The world is slowing down….so I can summarise most of 2020 into one post.
As we move towards a high TRL design, progress for some of our work has slowed down as we all evacuated campus in March 2020. During lockdown I have done virtual open day (study at Newcastle ? https://youtu.be/z1SrDCetrDE), virtual graduation, (good luck students) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_pkNNjjcpQ&t=201s , lectured a whole module from the bedroom, set and marked online exams. One PhD has passed his Viva and left Newcastle and I have performed 4 vivas… all without setting foot on campus.
For well over a year now I have been trying to supplement my research income with new grants (mostly renewable energy, but also machine design, biomedicine, machine manufacture). This has started to pay off now, as I have won a number of really interesting projects. Some of the details are embargoed, but in summary
1, Feasibility study of installing tidal energy at a local site.
2, Working with wave energy developer to try out a new generator. Mocean Energy
3, Working with a major player in the UK electric motor supply chain to look at loss modelling of SMC components.
4, Working with a drives company on technology behind high speed units
5, A major Capital expenditure programme from the industrial stratergy fund. Various publications have gone live during lockdown, including Development and Testing of a Novel Cylindrical Permanent Magnet Linear Generator DOI: 10.1109/TIA.2020.2990114 , Manufacturing Challenges of a Modular Transverse Flux Alternator for Aerospace https://doi.org/10.3390/en13164275 and A study of a speed amplified linear generator for low-frequency wave energy conversion (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ymssp.2020.107226)
I have also agreed to be guest editor on a special edition journal on generators for wave energy converters https://www.mdpi.com/journal/energies/special_issues/permanent_magnet_machines_wave_energy_converters
