While the Covid-19 pandemic forced the closure of factories and universities, grounded planes and broke up supply chains, engineers were nothing short of inspirational in their response.
Innovation was the order of the day as organisations and employees rushed to help meet the needs of the wider population – whether building ventilators, hospitals or social distancing devices, engineers used their ingenuity and the latest cutting-edge technology to meet goals at a truly unprecedented rate.
The pandemic was never out of focus, but that did not stop engineers from tackling other huge challenges facing humanity. Researchers and companies developed revolutionary new technologies that could help fight climate change in one way or another, whether through reducing aerospace emissions or storing variable renewable energy.
As we look towards 2021 with hope, here are five of the biggest stories from Professional Engineering in 2020.
Bringing the fight to the coronavirus
By 25 March, the full magnitude of the lockdown was just setting in. Prime minister Boris Johnson had told people to stay at home two days earlier, and many businesses were either shut or preparing to close the next day.
Engineers wasted no time in making themselves useful. The Ventilator Challenge was already underway, so for some expert suggestions we asked our readers: “Apart from making ventilators, how could engineers help the fight against coronavirus?”
The answers were encouraging and inspirational. Suggestions included helping stop the spread by designing and manufacturing diagnostic kits, or developing anti-microbial technologies. Others urged a focus on improving PPE for NHS staff, or helping spread Stem knowledge during school closures. Some called for expert engineering advice to assist the government.
The following months saw many of the suggestions fulfilled in one way or another, with thousands of people visiting the page for inspiration.
The social distancing bracelet
As expected, the Covid-19 pandemic was central to many other of the top stories this year.
In May, we reported on a bracelet-style social distancing device from Lincoln firm Tended. The wearable technology alerts workers if they move closer than 2m to each other. It also let employers know if workers reporting a diagnosis had been in contact with colleagues, and for how long.
Tended hoped the system, which combined an existing wearable with an ultra-wideband proximity sensor and a smartphone app, would help “accelerate the transition back to safe working across a range of industries”. Its initial focus was construction, manufacturing, infrastructure and logistics.
Other companies released similar technology throughout the year. As the pandemic continues and companies seek to prevent costly shutdowns, we could see more solutions in the new year.
Fast-charging falters
The electric and hybrid car market was one bright spot for a UK automotive sector left reeling by shutdowns and loss of sales. Sales of ‘zero emission capable’ cars leapt 110% in August according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), thanks in part to new models.
A team of engineers from the University of California had one unwelcome piece of news however – they found that fast-charging of electric vehicle batteries can ruin their capacity in just 25 charges. High temperatures and resistance from fast charging at commercial stations can cause cracks and leaks, the researchers said.
They also developed an algorithmic charging method known as internal resistance charging, however. The adaptive technique rests when internal resistance kicks in, helping prevent loss of charge capacity. The team applied for a patent, which could be licensed by manufacturers.
Electric plane damaged in fire
Zero-emission flight is another challenge being tackled by engineers around the globe.
Israeli firm Eviation had a setback in January when a fire damaged its prototype electric plane. The incident happened during ground testing of the nine-seater Alice aircraft, which has a forecast range of 1,000km. A company statement said a “ground-based battery system” was believed to have caused the fire.
Thankfully, Eviation has announced better news since the blaze. Earlier this week, chief executive Omer Bar-Yohay reportedly said Alice is expected to fly in 2021. The firm has made some “minor modifications” to the design, according to Flight Global.
Stored energy under the sea
2020 saw numerous technologies touted as the future of renewable energy storage, from ‘green’ hydrogen generated with electricity from renewable sources to a demonstration system of Gravitricity’s gravity-based energy storage.
Another promising solution could be grid-level storage on the seabed, wrote Dr Jody Muelaner in this piece from June. A new form of pumped-storage hydroelectricity from the Fraunhofer Institute in Germany uses concrete spheres anchored on the seafloor. To store energy, water is pumped out of the spheres, against the pressure of the surrounding seawater. When the energy is required, water is allowed to flow back into the spheres, driving turbines.
The units could one day be built near floating offshore wind turbines, providing near-baseload renewable energy to the grid.
Want the best engineering stories delivered straight to your inbox? The Professional Engineering newsletter gives you vital updates on the most cutting-edge engineering and exciting new job opportunities. To sign up, click here.
Content published by Professional Engineering does not necessarily represent the views of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.