Institute of Propulsion Theory and Technology
The Institute of Propulsion Theory and Technology is a key research unit supporting the National First-level Key discipline of Power Engineering and Engineering Thermophysics. Its primary research areas include the aerothermodynamics of turbomachinery flow paths, the Design of aircraft power systems, and the Application of artificial intelligence in turbomachinery. The institute currently has 9 faculty members, including 4 professors, 3 associate professors, 1 lecturer, and 1 associate researcher.
Since its establishment, the institute has been dedicated to research on three-dimensional (3D) theory and design methods of turbomachinery bending and twisting blades. Its achievements in twisted blade research are recognized as world-leading. The institute has developed a comprehensive 3D design system for twisted blades, which has been successfully applied in marine steam turbines and all five types of large-scale steam turbines in China, generating significant economic benefits.
A large number of research results from the institute have also contributed to major national projects, such as the maiden flight of the Long March 5 rocket. It has consistently secured funding from national research programs, including those supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC). Additionally, it receives support from provincial and ministerial-level organizations, as well as leading domestic and international entities such as China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation, Aviation Industry Corporation of China, China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation, Harbin Turbine Company, and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries of Japan.
Over the past five years, the institute has published over 100 papers in related fields, including more than 50 SCI-indexed and 30 EI-indexed articles. Its faculty members have received numerous prestigious awards and honors, such as the Second Prize for Scientific and Technological Progress from national ministries, the First Prize for Invention in Heilongjiang Province, the Second Prize for National Defense Science and Technology Progress, the First Prize for Innovation from the China Invention Association, and the Baosteel Outstanding Teacher Award.
Key Research Directions:
·Design of high-efficiency, high-load turbomachinery design, and unsteady flow separation control mechanisms
·Aerodynamic optimization design of aircraft engines, compressors, and turbines
·Performance research on micro-turbine power systems and their components
·Aerodynamic shape design and optimization based on advanced design theories and methods
·Thermal-end component design for high-performance aircraft engines
·High-precision numerical simulation techniques for hypersonic flows
·Research on aerodynamic noise and aerody
namic stability
·Thermodynamic conversion mechanisms and flow path design for turbomachinery driven by novel and special working fluid
Institute of Carbon Neutral Energy Technology
The Institute of Carbon Neutral Energy Technology was officially established in 1999, evolving from the Combustion Research Group (later known as the Combustion Engineering Research Institute) founded in 1987. Its associated Thermal Engineering discipline was founded in 1954 and has produced 3 Academicians of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and 1 Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. It is recognized as a National Key Secondary Discipline. The institute currently has 25 faculty members, including 15 Professors, 6 Associate Professors, and 17 Doctoral supervisors. Among them, the team includes 1 National-level High-end Talent, 1 National-level Young High-end Talent, and 1 National Outstanding Youth Fund recipient, forming a well-structured talent echelon. The institute serves as a core supporting unit of the National Key Laboratory of Low-Carbon Thermal Power Generation Technology and Equipment and the National Engineering Laboratory for Coal Combustion Pollutants Reduction.
In recent years, the institute has undertaken numerous key projects, including National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) key projects, general projects, National Key R&D Program projects, and Industry-Commissioned projects in the fields of high-efficiency and clean low-carbon thermochemical energy conversion and diversified energy storage. It has achieved significant research breakthroughs and received several prestigious scientific and technological awards, including 3 times Second Prize of the National Technological Invention Award (2001, 2006, 2015), 4 times First Prize of Heilongjiang Provincial Science and Technology Progress Award (2000, 2010, 2017, 2020), and First Prize of the China Special Equipment Inspection Association Science and Technology Award (2018). In 2008, the institute was approved to establish the National Engineering Laboratory for Coal Combustion Pollutants Reduction, solidifying its reputation as an influential academic and research team both domestically and internationally.
Key Research Directions:
·Flexible peak regulation of thermal power and control of flue gas pollutants
·Zero-carbon fuel combustion and flame spectrum diagnostics
·Porous media combustion and catalysis
·Advanced combustion in power plants
·Industrial energy-saving and waste heat utilization
·Compressed air energy storage technology
·High-value utilization of biomass and solid waste
·Development of carbon-based functional materials
·Smart utilization of solar energy
·Integrated hydrogen production and storage technology
·Low-energy-consumption CO2 capture and resource utilization
·Solid fuel combustion technology
Institute of Aerospace Thermophysics
The Institute of Aerospace Thermophysics has long adhered to the combination of fundamental research and technological innovation. Addressing the technological development needs of infrared remote sensing, high-speed and hypersonic vehicles, space solar energy, aerospace engines, and power generation equipment, the institute has conducted extensive research in collaboration with leading organizations like China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation, Aviation Industry Corporation of China, and Harbin Electric Corporation. Supported by National Key Projects from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) and other national ministries, the institute focuses on areas such as photothermal radiation information and energy transfer and regulation, high-temperature coupled heat transfer and control, solar energy utilization, and high-temperature measurement. It has achieved internationally advanced and domestically leading research outcomes, significantly contributing to technological and industrial advancements and earning numerous national and provincial-level science and technology awards.
Through years of development, the institute has established stable and distinctive research directions that maintain a leading position domestically. It secures annual research funding of approximately 33 million RMB. In terms of research facilities, the institute is equipped with a series of advanced experimental platforms, including a high-temperature particle radiation property experimental platform, a comprehensive micro-nano-scale radiation characteristic experimental platform, and UV-visible-infrared variable-temperature optical constant measurement experimental platform, and other high-level experimental platforms. The institute has undertaken major projects under the National 973 and 863 Programs, as well as projects from the Ministry of Education and NSFC, with total research funding exceeding 1.3 billion RMB. It has a strong capacity for talent cultivation, enrolling over 80 Master's students, 40 Doctoral students, and more than 10 Postdoctoral researchers annually. Over the past five years, it has graduated over 100 PhD students and currently has over 110 PhD candidates enrolled. The institute has graduated over 320 Master's students, with more than 150 Master's students currently enrolled.
Key Research Directions:
·Frontier interdisciplinary theories and experiments on thermal radiation
·Novel thermophotovoltaic theories and technologies
·Design of advanced thermal radiation functional devices
·Ultra-close heat transport theory and simulation
·Micro-nano-scale heat transport and interfacial thermal conduction
·Electroconductive pump experimental design and spacecraft thermal management
·Electro-turbulence and flow stability
·Multiphase heat transfer under electric fields
Institute of Advanced Propulsion Technology
The Institute of Advanced Propulsion Technology was formerly known as the Harbin Institute of Technology Institute of Power Engineering Control and Simulation established in 1998. The institute currently has 16 Professors, 3 Associate Professors, 11 Postdoctoral researchers, 18 Doctoral supervisors, and 10 Master's supervisors. Among them, there are 2 recipients of the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars, 5 National-level High-level Talents, and 4 National-level Young Talents. The institute has formed a well-structured talent echelon.
In recent years, the institute has undertaken numerous key projects and general projects in hypersonic propulsion, space electric propulsion, and energy big data, supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, National Ministries, and Industry Commissions. It has achieved significant scientific research results, earning numerous prestigious awards, including First Prize for Technological Invention at the Provincial/Ministerial Level (2024), Second Prize of the National Science and Technology Progress Award (2019), First Prize for Scientific and Technological Progress from National Ministries (2018), First Prize for Technological Invention from the Ministry of Education (2017), and Second Prize for Technological Invention at the Provincial/Ministerial Level (2017). The institute's research was also selected in the Top 10 Scientific Advances in Chinese Universities and Top 10 Aerospace News in China in 2016. The institute was approved to establish the Key Laboratory of Aerospace Plasma Propulsion by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology in 2019, solidifying its reputation as an influential academic and research team both domestically and internationally.
Key Research Directions:
·Hypersonic propulsion
·Intelligent engine and control technology
·Supersonic combustion organization and optimization
·Engine thermal protection and energy management
·New type combined power technology
·Space electric propulsion fundamental theory and design technology
·Space electric propulsion systems and intelligent technology
·Electric propulsion plasma numerical simulation
·Low-temperature plasma diagnostics
·Micro-nano and new electric propulsion design and application
·Smart energy and energy internet
Institute of Power Machinery Vibration and Noise Control Technology
The Institute of Power Machinery Vibration and Noise Control Technology focuses on vibration control and AI-based fault diagnosis for aircraft engines, marine gas turbines, and liquid rocket engines. The institute currently has 5 faculty members, including 1 Professor (PhD supervisor), 1 Researcher (PhD supervisor), 1 Associate Professor (PhD supervisor), 1 Lecturer, and 4 other researchers. Professor Liu Zhansheng, the director of the institute, serves as an Executive director of the Chinese Society of Vibration Engineering and previously served as the chairman of the Rotor Dynamics Professional Committee. Researcher Zhang Guanghui served as the Secretary-General of the Rotor Dynamics Professional Committee.
The institute has achieved significant research milestones, including 1 First Prize, 2 Second Prizes, and 1 Third Prize for Scientific and Technological Progress at the provincial and ministerial levels, along with 11 granted invention patents, 2 international patents, and published over 200 papers. Additionally, the institute has developed proprietary fault diagnosis systems and air-floating static balancing devices. It has also established several advanced experimental platforms, including a dual-span shaft system simulation experimental platform for steam turbines, a gas turbine rotor vibration characteristics experimental platform, a missile engine fault simulation experimental platform, a thermoelastic coupling experimental platform for space temperature distribution simulation, and an ultra-high-speed foil bearing experimental platform. The institute has undertaken National Key Projects, including the National Major Special Projects and the National 863 Program projects, contributing to foundational and large-scale engineering research of national significance.
Key Research Directions:
·Rotor dynamics of high-speed rotating machinery
·Structural dynamics of gas turbine engines
·Intelligent monitoring technology for engines
·Engine fault diagnosis theories and technologies
·Vibration and noise reduction technologies
·High-speed gas bearings
·Engine sealing technologies
·Turbine machinery strength and vibration
·Fluid-solid coupling vibration
·Connected structures nonlinear dynamics
Institute of Energy and Environmental Engineering
The Institute of Energy and Environmental Engineering was established in July 2003 and currently has 13 faculty members, including 7 Professors, 9 PhD supervisors, and 3 Associate Professors. Among them, the institute has 1 National-level Senior Talent, 1 National-level Young Talent, and 1 recipient of the National Excellent Young Scientists Fund. Through years of dedicated research, the institute has established stable and distinctive research directions in efficient and clean energy utilization and ecological environmental protection.
The institute has undertaken numerous national and international research projects, including Key Projects funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), General NSFC projects, National Key Research and Development Programs, New Century Talent Programs by the Ministry of Education, and International scientific and technological cooperation projects. It has received several prestigious scientific and technological awards, including 1 Provincial and Ministerial Natural Science Second Prize Award and 1 Heilongjiang Natural Science First Prize Award.
Key Research Directions:
·Energy storage, hydrogen energy, and fuel cells
·Multiphase flow theory and applications
·Solid waste and biomass resource utilization
·Thermal management and efficient heat transfer technologies
·Solar energy development and utilization, seawater desalination
·Thermochemical conversion of biomass
·Geothermal heat pump technology
·Distributed energy systems
·Environmental ecological governance and ecological restoration
·Single-phase/phase-change convective heat transfer theory and applications
Institute of Fluid Machinery and Engineering
The Institute of Fluid Machinery and Engineering currently has 5 Professors (including 4 National-level Young Talents and 1 Heilongjiang Provincial Teaching Master), 2 Adjunct Professors (1 National Engineer Award winner and 1 Heilongjiang Outstanding Youth Fund recipient), 5 Associate Professors, and 1 Associate Researcher. The institute is equipped with large-scale scientific facilities such as a space electromagnetic environment simulation experiment system, accelerator system, and other large scientific facilities. It is also equipped with complete advanced flow measurement experimental platforms and high-performance computing service platforms. The institute has undertaken over 80 national-level projects, including those funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), the National Science and Technology Support Program, and the Ministry of Science and Technology's Key R&D Program, along with more than 30 other national and industry-related projects and over 100 enterprise-funded research projects, with total research funding exceeding 50 million RMB. The institute has published over 300 academic papers, applied for 50 national patents, and won 3 First-Class Provincial Science and Technology Awards and 2 Second-Class Provincial Science and Technology Awards. It has also been approved as the National Key Laboratory of Hydropower Equipment. The course “Engineering Fluid Mechanics” has been recognized as a National First-Class Undergraduate Course, a National Excellent Course, and a National High-Quality Resource Sharing Course, while “Advanced Fluid Mechanics” has been designated as a National Online Demonstration Course for Professional Engineering Graduate Students.
Key Research Directions:
·Hydraulic machinery flow and optimization
·Ultra-wide-load pumped storage technology
·Flow simulation and control
·Complex flow and transmission
·Aerospace fluid physics
·Flow stability and turbulence
·Electromagnetic fluid theory
·Artificial intelligence and fluid engineering equipment
·Capillary flow control
·Hydraulic transmission and speed regulation
·Integrated smart energy systems
Institute of Aircraft Engines
The Institute of Aircraft Engines was formerly known as the Engine Gas Dynamics Research Center, which was established in 1994. It currently has 5 Professors, 3 Associate Professors, 4 Postdoctoral researchers, and 7 PhD supervisors, including 1 National-level Young Talent.
In recent years, the institute has undertaken multiple National Key Projects, National Key R&D Programs, National Ministry-Level Key Projects, and Industry-Commissioned Projects in the fields of aircraft engine and gas turbine flow mechanisms and design technologies. A series of significant scientific and technological achievements have been made, with applications in ground-based gas turbines and marine propulsion systems. The institute has won the National Natural Science Second Prize (1993), 2 times National Science and Technology Progress Second Prize (2000, 2010), and the Provincial Natural Science Second Prize (2021), along with 4 Provincial/Ministerial-Level Science and Technology Progress Second Prizes and 2 Provincial/Ministerial-Level Science and Technology Progress Third Prizes.
Key Research Directions:
·Aircraft engines full-system simulation technology
·High-temperature gas-cooled turbines high-efficiency cooling technology
·Cooling structures heat transfer enhancement technology
·Ultra-high-load compressor design technology
·Cross-medium engine technology
·Application of artificial intelligence in engine design
·Aircraft engine internal flow mechanisms
·Aerodynamic design and flow control technology
·Special working fluids impeller machinery design technology
·Rotating detonation engine design technology
·Impeller machinery testing technology
Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology
The Nuclear Engineering and Nuclear Technology program originated from the Department of Engineering Physics established in 1958. In 2007, in response to the requirements of the Commission of Science, Technology, and Industry for National Defense, the university introduced the “Nuclear Reactor Engineering” program as a strategic national defense discipline. In 2014, following the Ministry of Education's regulations, the program was standardized under the unified name Nuclear Engineering and Technology and the Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering was established in 2015. In 2020, to align with cutting-edge scientific and engineering advancements and support national strategic needs in nuclear energy, the program was designated as one of the first batch of enrollment majors in the Basic Science Enrollment Reform Pilot (Strengthening Basics Plan) of Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT) by the Ministry of Education. And, in 2021, the program was approved as a National First-Class Undergraduate Major Construction Site.
During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, the institute has prioritized the development of Space Nuclear Power focusing on space nuclear power technology and nuclear propulsion for spacecraft. Over the past five years, it has undertaken more than 60 major research projects, including National Key R&D Programs, National Science and Technology Major Projects, and National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) projects. The institute has accumulated nearly 50 million RMB in total research funding. Students under the institute’s guidance have won over 30 university-level and national awards, including Bronze Medal in the International Capstone Design Competition, Best Paper Award at the National Undergraduate Innovation and Entrepreneurship Training Program Annual Conference, and Grand Prize in the National University Student Energy Conservation and Emission Reduction Social Practice and Technology Competition.
Key Research Directions:
·Advanced nuclear power
·Space nuclear power
·Nuclear materials
·Multi-band photoelectric countermeasures
·Multi-physics field coupling
·Nuclear safety and emergency response
·Flywheel energy storage
Energy and Power Experimental Teaching Center
The Energy and Power Experimental Teaching Center was established in October 2003 through the integration of former laboratories in fluid mechanics, thermal engineering, thermodynamic engines, and fluid machinery. The center has 38 faculty and staff members, including 35 senior-level professionals and 33 PhD holders. It occupies 2,794 square meters of laboratory area and houses 386 sets of experimental teaching equipment, each valued at over 1,000 RMB. The center has 4 experimental teaching platforms (Fundamental Course Experimental Teaching Platform, Engineering Practice Teaching Platform, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Practice Education Platform, and Virtual Simulation Teaching Platform) and 1 teaching base (Engineering and Social Practice Teaching Base).
The center combines a strong professional focus and practical emphasis with an innovative and personalized educational model, establishing a comprehensive undergraduate-to-graduate experimental teaching system, which includes: the Disciplinary Foundation Experimental Teaching System, Professional Engineering Practice Teaching System, and Innovation and Entrepreneurship Practice Education System. A multi-level, phased, modular, and open experimental teaching model is implemented, guiding students from theoretical learning to practical application, basic to comprehensive experiments, and ultimately to scientific research and innovation training (e.g., participation in innovation projects, faculty-led research, and energy conservation competitions).
The center offers 39 experimental courses with over 110 individual experiments, supporting 31 theoretical courses, including 2 National Excellent Resource Sharing Courses (Heat Transfer and Engineering Fluid Mechanics), 2 Provincial-Level Excellent Courses (Engineering Thermodynamics and Combustion), and 2 University-Level Outstanding Courses (Thermal Energy Conversion Devices and Thermodynamic mechanical Testing Technology). It offers 18 innovation workshops, 7 innovation experiment courses, and 1 project-based methodology course, and serves students from 9 disciplines across multiple schools, including the School of Energy, School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, School of Aerospace, and School of Chemical Engineering, with an annual student engagement of 36,000 hours.
Each year, nearly 100 students participate in independent research and technology competitions. Over the past 10 years, students have won: 5 National and International Grand Prizes, 40 First Prizes, and 52 Second Prizes in competitions. The center has also actively pursued teaching reforms, earning: 1 National Special Prize for Teaching Achievement, 1 National Second Prize for Teaching Achievement, and 7 Provincial and Ministerial-Level Teaching Achievement Awards.
Key Teaching and Research Platforms:
2012: Energy and Power Engineering Professional Practice and Education Center
2013: Ministry of Industry and Information Technology Experimental Teaching Demonstration Center
2013: Heilongjiang Provincial Virtual Experimental Teaching Demonstration Center
2014: National Engineering Graduate Student Joint Training Demonstration Base
2019: Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Design and Manufacturing Teaching and Research Innovation Practice Base
2020: National Gas Turbine Laboratory
2021: Virtual Simulation Laboratory Established
Smart Energy Practice Base
Innovation and Entrepreneurship Practice Base
National Engineering Mechanics Teaching Base (Fluid Mechanics)
Fundamental Discipline Integrated Science and Education Experimental Platform
Professional Basic Classic Experimental Teaching Platform
Online Virtual Simulation Experimental Teaching Platform
National Mechanics Experimental Teaching Demonstration Center (Fluid Mechanics)
Ministry of Industry and Information Technology Experimental Teaching Demonstration Center (Energy and Power)
Heilongjiang Provincial Virtual Simulation Experimental Demonstration Center (Energy and Power)
