During the last year, two of our members, Chris Burgess and Barrie Yates have been assisting with project work carried out by The Thermodynamics Group at Leeds University.
Chris has worked in a supporting role, supplying components and metal parts which has enabled Leeds University to extend some of their research into improving the efficiency of automotive engines.
Barrie has performed the role of industrial mentor to two groups of students in their final year of a four year course which leads to a Masters Degree (M.Eng). His role was to help in the design for manufacture and procurement of a test engine and experimental cylinder head.
One of the students was awarded two prizes by The Institute of Mechanical Engineers, and one prize by The Royal Society of Engineering Sustainable Development.
- Ben Saunders and Tom Bowes received the Best Project Prize and Best Project Certificates from the Institute of Mechanical Engineers, awarded for an outstanding research, development or design project in mechanical engineering.
- Ben, Tom, Manual Sanchez, Alan Hesselberth and Srinath Rao received from the Royal Society, the project prize awarded to the student or group of students who are judged to have made the best presentation of project work, which embraces sustainable development, in the final year of a first degree.
Both Chris and Barrie were pleased to help the University with this work, and it is really nice to see that we are still a nation which can produce the next generation of engineers, who are not only competent but have a real love of engineering.
As a postscript, the experimental engine actually worked and opened a path to further research.