Developing new leaders in engineering The InDEStruct project (Integrated Design of Engineering Studies) seeks to advance heat exchanger technology by creating novel structural concepts, whilst enabling a new pedigree of engineering leadership. Prof Atul Bhaskar of University of Southampton, Dr Claus Ibsen, Manager of Research and Development at Vestas aircoil and one of the four Early Stage Researchers (ESRs), Khandokar Abu Talha, explain the aims of the project. With a goal
of improving the efficiency and longevity of heat exchangers, which has far-reaching implications for sustainability, the InDEStruct project is entwining the work of four Early Stage Researchers in a collaborative linking of disciplines, aiming to bring new strategies of developing and thinking to industrial applications. This approach to doctoral training in engineering design covers several aspects of mechanical engineering, including structural vibration, stress and thermal analysis, additive manufacturing, multifunctional metamaterials, fatigue and materials development. Supervisor of the students, Atul Bhaskar, Professor of Applied Mechanics at University of Southampton said: “This is a Marie Curie programme which is primarily for training networks of PhD students. The theme of this project is integrated design and in my view that is where it is different, in being an applied science. We have this great platform, which is how a real design office works. You have different people working on their research, but they have to work in sync towards a purpose – and the purpose is a product. In general research especially, there is a possibility to focus on solving imaginary problems. So being in industry gives that direction that you are solving industrial problems and scientific questions that have a relevance.” Improvements in the design and materials of the humble heat exchanger could have enormous implications. Heat exchangers are devices that transfer heat between a solid object and a fluid, or two or more fluids, which may be separated by a wall to prevent mixing, or not. Heat exchangers are used in so many applications, including fridge freezers, power stations, air conditioning systems, chemical
50
plants, for sewage treatment and in combustion engines. Heat exchangers will also inevitably be part of future technologies. As Dr Claus Ibsen puts it: “Technologies that generate power, all of them use heat exchangers, and we will use heat exchangers in electric vehicles, so you see them in many places. You can use them in all sorts of challenging environments, also fuel cells for example, high temperature fuel cells are also requiring a lot of heat exchanges.”
Cooler to be efficient The project’s primary focus is on lowering emissions from engine systems. Heat exchangers in engines have been identified as a key enabling technology for low-emission power systems. If these components could be more efficient and robust, the benefits for carbon reduction would be substantial. Simply
put, there is room for improvement in the current designs of such heat exchangers. “You have this very high temperature heat exchanger and if we put it on a big engine it vibrates, which reduces the lifetime of the heat exchanger,” explains Ibsen. “When you heat up the materials the component deforms and you create stresses inside it. You have these stress concentrations and vibrations and it reduces the lifetime of the component. Cracks appear. For the researchers, this is the challenge, and they are combining research to be able to design a cooler system.” The project requires the researchers to spend time in both the academic university setting as well as equal time in industry, in this case 18 months at Southampton University in the UK and 18 months at Vestas aircoil in Denmark. Vestas aircoil is a specialist and market leader in air charge coolers for diesel
EU Research
