
Professor Richard Brown
Science and Engineering Faculty,Chemistry, Physics, Mechanical Engineering,
Energy and Process Engineering
Personal details
- Name
- Professor Richard Brown
- Position(s)
- Professor
Science and Engineering Faculty,
Chemistry, Physics, Mechanical Engineering,
Energy and Process Engineering - Discipline *
- Interdisciplinary Engineering, Atmospheric Sciences, Automotive Engineering
- Phone
- +61 7 3138 5157
- Fax
- +61 7 3138 1516
- richard.brown@qut.edu.au
- Location
- View location details (QUT staff and student access only)
- Identifiers and profiles
-
- Qualifications
-
PhD (University of Sydney)
- Professional memberships
and associations - Co-Chair, 22nd Australasian Fluid Mechanics Conference, Brisbane, December, 2020
- Australasian Fluid Mechanics Society (AFMS) (2000 – Present)
- The Combustion Institute (Australia and New Zealand Section) (2006 – Present)
- Corporate Member, Institution of Engineers, Australia (1996 – Present)
- National Board Member, Environmental Engineering Society, IEAust (2003 – 2005)
- Committee Member (Queensland), Environmental Engineering Society, IEAust (2000 – 2009)
- Member, Clean Air Society of Australia and New Zealand (1993 – 2003)
- Member, Environmental Engineering Society, IEAust
- Technical Panel Chair and Editor for Conference Proceedings (over 60 papers): “IEAust National Environment Conference”,Brisbane (18-20 June, 2003)
- Technical Panel Chair and Editor for Conference Proceedings (over 100 papers): “4th Environmental Engineering Society Conference” (Brisbane, 22-23 May, 2002)
- Keywords
-
biodiesel, biofuel, fluid mechanics, internal combustion engines, thermodynamics, turbulence, turbulent dispersion
Biography
Area of Focus: Energy and Fluid Mechanics Richard Brown is a Professor in the Science and Engineering Faculty at QUT, Director of the Biofuel Engine Research Facility and leader of the Environmental Fluid Mechanics Group. His disciplines of expertise are Thermodynamics and Fluid Mechanics, which are commonly referred to as Thermofluids because of their close relationship in many Engineering applications. Richard’s research interests include applied thermodynamics, internal combustion engines, renewable/alternative energy, smog formation, emissions/dispersion, environmental fluid mechanics. He leads an active research group consisting of postdocs, Research Fellows, Early- Mid- Career Academics and around half a dozen PhD students. To support the work of this group, in 2008 QUT opened the Biofuel Engine Research Facility (BERF) which was conceived as a result of his initiative and leadership. Through the work of this facility and related achievements his research funding exceeds $2.4 M in grants (over 50 % of which he is First Chief Investigator) – Richard has gained national and international recognition and significantly contributed to the development of QUT’s research culture. He has had over 1,600 citations in Scopus (May, 2017) and published over 100 refereed journal papers (over 70 % are in Q1 journals). His areas of interest include:
- Applied Thermodynamics
- Internal Combustion Engines
- Renewable/Alternative Energy
- Energy management
- Emissions, Pollution, Smog Formation
- Environmental Fluid Mechanics
Grants – also see Research projects on above Tab
-
Research funding 2007 – present for A/Prof Richard Brown (RAD) (Total funding $2.42M) 14 grants from 2000 – 2006 (value $460,000 not shown)
Year
Amount
Scheme
Project
Team and Role
2015-2018
$60,000
Vietnam International Education Development (VIED)
Measurement and Management of Emissions from Shipping Including Use of HFO and Biofuel
Brown , Chu Van2014-2018
$582,928
ARC Linkage – Projects + Sunshine Coast Regional Council
Advances in real-time Satellite Monitoring of flow in Rivers and Estuaries (SE12)
Brown, Feng, Saha, Fairweather (USC), Sidle (USC), Borgas (CSIRO), Allan (Sunshine Coast Regional Council)2015-2017
$10,000
International Association of Maritime Universities (IAMU)
Development of a Methodology to Measure and Assess Ship Emissions (SE11)
Garaniya (UTAS), Khan (AMC), Brown, Kimball (Maine Maritime Academy – USA), Ristovski2014-2016
$247,250
Australian Coal Association Research Program
Holistic Evaluation of Diesel Exhaust Filters and related Measuring Instrumentation
Ristovski, O’Beirne (SkillPro Services P/L – Australia), Brown2013-2014
$100,000
Department of Industry – Enterprise Connect (OCS) + Peak 3 P/L (OCS)
Researchers in Business (RIB) – Vehicle Particle Emission Monitoring
Brown, Ristovski, Bodisco, Lorensuhewa (Dept of Innovation, Industry, Sci. and Res.), Chandler (Peak 3 P/L)2012-2015
$433,298
ARC Linkage Projects with APAI or APDI + Mainline Automotive Equipment
Optimising gaseous and particulate emissions from diesel engines
Brown, Ristovski, Gu, Situ(JCU), Ayoko, De Pellegrin, Chandler (Peak 3 P/L), Koschel (LCR P/L)2012-2014
$557,625
ARC Linkage – Projects + Peak 3 P/L
Developing New Technologies for Reducing the Toxicity of Diesel Engine Particle Emissions into Confined Environments
Ristovski, Brown, Millar, Bottle, Miljevic, Morgan (Peak 3 P/L)2011-2012
$118,500
Australian Coal Association Research Program
Ext C20036DPM Risk Factors Extension: Effect of Cooled Exhaust and Scrubber on Toxic Particulates
Ristovski, O’Beirne (SkillPro Services P/L – Australia), Gilbert, Brown2009-2011
$27,382
Peak 3 P/L (OCS)
Optimisation of LPG/Diesel system for Optimum Emission and Performance
Ristovski, Brown, Morgan (Peak 3 P/L – Australia)2009
$23,728
Beijing Etung Tecnhology Inc. (OCS)
MOU with Beijing Etung Technology Inc – grant application funding
Brown, Zhou, Situ, Zhinjian (Beijing Etung Technology Inc. -PRC)2008-2010
$523,991
ARC Linkage (APAI /APDI) + Built Environ. Res. Unit – Qld Primary Industries and Fisheries
Novel Nanomaterials for Photocatalytic Water Purification – Science and Application
Bell, Martens, Frost, Will, Brown, Goonetilleke, Rasul (CQU), Gilbert, Ball (Qld Dept Public Works , T Student2008-2009
$9,500
Smart State PhD Research Grants
Better Quality Paper Products from Australian (AET) cane Fibre: Increase Range of Products & Rev-enue Produced Qld Sugar Industry
Brown, Doherty,Rainey, Pietzner (Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries – Queensland)2007-2011
$13,743
Country Energy (OCS)
Temperature Increases in Water Pipes (J. Bell)
Bell, Brown, Tesfamichael, Dekkers, Allen (Cntry Energy)2007-2009
$384,216
ARC Linkage Projects with APAI or APDI + Alternative Engine Technology
Optimisation of Dual Fuel Compression Ignition (Diesel) Engines For Engine Performance and Pollutant Emissions
Brown, Ristovski, Hargreaves, Kruger (Alternative Engine Technologies (AET) P/L.), Hodgson, Bodisco* – Requested
EMPLOYEMENT HISTORY PRIOR TO JOINING QUT
1997 – 2000 ARC Postdoctoral Fellow, CSIRO Atmospheric Research Aspendale VIC.
1996 – 1997 Australian Academy of Science, Postdoc Fellowship, Toyohashi JAPAN
1996 ARC Postdoctoral Fellow, CSIRO Atmospheric Research Aspendale VIC.
1990 – 1991 Level A Academic (Tutor) University of Sydney
1989 6 Months Community Development, Philippines, SIL
1984 – 1986 Professional Engineer, NSW State Rail Authority
1980 – 1983 Cadet Engineer, NSW State Rail Authority
1984 3 Months Community Development, PNG
VISITING POSITIONS
2013 3 Months Professorial Research Fellow, JSPS1 Gunma , JAPAN
2005 3 Months Senior Research Fellow, AAS2 Toyohashi Univ., JAPAN
2002 3 Months Research Fellow, JSPS1 Kyoto Univ., JAPAN
EMPLOYMENT HISTORY AFTER JOINING QUT
2009 – Associate Professor
2004 – 2008 Senior Lecturer
2000 – 2003 Lecturer
SUMMARY OF QUT SERVICE, HIGHER DUTIES, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
2014 – HDR Associate Director for the CPME School
2015 – SEF Outstanding Thesis Award Committee
2014 Mid-Career Academic Development Program (MCAD)
2007 – 2011 Facilitator – Chaplaincy / Multifaith Working Party
2007 – 2008 University Policies and Procedures Committee
2006 – 2007 Faculty of Built Environment and Engineering, Promotion Committee
2005 Course Coordination Master of Engineering Management, ME73
2004 – 2008 University Academic Board
2003 – 2004 School Student Staff Liaison Committee
2002 QUT Students’ Field Trip to South Africa and Lesotho
ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS
Postgrad: PhD, University of Sydney, 1996
Undergrad: Bachelor of Theology, Sydney Coll. of Divinity, 1988
Bachelor of Engineering (Hons 1), UTS, 1984
Teaching
Course coordination, unit teaching and coordination
Professor Brown coordinates 34 units and course coordination of the Master of Engineering Management (2005) since commencing at QUT. He was also a regular examiner and curriculum reviewer for QUT/Crossfields off-shore teaching in Asia (Bachelor of Engineering Management).
He has supervised (to successful completion) more than 100 Engineering students for their final year projects (July 2001 – February 2017).
Teaching development
Professor Richard Brown actively leads teaching collaborations to explore effective teaching and learning and share these developments with the wider University teaching community as demonstrated below:
- 2008: Poster for the QUT Teaching & Learning Expo – Online interactive tutorials to support on- and off- campus learning for ENB222 Thermodynamics
- 2004: Paper at QUT online learning & teaching conference – Presented paper on development of an e-learning environment to enhance student learning in
- 2003: Paper at the A2E2 Conference (with Mr Graham Dawson, QUT Engineering Librarian with whom I closely collaborate) on improvements to student information literacy, peer coaching and technical reporting skills to the university teaching community
- 2001: Paper at the Australian Association of Engineering Education Conference (A2E2) on the use of peer tutoring in Thermodynamics. This compared student cohorts at the University of Sydney and QUT and evaluated and compared the use of peer tutoring in technical and humanities environments.
Teaching innovation
Professor Richard Brown’s experiential/discovery/real world approach to teaching and learning in engineering has been shaped by his professional engineering experience, comprising five years with NSW Railways, community development work overseas, experimentally-based postgraduate study and subsequent professional research. He values connecting practical engineering to theoretical understanding and take students to industrial/ engineering sites whenever relevant/possible.
Significant student numbers and limited resources have led Professor Brown to develop interactive web-based tutorials and literacy and information literacy resources, specifically:
- 2006: initiated a collaboration with the Queensland Maritime Museum to enable Thermodynamics students to undertake a practical laboratory at the museum.
- Online interactive laboratory preparation tutorial developed in conjunction with a final year undergraduate project student. This tutorial contains highly interactive material to prepare students for the Diesel Engine Practical in the Thermodynamics Laboratory. It includes an integrated, summative assessment tool (quiz) which the students must complete before attending the laboratory.
Experience
External collaborations
- Peak 3 P/L
- Prof Satoru Komori (Mechanical Engineering, Kyoto University)
- Industry Partner CM Concrete P/L
- GRG Engineering P/L
- Honda Japan R&D Co.,Ltd
- Honda R&D Co, Ltd.
- Qld Dept Public Works
- Country Energy
- Ra Energy Ltd
- Brisbane Airport Corp
- DACO Bldg Services
- Prof Stephen Clarke (Flinders) Specialist in biofuels
- Prof Hubert Chanson (Univ Queensland) – Environmental Fluid Mechanics
- Prof Damon Honnery (Monash University) – Internal combustion engines
- Prof Akiyoshi Iida (Toyohashi University, Japan) -Aero-Acoustic Flows
- Prof Norimasa Iida (Keo University, Japan) – HCCI Combustion
- Prof Pulagala Venkateswara Rao (Andhra University, India) – Biodiesel properties and combustion
- Prof Tarmo Soomere (President Estonian Academy of Sciencesis Leading Research Scientist and Head of Wave Engineering Laboratory in the Institute of Cybernetics of Tallinn University of Technology and Head of Division of Informatics and Engineering in the
Professional service and Conference service: organisation, scientific committee membership, and review
- 20th Australasian Fluid Mechanics Conference (AFMC) 5 – 8 Dec., 2016, Perth, WA
- Australian Combustion Symposium, 7-9 December 2015, Melbourne
- 36th IAHR WORLD CONGRESS 28 June – 3 July, 2015 Delft – The Hague, Netherlands
- 19th Australasian Fluid Mechanics Conference (AFMC) 8 – 11 Dec., 2014, Melbourne
- 18th Australasian Fluid Mechanics Conference 3 – 7 Dec., 2012, Launceston Tasmania
- Invited to join International Scientific Advisory Committee 3rd International Conference on Tribology and Design (11 – 13 May, 2010, Algarve, Portugal)
- Invited to join Scientific Advisory Committee of 6th International Symposium on Gas Transfer at Water Surfaces (Kyoto, 16-21 May, 2010)
- Invited to join International Scientific Advisory Committee 3rd International Conference on Tribology and Design (11 – 13 May, 2010, Algarve, Portugal)
- Invited to join Scientific Advisory Committee of 6th International Symposium on Gas Transfer at Water Surfaces (Kyoto,16-21 May, 2010)
- Invited Session Chair and Member of the Editorial Panel, 16th Australasian Fluid Mechanics Conference (2007)
- Invited member of the editorial panel for Engineers Australia National Committee on Water Engineering, 8th National Conference on Hydraulics in Water Engineering, ANA Hotel Gold Coast, Australia (13-16 July 2004)
- Editor for the Proceedings of the National Environment Conference (IEAust), Brisbane (18-20 June, 2003)
- Editor for the Proceedings of the 4th Environmental Engineering Society Conference (IEAust), Brisbane (22-23 May, 2002)
Publications
- Zhang Y, Yang X, Brown R, Yang L, Morawska L, Ristovski Z, Fu Q, Huang C, (2017) Shipping emissions and their impacts on air quality in China, Science of the Total Environment p186-198
- Suara K, Wang C, Feng Y, Brown R, Chanson H, Borgas MS, (2015) High resolution GNSS-tracked drifter for studying surface dispersion in shallow water, Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology p579-590
- Islam M, Magnusson M, Brown R, Ayoko G, Nabi N, Heimann K, (2013) Microalgal species selection for biodiesel production based on fuel properties derived from fatty acid profiles, Energies p5676-5702
- Surawski N, Ristovski Z, Brown R, Situ R, (2012) Gaseous and particle emissions from an ethanol fumigated compression ignition engine, Energy Conversion And Management p145-151
- Brown R, Chanson H, (2012) Suspended sediment properties and suspended sediment flux estimates in an inundated urban environment during a major flood event, Water Resources Research p1-15
- Ahmed S, Rasul MG, Brown R, Hashib MA, (2011) Influence of parameters on the heterogeneous photocatalytic degradation of pesticides and phenolic contaminants in wastewater: A short review, Journal of Environmental Management p311-330
- Ahmed S, Rasul MG, Martens WN, Brown R, Hashib MA, (2010) Heterogeneous photocatalytic degradation of phenols in wastewater: A review on current status and developments, Desalination p3-18
- Surawski N, Miljevic B, Roberts BA, Modini R, Situ R, Brown R, Bottle S, Ristovski Z, (2010) Particle emissions, volatility, and toxicity from an ethanol fumigated compression ignition engine, Environmental Science and Technology p229-235
- Gramotnev G, Brown R, Ristovski Z, Loveday J, Morawska L, (2003) Determination of Average Emission Factors for Vehicles on a Busy Road, Atmospheric Environment p465-474
- Brown RJ, Bilger RW, (1996) An experimental study of a reactive plume in grid turbulence, Journal of Fluid Mechanics p373-407
For more publications by this staff member, visit QUT ePrints, the University's research repository.
Research projects
Grants and projects (Category 1: Australian Competitive Grants only)
- Title
- Secondary Aerosol Formation from Engine Exhaust Emissions
- Primary fund type
- CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
- Project ID
- DP180102632
- Start year
- 2018
- Keywords
- Title
- Advances in real-time Satellite Monitoring of flow in Rivers and Estuaries
- Primary fund type
- CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
- Project ID
- LP150101172
- Start year
- 2016
- Keywords
- Title
- Holistic Evaluation of Diesel Exhaust Filters & related Measuring Instrumentation
- Primary fund type
- CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
- Project ID
- C24022
- Start year
- 2015
- Keywords
- Diesel; Dpm; Filtration; Monitoring; Undergound Mines
- Title
- Optimising gaseous and particulate emissions from diesel engines
- Primary fund type
- CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
- Project ID
- LP110200158
- Start year
- 2012
- Keywords
- Internal combustion engines; particulate emissions; dual fuel technology; Alternative fuels; transport emissions
- Title
- DPM Risk Factors Extension: Effect of Cooled Exhaust and Scrubber on Toxic Particulate Formation: Ext C20036
- Primary fund type
- CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
- Project ID
- 51073
- Start year
- 2011
- Keywords
- Diesel Exhaust Particles; Toxic Particles; Underground Coals Mines; Wet Scrubbers
- Title
- Novel Nanomaterials for Photocatalytic Water Purification - Science and Application
- Primary fund type
- CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
- Project ID
- LP0776793
- Start year
- 2008
- Keywords
- Titania; Photocatalysis; Water Reuse; Water Treatment; Surface Chemistry; Fluid Dynamics
- Title
- Optimisation of Dual Fuel Compression Ignition (Diesel) Engines With Respect to Engine Performance and Pollutant Emissions
- Primary fund type
- CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
- Project ID
- LP0775178
- Start year
- 2007
- Keywords
- biofuels; ethanol; particulate emissions; transport; dual fuel; greenhouse gas emissions;
- Title
- Research and development of devices to improve the quality of stormwater by removal of gross pollutants such as oil,litter and sediment.
- Primary fund type
- CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
- Project ID
- LP0235258
- Start year
- 2002
- Keywords
- Title
- Investigation of the dispersion of two-stroke engine emissions in sea water
- Primary fund type
- CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
- Project ID
- C00107784
- Start year
- 2001
- Keywords
Supervision
Current supervisions
- LNG Re-gasification Terminals - Technology Evaluation, Optimization and the Technology Selection Process
PhD, Principal Supervisor
Other supervisors: Professor Ted Steinberg, Dr Thomas Rainey, Associate Professor Robert Perrons - Application of Lagrangian Coherent Structures (LCSs) in Shallow Water Flow
PhD, Principal Supervisor
Other supervisors: Dr Kabir Adewale Suara - The Role of Biofuels on the Performance of After-Treatment Devices (ATDs)
PhD, Associate Supervisor
Other supervisors: Professor Zoran Ristovski, Dr Branka Miljevic, Dr Svetlana Stevanovic - Condition Monitoring and diagnostics for Internal Combustion Engine using In-cylinder Pressure and Acoustic Emission
PhD, Principal Supervisor
Other supervisors: Dr Timothy Bodisco, Dr Pietro Borghesani, Professor Zoran Ristovski - Novel Methods for Improving the Flow Characterizations in Complex Estuary and Coastal Waterways Using Lagrangian Drifter Data
PhD, Principal Supervisor
Other supervisors: Professor Scott McCue, Dr Kabir Adewale Suara - Numerical Investigation of Muco-ciliary Transport in Patients with Respiratory Abnormalities
PhD, Associate Supervisor
Other supervisors: Dr Suvash Saha, Professor Zoran Ristovski - Dewatering of microalgae from dilute suspensions for biofuels production: a single stage approach
PhD, Associate Supervisor
Other supervisors: Dr Thomas Rainey - Role of Oxygenated Fuels on Morphology and Nanostructure of Soot Particles of a Diesel Engine
PhD, Associate Supervisor
Other supervisors: Professor Zoran Ristovski, Dr Thomas Rainey
Completed supervisions (Doctorate)
- Characterisation of Transient Diesel Engine Performance and Emissions with Oxygenated Fuels (2017)
- Development and Use of GPS-Based Technology to Study Dispersion in Shallow Water (2017)
- Reduction of Diesel Engine Exhaust Emissions Using Non-Thermal Plasma Technology (2015)
- Microalgae: an alternative source of biodiesel for the compression ignition (CI) engine (2014)
- Characterisation of Combustion Related Acoustic Emission Sources for Diesel Engine Condition Monitoring (2013)
- In-Cylinder Pressure and Inter-Cycle Variability Analysis for a Compression Ignition Engine: Bayesian Approaches (2013)
- The hydrodynamic and capture/retention performance of gross pollutant trap (2010)
- Analysis of Dispersion and Propagation of Fine and Ultra Fine Particle Aerosols from a Busy Road (2007)
- Analysis of the Underwater Emissions from Outboard Engines (2005)