Public Funding for Advanced Design Technology Limited

The TURBOdesign2 Throughflow solver (TD2-TF) project will address the theme of ‘Engineering’ by enhancing the capabilities of an existing software design tool to explore a new market opportunity and to respond to customer’s needs. By targeting the turbofan and the turbine power generation sectors the project will also address the themes of ‘Transport – aerospace’, and ‘Energy generation and supply – general’. With this project, Advanced Design Technology Ltd. (ADT) wants to develop TD2-TF, an inverse design throughflow solver for axial turbomachinery that can be licensed to customers and used for consultancy projects. This commercially ready software package promises high level of accuracy with a significant reduction of the computing time in comparison with the current commercially available tools. ADT is particularly interested in the growing Chinese market where development and growth could be reinforced and guided by established companies. The successful completion of this project will have a direct economic benefit in ADT through increased engineering consultancy projects and sales of licenses. Having a commercially available tool by the beginning of 2018 will imply direct increased revenue providing a platform from which further benefits will grow.

The High Pressure Exhaust Gas Recirculation Generator (HiPERGen) project will develop a novel recovery system that will be integrated into the high pressure exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) loop to utilise the un-used throttling energy for electricity generation using a turbine coupled with a high speed generator and achieving up to 3 % WLTP CO2 reduction. Valeo’s experience in developing and validating a similar technology in a laboratory environment provides the background IP and knowledge consistent with an early TRL4. JLR will provide the operational conditions for the EGR recovery system and, together with Valeo, will specify the performance targets for the different components of the subsystem. An innovative turbine designed by ADT to withstand and perform under challenging operating conditions will be coupled with the novel e-machine designed by Valeo, and these two components will be embedded into the HP EGR loop. The performance of the optimised subsystem will be validated by simulations and experimental results in a gas stand test performed at UCL and in a vehicle demonstration performed by JLR and hence, reaching TRL6.

The project will develop a novel energy recovery and boosting system for internal combustion engines, leading to a step change in vehicle energy efficiency, fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. Aeristech’s Full Electric Turbocharger Technology (FETT) is a mechanically decoupled turbochaqrger and comprises of 3 elements; (1) an electric turbine generator recovering exhaust heat energy, powering (2) an electric compressor to boost the engine on demand, through (3) a power management unit. Jaguar Land Rover Limited, Advanced Design Technology Limited, Bath University and Aeristech will match the FETT concept to JLR’s Ingenium engine family, and the FETT development will be supported by an extensive simulation phase at system/engine level, as well as vehicle level for an optimised vehicle energy efficiency. This simulation, led by JLR and Bath University will provide Aeristech and ADT with a detailed FETT target specification. ADT will focus on the design of optimised turbomarchinery, for a decoupled turbine and compressor, whilst Aeristech will concentrate on the design of electric machines and power management device with best-in-class efficiencies.