About Me

I am an Assistant Professor in the Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering and Advanced Manufacturing Department at California State University, Chico. I am passionate about teaching and mentoring students, inspiring them in the areas of programming, thermal science, and aerospace applications.

I earned a Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering from the Civil Aviation University of China in 2018, followed by a Master's degree in Aerospace Engineering from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in 2020, specializing in Heat Transfer for Aerospace Propulsion System Design. In 2024, I completed my Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering at Embry-Riddle, where my research focused on the heat transfer performance of Supercritical Carbon Dioxide (sCO$_{\textnormal{2}}$) systems. This work aimed to advance energy efficiency and power generation technologies, contributing to the development of innovative solutions in thermal-fluid sciences.

Contact Information

Address: OCNL 422, 400 West First Street, Chico, CA 95929
Email: ychao@csuchico.edu

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Classes

Teaching Interests

MATLAB Programming, Thermodynamics, Heat Transfer, and Aerospace Propulsion Systems.

Current Classes

California State University, Chico

  • MECH208 Introduction to Technical Computing Fall 2024 Course Description: This course introduces technical computing for engineering, focusing on the application of MATLAB to solve engineering problems. Topics include kinematics and kinetics, fluid flow, thermal systems, and fundamentals of machine learning. The course consists of 1 hour of lecture and 3 hours of laboratory work each week.
  • MECH338 Heat Transfer Fall 2024 Course Description: This course explores steady-state and transient (unsteady) heat conduction in one and two dimensions. It introduces numerical methods such as finite-difference and finite-element analysis. Additionally, the course covers free and forced convection, along with radiation heat transfer.

Previous Classes

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

  • ES403 Heat Transfer Spring 2022 - Spring 2024 | Instructor of Record
  • ME314L Instrument and Data Acquisition Lab Fall 2021 | TA
  • ME438L Model-Based Control System Design Lab Fall 2021 | TA
  • ES403 Heat Transfer Fall 2020 - Spring 2021 | TA
  • AE508 Intermediate Heat Transfer Fall 2019 - Spring 2020 | TA
  • AE403 Jet Propulsion Spring 2018 - Spring 2019 | TA

Research Topics

My research interests lie in the domain of thermal and fluid sciences, with a specialization in heat transfer. Specifically, my work focuses on the heat transfer characteristics of supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO$_{\textnormal{2}}$). sCO$_{\textnormal{2}}$ is carbon dioxide maintained above its critical temperature and pressure, resulting in unique properties—it behaves like a gas but exhibits the density of a liquid. sCO$_{\textnormal{2}}$ is nontoxic and nonflammable, with applications ranging from dry cleaning to decaffeination processes. These distinctive characteristics make sCO$_{\textnormal{2}}$ a highly efficient working fluid for power generation, as small changes in temperature or pressure can lead to significant density variations.

Key Advantages of sCO$_{\textnormal{2}}$ Power Cycles

1. High Efficiency in Power Generation: Replacing traditional thermal media such as steam or air with sCO$_{\textnormal{2}}$ can improve thermal efficiency by up to 10%.
2. Reduced Construction Costs: sCO$_{\textnormal{2}}$ equipment is compact, with components approximately 10% the size of conventional power plant systems. For instance, a desk-sized sCO$_{\textnormal{2}}$ turbine can generate enough power for 10,000 homes.
3. Lower Environmental Impact: sCO$_{\textnormal{2}}$ is a non-toxic working fluid compatible with diverse energy sources, including concentrated solar power, natural gas, coal, biomass, geothermal energy, nuclear energy, ship propulsion systems, and waste heat recovery.

Publications

Conference Papers for 2025

  1. Analysis of Thermal Entrance Length in Turbulent Supercritical CO2 Flow Through a Horizontal Circular Tube
    Authored by me, this paper has been accepted for presentation at the AIAA SciTech Forum, scheduled for 6–10 January 2025 in Orlando, Florida.
  2. An Optimization of Tesla-Type Valve for Mitigating Backflow in Rotary Detonation Engines
    Authored by my student, this paper has been accepted for presentation at the ASME Aerospace Structures, Structural Dynamics, and Materials Conference, scheduled for 5–7 May 2025 in Houston, Texas.
  3. Non-Destructive Qualification Testing for Aerospace Structures Using A Predictive Vibration Method
    Authored by my student, this paper is currently under review for the SmallSat Europe Conference, scheduled for 27–28 May 2025 in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Featured Journal Papers

Full Publication List:

Google Scholar Profile

Research Team

Principal Investigator

  • Dr. Yang Chao Assistant Professor, Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering and Advanced Manufacturing, California State University, Chico

Faculty Members

  • Dr. Dennis O'Connor Associate Professor, Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering and Advanced Manufacturing, California State University, Chico
  • Dr. Sandra Boetcher Professor, ASME Fellow, Mechanical Engineering, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
  • Dr. Mark Ricklick Associate Professor, Aerospace Engineering, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

Student Members

  • Forest Siewert Undergraduate Student, Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering and Advanced Manufacturing, California State University, Chico
  • Samaher Shaheen Undergraduate Student, Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering and Advanced Manufacturing, California State University, Chico
  • Nicholas Lopes Ph.D. Student, Mechanical Engineering, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

My Hobbies

Hiking

  • I love hiking and chasing mountain views—mostly because they make me feel like I’ve achieved something without having to write a research paper about it. Sadly, I spent the last 7 years in Florida, where the only “elevation” I experienced was climbing a staircase. Fortunately, I’ve made it to Chico, California, where mountains are practically everywhere. My next big goal? The Appalachian Trail—because why not aim high?

Reading

  • Books are my jam—especially biographies and politics. I’d call myself a bookworm, but even worms don’t read as much as I do. I recently finished People, Power, and Profits by Joseph Stiglitz, which makes me feel both smarter and poorer at the same time. Now, I’m diving into Slow Productivity by Cal Newport—a book that promises to make me productive, but, you know… slowly.

Cooking

  • I consider myself a master chef (self-proclaimed), capable of whipping up almost any Chinese dish. Here’s a fun fact: if a Chinese person brags about being good at cooking hotpot, it’s a subtle way of saying they can’t cook anything else. Thankfully, I’m good at both hotpot and everything else—or so I tell myself.