Hua Zhao
Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research, Professor, Director of CAPF
Email Address: hua.zhao@brunel.ac.uk
Professor Zhao earned his PhD in 1989 and was awarded a Doctor of Science (DSc) degree in 2009. He held positions at Cambridge University and Imperial College London before joining Brunel University. In recognition of his contributions to engineering, he was elected a Fellow of the Society of Automotive Engineers (FSAE) in the United States in 2012, a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering (FREng) in 2015, and a Foreign Member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering in 2021.
An accomplished researcher, Professor Zhao has published over 400 papers in international journals and conferences, authored six monographs, secured seven international patents, and received five prestigious awards. He has successfully led and completed more than 100 research projects funded by the EU, UK government, and industry, focusing on advanced internal combustion engines powered by zero-carbon and carbon-neutral fuels such as hydrogen (H₂), ammonia (NH₃), and methanol, with applications in road transportation, marine vessels, and power generation. Over his career, he has supervised more than 50 PhD students and postdoctoral researchers.
Research Projects:
Propulsion via Direct Seawater Electrolysis and Ambient Hydrogen Storage. Innovate UK CMDC Round 6. Sep 2025 to 2026. PI.
FASTMOVE - Feasibility of Ammonia 4-stroKE Marine engines in Offshore Vessels. Innovate UK CMDC Round 6. Sep 2025 to 2026. PI.
Transforming mobility power by dedicated high-efficiency and zero emission hydrogen combustion engines. EPSRC. April 2025 to Mar 2028. Co-I.
Advanced Fuel and Propulsion Technologies for Low-Carbon Future Transport (Renewal). UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship. Jul 2025 to Jun 2028. PI.
Digital-Twins for Hydrogen and Ammonia injection and ignition in engines for Transport Systems. EU Horizon MSCA Doctoral Networks 2024. Sep 2025 to Aug 2029. Co-I.
Brunel University London and Advanced Innovative Engineering (UK) Limited KTP 23_24 R6. 1 KTP project. Innovate UK. October 2024 to January 2027. Co-I.
Shoreside Power from Optimised Hydrogen Lifecycle (SPOHL). Innovate UK 10095529. April 2024 to March 2025. Co-I.
Novel High-Efficiency Ammonia engine Technology for Heavy Duty marine applications. Innovate UK 10096638. April 2024 to March 2025.. PI.
Wind and Aquaculture Support Vessel: Emission less Sailing with Autonomous Integration (WAVES). Innovate UK 10097950. April 2024 to March 2025. Co-I.
Research and Development of Zero Carbon Engines. Industrial Project. Jan 2024 to Dec 2027. PI.
Clothed nanobubbles: Dynamics of nanobubble shells. EPSRC Access to High Performance Computing 2023. July 2024 to July 2025. PI.
Dynamics of hydrogen nanobubbles in liquid ammonia. EPSRC Access to High Performance Computing 2023. July 2023 to July 2024. PI.
Control and optimisation of alcohol fuel combustion through novel fuel injection technologies (IEC\NSFC\223417). Royal Society. Mar 2023 to Feb 2025. Principal Investigator.
Development of a zero-carbon power generator for construction sites (10059518). Innovate UK. Jun 2023 to Mar 2026. PI.
Carnot High Efficiency Hydrogen Combustion Engine Demonstrator. Innovate UK 10056833. Mar 2022 to Feb 2025. PI.
Modelling of hydrogen flame quenching through fine meshes. Brunel Innovation Voucher Scheme. Feb to June 2023. PI.
Roadmap for hydrogen heavy good vehicle (HGV) technologies & infrastructure. Brunel Research Interdisciplinary Lab. Oct 2022 to Feb 2023. PI.
Enabling green ammonia as future transport fuel (EP/X001113/1). Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). 2022-2024. Principal Investigator.
Microscale mechanisms for NH3 combustion and its emission control by electric fields (IEC\NSFC\211356). Royal Society. 2022-2024. Co-I.
Research and Development of Hydrogen Engines. Industrial Project. 2021-2024. PI.
Advanced fuel and propulsion technologies for low-carbon future transport. UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship (MR/T042915/1). 2020-2024. PI.