Education
PhD, Tsinghua University, Department of Thermal Engineering, 2011
Visiting student, University of Aberdeen, School of Engineering, May 2009 to August 2009
Visiting student, University of Pisa, Department of Mechanical, Nuclear and Production Engineering, March 2008
B.S., Tsinghua University, Department of Thermal Engineering, 2006
Work Experiences
12/2017 – present, Research Associate Professor, Division of Reactor Equipment, INET, Tsinghua University
07/2011 – 11/2017, Research Assistant Professor, Division of Reactor Equipment, INET, Tsinghua University
Social service
Journal Reviewer
International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, Nuclear Engineering and Design, Energy, Annals of Nuclear Energy, Applied Thermal Engineering, International Communications in Heat and Mass Transfer, International Journal of Multiphase Flow, Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, International Journal of Thermal Sciences, etc.
Service to Professional Associations：
Member of Youth Editorial Board, Atomic Energy Science and Technology. 2023-present
Certified Nuclear Safety Engineer, Nuclear and Radiation Safety Center. 2013-present
Areas of Research Interests/ Research Projects
Dr. Zhao’s research interests are in the heat and mass transfer in the gas-liquid two-phase flow and supercritical fluids, as well as the advanced high-efficiency heat exchangers in the areas of Reactor Thermohydraulic and Equipment, Engineering Thermophysics, Energy and Thermal Power Engineering.
Reactor Equipment
Key technologies and product development for in-vessel main equipment in small modular reactors (SMRs), including the once-through steam generator (OTSG) and control rod hydraulic drive technology, etc.
Gas-liquid two-phase flow and boiling heat transfer
Basic and applied basic researches on the gas-liquid two-phase flow and boiling heat transfer against the application background of the advanced high-efficiency heat exchangers such as OTSG for the reactors. Visualization experiments on micro-scale bubble dynamics. Numerical method development for flow boiling based on bubble boundary layer model in the Euler-Lagrange framework.
Supercritical pressure fluids flow and heat transfer
Basic and applied basic researches on the flow and heat transfer characteristics of various supercritical pressure fluids including CO2, R134a, R22, etc. against the application background of supercritical fluids and supercritical CO₂ cycles in high-efficiency, compact energy conversion systems for nuclear power and other fields.
Research Status
202309-202508 Study on Bubble Boundary Layer Dynamics and Heat Transfer Characteristics in Flow Boiling Open Fund of the Key Laboratory of Advanced Reactor Engineering and Safety (Ministry of Education
202009-202307 Study on Flow and Heat Transfer Characteristics and Design of High-Performance Narrow Gap Steam Generators CNNC Young Talent Program
201702 to present Design and experiments on in-vessel type control rod hydraulic drive system for the NHR200-II heating reactor
201501-201712 Study on mechanism of the in-tube cooling heat transfer to
supercritical CO2 mixed with lubricating oil National Natural Science Foundation
201401-201612 Mechanism of Heat Transfer Deterioration in Supercritical Fluids and Improvement of k-ε Two-Equation Turbulence Model Doctoral Program Foundation of Ministry of Education
201107-201606 Design and experiments on in-vessel type control rod hydraulic drive system for the Low-Temperature Reactor
Honors and Awards
2025, Distinguished Member of Youth Editorial Board of Atomic Energy Science and Technology
2022, 2023, 2024, Distinguished Reviewer of Atomic Energy Science and Technology
2020, Young Sci. & Tech. Innovation "Elite Talent" of China National Nuclear Corporation
2010, Wu Zhonghua Outstanding Student Award
Selected Academic Achievement
Dr. Zhao has published 42 papers indexed by SCI and 46 papers indexed by EI in the academic journals of International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, Nuclear Engineering and Design, Applied Thermal Engineering, Physics of Fluids, Atomic Energy Science and Technology, etc., and authorized more than 50 patents. Five representative papers are as follows:
1. Han Jinyu, He Wen, Yao Liu, Zhao Chenru *, Bo Hanliang, Thermal-hydraulic analysis of once-through steam generator with annular narrow slot tube, Applied Thermal Engineering, Volume 258, Part C, 2025, 124576
2. Han Jinyu, Liu Yang, Chu Wenjun, Zhao Chenru*, Bo Hanliang, Experimental study on visualized flow boiling in a narrow rectangular channel. International Communications in Heat and Mass Transfer, 138, 2022, 106383
3. Ren Zhuo, Zhao Chen-Ru*, Jiang Pei-Xue, Han-Liang Bo. Investigation on local convection heat transfer of supercritical CO2 during cooling in horizontal semicircular channels of printed circuit heat exchanger. Applied Thermal Engineering, 2019, 157: 113697.
4. Zhao Chen-Ru, Zhang Zhen, Jiang Pei-Xue, Xu Rui-Na, Bo Han-Liang. Influence of channel scale on the convective heat transfer of CO2 at supercritical pressure in vertical tubes. International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, 2018, 126: 201-210.
5. Zhao Chen-Ru, Jiang Pei-Xue. Experimental study of in-tube cooling heat transfer and pressure drop characteristics of R134a at supercritical pressures. Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science, 2011, 35(7): 1293-1303.
Last updated: 2025-6
