Gbinigie, H., Coats, L., Parikh, J., Hollingsworth, K., & Gan, L. (2021). A 4D-flow cardiovascular magnetic resonance study of flow asymmetry and haemodynamic quantity correlations in the pulmonary artery. Physiological Measurement, 42(2), Article 025005. https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6579/abdf3b
• Masoudi, E., & Gan, L. (2020). Diffraction waves on large aspect ratio rectangular submerged breakwaters. Ocean Engineering, 209, Article 107474. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oceaneng.2020.107474
• Hollands, E., He, C., & Gan, L. (2020). A Particle Image Velocimetry study of dual-rotor counter-rotating wind turbine near wake. Journal of Visualization, 23(3), 425-435. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12650-020-00643-0
• Fan, X., He, C., Gan, L., Li, L., & Du, C. (2020). Experimental study of swirling flow characteristics in a semi cylinder vortex cooling configuration. Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science, 113, Article 110036. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.expthermflusci.2019.110036
• He, C., Gan, L., & Liu, Y. (2020). Dynamics of Compact Vortex Rings Generated by Axial Swirlers at Early Stage. Physics of Fluids, 32(4), Article 045104. https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0004156
• He, C., Gan, L., & Liu, Y. (2020). The formation and evolution of turbulent swirling vortex rings generated by axial swirlers. Flow, Turbulence and Combustion, 104(4), 795-816. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10494-019-00076-2
• He, C., Liu, Y., & Gan, L. (2020). Instantaneous Pressure Determination from Unsteady Velocity Fields Using Adjoint-based Sequential Data Assimilation. Physics of Fluids, 32(3), Article 035101. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5143760
• Dewhurst, P., Coats, L., Parikh, J. D., Hollingsworth, K. G., & Gan, L. (2020). The role of flow rotation in the adult right atrium: a 4D flow cardiovascular magnetic resonance study. Physiological Measurement, 41(3), Article 035007. https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6579/ab7d77
• Wang, Q., Gan, L., Xu, S., & Zhou, Y. (2020). Vortex evolution in the near wake behind polygonal cylinders. Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science, 110, Article 109940. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.expthermflusci.2019.109940
• Wang, J., Zhang, J., Liang, D., & Gan, L. (2020). Non-hydrostatic modelling of shallow water flow around a circular array of emergent cylinders. Journal of Hydroinformatics, 22(1), 20-32. https://doi.org/10.2166/hydro.2019.018
• Wang, Q., Xu, S., Gan, L., Zhang, W., & Zhou, Y. (2019). Scaling of the time-mean characteristics in the polygonal cylinder near-wake. Experiments in Fluids, 60, Article 181. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00348-019-2835-x
• Hu, Z., Liu, J., Gan, L., & Xu, S. (2019). Wake modes behind a streamwisely-oscillating cylinder at constant and ramping frequencies. Journal of Visualization, 22(3), 505-527. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12650-019-00554-9
• He, C., Liu, Y., Gan, L., & Lesshafft, L. (2019). Data assimilation and resolvent analysis of turbulent flow behind a wall-proximity rib. Physics of Fluids, 31(2), Article 025118. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5074151
• He, C., Liu, Y., & Gan, L. (2018). A data assimilation model for turbulent flows using continuous adjoint formulation. Physics of Fluids, 30(10), Article 105108. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5048727
• Gan, L., & Maffioli, A. (2018). The size and lifetime of organised eddies in a non-solid-body rotating turbulence experiment. European Journal of Mechanics - B/Fluids, 74, 41-49. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.euromechflu.2018.10.026
• Xu, S., Zhang, W., Gan, L., Li, M., & Zhou, Y. (2017). Experimental study of flow around polygonal cylinders. Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 812, 251-278. https://doi.org/10.1017/jfm.2016.801
• Xu, S., Gan, L., & Zhou, Y. (2016). Flow interaction between a streamwise oscillating cylinder and a downstream stationary cylinder. Experiments in Fluids, 57(11), Article 173. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00348-016-2265-y
• Gan, L., & Krogstad, P. (2016). Evolution of turbulence and in-plane vortices in the near field flow behind multi-scale planar grids. Physics of Fluids, 28(8), Article 085101. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4960025
• Gan, L. (2016). Detection of passive scalar interface directly from PIV particle images in inhomogeneous turbulent flows. Flow, Turbulence and Combustion, 97(1), 141-170. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10494-015-9691-4
• Gan, L., Baqui, B., & Maffioli, A. (2016). An experimental investigation of forced steady rotating turbulence. European Journal of Mechanics - B/Fluids, 58, 59-69. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.euromechflu.2016.03.005
• Stuart, T., Mao, X., & Gan, L. (2016). Transient growth associated with secondary vortices in ground/vortex interactions. AIAA Journal, 54(6), 1901-1906. https://doi.org/10.2514/1.j054484
• Cardesa, J., Mistry, D., Gan, L., & Dawson, J. (2013). Invariants of the reduced velocity gradient tensor in turbulent flows. Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 716, 597-615. https://doi.org/10.1017/jfm.2012.558
• Gan, L., Dawson, J., & Nickels, T. (2012). On the drag of turbulent vortex rings. Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 709, 85-105. https://doi.org/10.1017/jfm.2012.322
• Gan, L., Dawson, J., & Nickels, T. (2011). An experimental study of a turbulent vortex ring: a three-dimensional representation. Experiments in Fluids, 51(6), 1493-1507. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00348-011-1156-5
• GAN, L., & Nickels, T. (2010). An experimental study of turbulent vortex rings during their early development. Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 649, 467-496. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0022112009993971