Journal profile · Chemical Engineering-Fluid Flow and Transfer Processes
Thermal Science and Engineering Progress
ISSN 2451-9049 · Elsevier
Thermal Science and Engineering Progress: CAS Zone 2 · Engineering (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 5.58; fully open access; APC about USD 3,000; review about 115 days (submission to acceptance, publisher); 1,260 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Thermal Science and Engineering Progress is published by Elsevier and is in Zone 2 of Engineering in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Heat Transfer and Optimization, Heat Transfer Mechanisms and Solar Thermal and Photovoltaic Systems, together about 28.9% of its articles. Its main subfields are Mechanical Engineering. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
Thermal Science and Engineering Progress (TSEP) publishes original, high‑quality research spanning the full spectrum from fundamental investigations and emerging thermodynamic theories to advanced engineering applications addressing global challenges such as urbanisation, smart‑city development, climate change, resilient agri-food systems, and the need to maximise energy efficiency and sustainability. Articles should be of direct relevance to industry, policy stakeholders, academia, and practicing engineers.TSEP welcomes research related to all types of energy systems, conventional, renewable, emerging, hybrid, decentralised, and fully integrated energy networks and grid integration. In addition, the journal recognises the increasing importance of the policy, regulatory, and strategic frameworks that shape the deployment and societal adoption of thermal technologies.The scope therefore includes:Energy Systems and TechnologiesConventional energy systems: thermal power plants, combustion systems, gas turbines, industrial boilers, CHP/Cogeneration, and district heating networks.Renewable and low‑carbon energy systems: solar thermal, PV/T, geothermal, wind energy thermal management, biomass and bioenergy conversion, and ocean/tidal thermal systems.Nuclear energy: reactor thermal‑hydraulics, passive heat‑removal systems, fusion heat transfer, high‑temperature systems, and safety‑critical thermal technologies.Hydrogen and fuel‑cell systems: combustion dynamics, high‑temperature materials, thermal integration, waste‑heat utilisation, and electrolyser thermal management.Electrical and thermal energy storage: battery thermal management, thermal energy storage (sensible/latent/thermochemical), molten salts, phase‑change materials, and grid‑scale storage integration.Electrical energy management and grid integration. Industrial energy efficiency and waste‑heat recovery: heat pipes, ORC systems, economisers, heat pumps, and high‑efficiency heat‑exchangers for any industrial sector.Emerging energy technologies: smart grids, power‑to‑X systems, synthetic fuels, thermoelectrics, and nano‑engineered thermal surfaces.Thermal process design and intensification: modelling, simulation, and optimisation of thermally intensive industrial processes (e.g., chemical, metallurgical, cement, pulp and paper); advanced heat and mass transfer in reactors, distillation, and separation systems, advances in process control and process integration. Agri-food thermal systems: thermal food preservation and processing (e.g. pasteurisation, sterilisation, drying); cold chain design and energy efficiency in the cold chain; greenhouse climate control, crop drying, and waste heat utilisation in agriculture.Energy Policy, Regulation, and Strategy: TSEP also encourages submissions that explore how policy and regulatory frameworks influence the development, integration, and deployment of thermal and energy technologies, including (but not limited to):Energy‑efficiency policy and standards: regulatory drivers for industrial efficiency, building codes, CHP/heat network policy, and minimum energy‑performance standards.Decarbonisation and climate‑policy impacts: carbon‑pricing mechanisms, emissions‑reduction strategies, heat‑decarbonisation pathways, and national energy‑transition roadmaps.Integration of thermal technologies into national energy strategies: long‑term planning, resilience analysis, and scenario modelling for multi‑energy systems.Regulatory frameworks for renewable heat and low‑carbon heating: incentives, subsidies, market‑creation mechanisms, and barriers to deployment.Policy impacts on technology innovation: how regulation accelerates or hinders adoption of new thermal materials, heat‑exchanger technologies, hydrogen systems, and storage technologies.Socio‑economic and environmental considerations: lifecycle analysis, resource sustainability, end‑of‑life impacts (including mandatory considerations for nanofluids), and cost‑benefit frameworks for policymakers
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Chemical Engineering-Fluid Flow and Transfer Processes
Editor-in-chief Hussam JouharaPublisher website
Editorial board by country: 6 in mainland China (about 29%); most named Mainland China 6, United Kingdom 6, Italy 5, Romania 2, Germany 1 (21 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Heat Transfer and OptimizationEngineering12.4%
- Heat Transfer MechanismsEngineering8.5%
- Solar Thermal and Photovoltaic SystemsEnergy8%
- Nanofluid Flow and Heat TransferEngineering7.4%
- Phase Change Materials ResearchEngineering6.1%
- Refrigeration and Air Conditioning TechnologiesEngineering6.1%
- Heat Transfer and Boiling StudiesEngineering5.6%
- Thermodynamic and Exergetic Analyses of Power and Cooling SystemsEngineering5.4%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Engineering Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Engineering | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Engineering, Mechanical | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Mechanics | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Thermodynamics | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Energy & Fuels | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Engineering Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Engineering | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Thermodynamics | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Energy & Fuels | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Engineering, Mechanical | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Mechanics | Zone 2 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Engineering Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Engineering | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Thermodynamics | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Energy & Fuels | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Engineering, Mechanical | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Mechanics | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
Database indexing
SCIEScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Editions, and major and minor categories, are shown separately and never merged into one zone; check which edition your institution uses before you submit or report.
Metrics
Impact metrics and publication volume
Impact
- Impact factor
- 5.58LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher)
- 5.6Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 7.7LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher)
- 7.7Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 0.99LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 1.39LetPub ·
- h-index
- 85OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 1,740OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 4.37OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 10.7%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 16.69%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 1,233LetPub ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 4,668 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 467 | 465 | 302 |
| 2025 | 1,260 | 331 | 3,854 |
| 2024 | 804 | 183 | 6,900 |
| 2023 | 669 | 109 | 10,169 |
| 2022 | 385 | 76 | 7,635 |
| 2021 | 308 | 44 | 7,452 |
Sources count differently and were observed at different times, so each source's own value is kept; "publisher" marks figures from the journal's website.
Review & acceptance
Review time and acceptance
Publisher-reported review time from the journal's website
115 dayssubmission to acceptance
The publisher's own definition applies; dates from this journal's articles in the last 24 months are not available yet, so the publisher's figure is used.
Figures by source
- Submission to first decision
- 4 daysPublisher website ·
- First decision after review
- 52 daysPublisher website ·
- Submission to acceptance
- 115 daysPublisher website ·
- Acceptance to publication
- 2 daysPublisher website ·
- Peer review
- Single anonymous peer reviewPublisher website
Community reports come from authors' own submissions (confidence 0.5) and are not a promise from the journal; for publisher figures, the journal's own definitions apply.
Fees & open access
APC and open-access policy
Fully open accessLetPub
Every article is open access; authors usually pay an article processing charge (APC).
| Source | APC | Fee waiver | License | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAlex | USD 3,000 / EUR 3,040 / GBP 2,590 / JPY 403,100 | — | — | |
| Publisher website | USD 2,170 | — | — |
The journal's website is authoritative for fees; sources were observed at different times and each keeps its own value, without averaging.
Submission
Article types and submission policies (journal website)
Open calls for papers1, by deadline
Publisher websiteWhat to prepare5 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- ≤ 250 words
- Keywords
- 1–7
- Reference style
- Numbered, in order of citation
- Highlights
- Required
- Graphical abstract
- Optional
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, Publication ethics, License & copyright, Open access, Peer review, Preprints
- AI use Declaration of generative AI use
Authors must declare the use of generative AI tools in the manuscript preparation process upon submission of the paper.Generative AI and AI-assisted technologies (“AI tools”) have been rapidly adopted in research and scholarly publishing, offering significant benefits while requiring clear standards for responsible and transparent use.Authors preparing a manuscript for this journal may use AI tool…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Authorship Group authorship
Group authorship refers to the attribution of an article to a defined and named group of authors whose members have contributed to the work. Examples include research consortia, clinical trial groups, collaborative networks, task forces or working groups, expert panels or consensus groups, and participatory research groups. Group authorship must be declared on the title page at submission. When av…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Declaration of competing interests
All authors must disclose any financial and personal relationships with other people or organizations that could inappropriately influence or bias their work. Examples of potential competing interests include:EmploymentConsultanciesStock ownershipHonorariaPaid expert testimonyPatent applications or registrationsGrants or any other fundingAffiliation with the journal as an Editor or Advisory Board …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Publication ethics
Ethics in publishing Model summary
Authors must follow ethical guidelines stated in Elsevier's Publishing Ethics Policy.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright License options
Authors will be offered open access user license options which will determine how you, and third parties, can reuse your open access article. We advise that you review these options and any funding body license requirements before selecting a license option.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access
Open access options available Model summary
We refer you to our open access information page to learn about open access options for this journal.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review Peer review
Single anonymized review process Model summary
This journal follows a single anonymized review process. Your submission will initially be assessed by our editors. If your submission is deemed suitable, it will typically be sent to be reviewed by a minimum of two reviewers for an independent expert assessment of the scientific quality. The decision as to whether your article is accepted or rejected for publication will be made by our editors.Re…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Preprints Preprints
Preprint sharing Model summary
Preprint sharingAuthors may share preprints in line with Elsevier's article sharing policy. Sharing preprints, such as on a preprint server, will not count as prior publication.We advise you to read our policy on multiple, redundant or concurrent publication. In support of Open Science, this journal offers its authors a free preprint posting service on SSRN, Elsevier’s preprint and early research …
Source ↗Publisher website ·
Excerpts are quoted from the journal's website; "model summary" lines are written by Workers AI and checked against the text. The journal's website is authoritative.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- Elsevier
- ISSN
- 2451-9049
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗LetPub
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Thermal Science and Engineering Progress
What CAS zone is Thermal Science and Engineering Progress in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Thermal Science and Engineering Progress is in Zone 2 of Engineering, and in Zone 2 of the minor category Engineering, Mechanical / Mechanics / Thermodynamics / Energy & Fuels. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 2 of Engineering. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Thermal Science and Engineering Progress?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 5.58; CiteScore 7.7, h-index 85.
How long does peer review take at Thermal Science and Engineering Progress?
The publisher reports about 115 days (submission to acceptance). Article statistics cover accepted papers only, publisher figures follow the journal's own definitions, and community reports come from authors' own submissions; none is a promise from the journal.
What are the manuscript requirements of Thermal Science and Engineering Progress?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: ≤ 250 words; Keywords: 1–7; Reference style: Numbered, in order of citation; Highlights: Required; Graphical abstract: Optional. A model extracted these from the author guidelines and each was checked against the text; check the latest version on the journal's website before submitting.
Where are the editorial board members of Thermal Science and Engineering Progress based?
Of the 21 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 6 (about 29%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are Mainland China (6), United Kingdom (6) and Italy (5). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Thermal Science and Engineering Progress?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Thermal Science and Engineering Progress is indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Is Thermal Science and Engineering Progress open access, and what is the APC?
Thermal Science and Engineering Progress is a fully open-access journal. APC about USD 3,000.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, Publisher website, OpenAlex; every figure is tagged with its source and the date it was observed, and conflicting values are kept per source. LetPub source page: view ↗ (archived 2026-08-26). Last updated: .