Current Projects
2023-2025 USDA-NLGCA sponsored project “Research and education capacity building for energy and nutrients recovery from vegetable farm wastes” (USDA Project: 2023-70001-40991), managed by Drs. Liangcheng Yang and David Kopsel at Illinois State University. $149,895. Click here to see the project updates.
2024-2026 USDA-Higher Ed Challenge program sponsored project “Enhancing Sustainable Urban Agriculture Education Through Project-based Experiential and Service-learning” (USDA Project: 2023-70003-41355), managed by Drs. David Kopsell, Liangcheng Yang, and Maria Boerngen at Illinois State University. $148,664.
2023-2025 Iowa Soybean Association sponsored project “Cover Crop Nutrients Transport in Anaerobic Digestion”, managed by Drs. Liangcheng Yang and Rob Rhykerd at Illinois State University. $199,872.
2023-2026 Environmental Protection Agency sponsored project “Bloomington-Normal Community Air Quality Research”, managed by Mr. Michael Brown at Ecology Action Center and Drs. Liangcheng Yang and Alicia Wodica at Illinois State University. $440,485.
2024-2026 Environmental Protection Agency sponsored project “Bloomington-Normal Climate Responsive Community (BNCRC)”. Project lead: Mr. Michael Brown at Ecology Action Center. $499,784.
Previous projects (selected)
2022-2023 “Shimadzu Equipment Grants for Education & Research”. Sponsored by Shimadzu Corporation.
2020-2023 “Research and education capacity building for anaerobic digestion of agricultural wastes”. Sponsored by the USDA-NLGCA.
2020-2021 “Test the filtration efficiency of N95 masks recovered using an electrostatic charging device”. Sponsored by F.N. Smith.
2020-2021. “Developing a multi-dimensional assessment framework to support the sustainability of utility-scale renewable energy systems”. Sponsored by the Scott M. Elliott Cross-Disciplinary Pilot Program.
2018-2019 “Modeling phosphors pricing and its effects on the economic feasibility of nutrients recovery from wastewaters”. Sponsored by the Scott M. Elliott Cross-Disciplinary Pilot Program.
2016-2017. “Development of a novel anaerobic digestion system with stable biogas production and no liquid waste generation”. Sponsored by the Illinois State University Cross-disciplinary Grant Development Grant.
Publications (Google Scholar)
41. Yang, L., T. Y. Lubna, M. A. Moklak, B. Gautam, N. J. Heller, R. L. Rhykerd, D. E. Kopsell, and J. C. Sedbrook. 2024. Impacts of Harvest Date and Concurrent Alkali Pretreatment and Ensiling on Anaerobic Digestion of Pennycress Biomass. Fermentation, 10, 96. https://doi.org/10.3390/fermentation10020096.
40. Yang, L., L. D. Lamont, S. Liu, C. Guo, and S. Stoner. 2023. A Review on Potential Biofuel Yields from Cover Crops. Fermentation. 9, 912. https://doi.org/10.3390/fermentation9100912.
39. Yang, L., L. D. Lamont, J. C. Sedbrook, N. J. Heller, and D. E. Kopsell. 2022. Anaerobic digestion of cereal rye cover crop. Fermentation. 8, 617. https://doi.org/10.3390/fermentation8110617.
38. Yang, L., T. Moran, and L. Han. 2021. Comparison of Operating Methods in Cartridge Anaerobic Digestion of Corn Stover. BioEnergy Research https://doi.org/10.1007/s12155-021-10252-w.
37. Z. Zheng, K. Fiddes, and L. Yang. 2021. A narrative review on environmental impacts of cannabis cultivation. Journal of Cannabis Research 3(1), 1-10. doi.org/10.1186/s42238-021-00090-0.
36. X. Kong, S. Ying, L. Yang, et al. 2020. Microbial and isotopomer analysis of N2O generation pathways in ammonia removal biofilters. Chemosphere. DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.126357.
35. L. Yang and S. Corsolini. 2019. Online removal of volatile siloxanes in solid-state anaerobic digester biogas using a biofilter and an activated carbon filter. Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jece.2019.103284.
34. Y. Wang, L. Yang, and Y. Li. 2019. Comparison of singular, binary, and ternary mixing of feedstocks for anaerobic digestion. Environmental Technology. DOI: 10.1080/09593330.2019.1627424
33. L. Yang and S. Corsolini. 2019. A Case Study on Converting Organic Farm Waste Vegetables to Biogas Using a Cartridge Design Anaerobic Digester. Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology. doi: 10.1007/s12010-019-03034-w.
32. F. Xu, Y. Li, X. Ge, L. Yang, and Y. Li. 2018. Anaerobic digestion of food waste – Challenges and opportunities. Bioresource Technology. 247: 1047-1058.
31. Jin, Q., L. Yang, N. Poe, and H. Huang. 2018. Integrated processing of plant-derived waste to produce value-added products based on the biorefinery concept. Trends in Food Science & Technology 74: 119-131.
30. Xu, F., Y. Li, X. Ge, L. Yang, and Y. Li. 2018. Anaerobic digestion of food waste-Challenges and opportunities. Bioresource Technology. 247: 1047-1058.
29. Zheng, Z., L. Yang, X. Wang, and R. Gates. 2017. Impedance-based moisture content sensor assessment for gas-phase biofilter media. Transactions of the ASABE. 60(6): 2163-2173.
28. Yang, L., D. Kopsell, A. Kottke, and M. Johnson. 2017. Development of a cartridge design anaerobic digestion system for lignocellulosic biomass. Biosystems Engineering. 160: 134-139.
27. Byrns,G., B. Beverly, L. Yang, et al. 2017. The Uses and Limitations of a Hand-held Germicidal Ultraviolet Wand for Surface Disinfection. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene. Doi: 10.1080/15459624.2017.1328106.
26. Yang, L., X. Ge, and Y. Li. 2016. Recovery of failed solid-state anaerobic digesters. Bioresource Technology. 214:866-70.
25. Jin, G., T. Biema, and L. Yang. 2016. Cap-and-Trade: Understanding and teaching a market-based approach to natural resource allocation. Natural Sciences Education. doi:10.4195/nse2015.0030.
24. Cui, S., L. Yang, J. Wang, X. Wang. 2016. Fabrication of a sensitive gas sensor based on PPy/TiO2nanocomposites films by layer-by-layer self-assembly and its application in food storage. Sensors and Actuators B. 233: 337–346.
23. Yang, X., J. Lee, Y. Zhang, X. Wang, and L. Yang. 2015. Concentration, Size, and Density of Total Suspended Particulates at the Air Exhaust of Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations. Atmospheric Environment. 1-10.
22. Yang, L., F. Xu, X. Ge, and Y. Li. 2015. Challenges and strategies for solid-state anaerobic digestion of lignocellulosic biomass. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews. 44: 824-834.
21. Sheets, J., L. Yang, X. Ge, Z. Wang, and Y. Li. 2015. Beyond land application: Emerging technologies for the treatment and reuse of anaerobically digested agricultural and food waste. Waste Management. 44: 94–115.
20. Lin, L., L. Yang, and Y. Li. 2015. Effect of feedstock components on thermophilic solid-state anaerobic digestion of yard trimmings. Energy and Fuels. 29 (6), 3699–3706.
19. Zhu, J., M. Han, G. Zhang, and L. Yang. 2015. Co-digestion of spent mushroom substrate and corn stover for methane production via solid-state anaerobic digestion. Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy 7 (2), 023135.
18. Jiang D., L. Danhua, S. Wang, L. Tian, and L. Yang. 2015. Additional Yaw Moment Control of a 4WIS and 4WID Agricultural Data Acquisition Vehicle. International Journal of Advanced Robotic Systems. 12: 78.
17. Yang, L., X. Ge, C. Wang, F. Yu, and Y. Li. 2014. Progress and perspectives in converting biogas to transportation fuels. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews. 40:1133-1152.
16. Zhu J.+, L. Yang+, and Y. Li. 2014. Comparison of premixing methods for solid-state anaerobic digestion of corn stover. Bioresource Technology. 175: 430-435.
15. Ge, X., L. Yang, J.P. Sheets, Z. Yu, and Y. Li. 2014. Biological conversion of methane to liquid fuels: status and opportunities. Biotechnology Advances. 32: 1460-1475.
14. Yang, L. and Y. Li. 2014. Anaerobic digestion of giant reed for methane production. Bioresource Technology. 171:233-239.
13. Cui, S., J. Wang, L. Yang, J. Wu, and X. Wang. 2015. Qualitative and quantitative analysis on aroma characteristics of ginseng at different ages using E-nose and GC-MS combined with chemometrics. Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis. 102: 64-77.
12. Cui, S., L. Yang, J. Wang, and X. Wang. 2014. Taste characteristics based quantitative and qualitative evaluation of ginseng adulteration. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture. DOI: 10.1002/jsfa.6858.
11. Shen, C., L. Yang, X. Wang, Y. Jiang, and Y. Yao. 2014. Predictive performance of a wastewater source heat pump using artificial neural networks. Building Services Engineering Research and Technology. DUI: 10.1177/0143624414547966.
10. Lin, L., L. Yang, F. Xu, F. C. Michel, and Y. Li. 2014. Comparison of solid-state anaerobic digestion and composting of yard trimmings with effluent from liquid anaerobic digestion. Bioresource Technology. 169: 439–446.
9. Yang, L., A.D. Kent, X. Wang, T.L. Funk, R.S. Gates, and Y. Zhang. 2014. Moisture effects on gas-phase biofilter ammonia removal efficiency, nitrous oxide generation and microbial communities. Journal of Hazardous Materials. 271: 292–301.
8. Yang, L. and C. Shen. 2014. Integration of wastewater source heat pump and solid-state anaerobic digestion for residential waste treatment and energy production. Journal of Postdoc Research. 2:1–6.
7. Shen, C, C. Cirone, L. Yang, Y. Jiang, and X. Wang. 2014. Characteristics of fouling development in shell-and-tube heat exchanger: Effects of velocity and installation location. International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer. 77: 439–448.
6. Shen, C., L. Yang, X. Wang, Y. Jiang, and Y. Yao. 2014. An experimental and numerical study of a de-fouling evaporator used in a wastewater source heat pump. Applied Thermal Engineering. 70: 501–509.
5. Yang, L., X. Wang, T.L. Funk. 2014. Strong influence of medium pH condition on gas-phase biofilter ammonia removal, nitrous oxide generation and microbial communities. Bioresource Technology.152: 74–79.
4. Jiang, D., L. Yang, L. Tian, F. Gao, L. Li. 2014. Development of a 3D ego-motion estimation system for an autonomous agricultural vehicle. Biosystem Engineering. 121:150–159.
3. Yang, L., X. Wang, T.L. Funk, S. Shi, R.S. Gates and Y. Zhang. 2013. Moisture monitoring and control in gas-phase biofilters to achieve high ammonia removal efficiency and low nitrous oxide generation. Transactions of the ASABE. 56(5): 1895–1903.
2. Yang, L., X. Wang, T.L. Funk, R.S. Gates and Y. Zhang. 2013. Impedance based moisture sensor design and test for gas-phase biofilter applications. Transactions of the ASABE. 56(4): 1613–1621.
1. Yang, L., X. Wang, T.L. Funk, R.S. Gates and Y. Zhang. 2012. Transport and fate of N-containing compounds in gas-phase biofilter: A swing test to mitigate ammonia. Transactions of the ASABE. 55(5): 1951–1958.