Research news

In the latest update on research activity, we’re highlighting two areas that are important in respect of the agenda to reduce Climate Change and moving to Net Zero carbon emissions.

The work of the Energy, Emissions and Environment Research Group (EEERG) focuses on supporting national energy needs through research supported by the government, industry and the EU. Through contributing to government policy and the development of educational programmes in sustainable energy usage to address society’s needs, EEERG is developing new networks which are generating research and development projects in the area of innovative and effective conventional and renewable energy systems.

The Group’s main activities include the development of technologies to enable the use and distribution of energy resources both conventional and renewable. This includes development of micro renewable energy systems for homes, development of waste heat recovery systems, analysis and design of oil and gas system, pipeline and valve designs and development of newer technologies to improve performance of energy systems including digital twinning, reliability analysis and life estimation of existing conventional and renewable energy systems.

The Group also works on developing fuel cells and energy management systems including power integration systems. Furthermore, the group also focusses on developing products to monitor energy systems such as off and on shore wind farms, compression ignition engines and combined heat and power systems.

Other important elements of the work include providing integrated consultancy services to local industries, involvement in international research and development activities and helping to develop community education through alternative energy centres. The group is considered as an integrated and easily accessible research and development centre by many of the local industries and has been the most successful research group in the University in supporting industries through knowledge transfer partnerships (KTPs).

We are also home to the Institute of Railway Research, a recent winner of a Queen’s Anniversary Prize (2019) “for research and development that has brought significant improvements to the railway industry.” and one of the leading centres for railway research in the UK and internationally. The IRR hosts the UK Rail Research and Innovation Network’s Centre of Excellence in Rolling Stock, and with over £14m of investment in state-of-the-art laboratory facilities, we work alongside our industrial and academic partners to deliver high-impact research across a range of engineering disciplines. The IRR’s research work has helped protect the railway’s most critical assets, de-risking design and reducing operating and maintenance costs, whilst increasing reliability and safety. For example, our vehicle-track dynamics research has furthered understanding of this critical system interface including aspects such as passenger comfort, curving behaviour, wheel-rail contact, traction and braking, improving safety and helping to protect some of the railway’s most expensive assets. And pantograph and overhead line interaction dynamics are helping to optimise the current collection system, reducing component wear and failures, thereby aiding decarbonisation through more reliable and cost-effective electrification. Looking to the future, the IRR is applying the latest techniques in robotic automation, data science and remote condition monitoring, supporting the rail industry in developing the next generation of rolling stock and infrastructure maintenance solutions.