Engineering news
Bloodhound for sale
Professional Engineering
The Bloodhound land speed record car is up for sale, its owner has announced. The project is looking for a new owner to take over the team and make an attempt at the world land speed record next year, after the Covid-19 pandemic forced delays to the ‘engineering adventure’. In 2019, it hit a top speed of 1,011km/h (628mph) in the South African desert, and it could hit a top speed of over 1287km/h (800mph) after the installation of a Nammo monopropellant rocket.
Three green aviation projects get £84.6m
The Engineer
Three UK green aviation projects will receive a share of £84.6m from government and industry to develop emission-free flight. H2Gear aims to develop a liquid hydrogen propulsion system, HyFlyer II will scale-up zero-emission engines and Inception will develop a fully electrified propulsion system for small aircraft.
Flying taxis could take off by 2023
Professional Engineering
Another consortium focusing on electric flight received a government grant this week, and hopes to carry passengers over the South West of England by 2023. The group, including electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft developer Vertical Aerospace, will assess challenges and opportunities before ‘full-system demonstrations’.
Car manufacturing fell by nearly a third in 2020
E&T
UK manufacturers built fewer than a million cars in 2020 amid the Covid-19 pandemic and Brexit uncertainty, the lowest total since 1984. Production fell by 29.3% compared to 2019, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
New method ‘nearly doubles carbon capture performance’
Professional Engineering
A new method has almost doubled the performance of electrochemical carbon capture, its developers have said. A team from Massachusetts Institute of Technology developed the technique, which uses a gas-attracting surface to keep a constant flow of carbon dioxide against a catalyst submerged in water.
Solar flare-style rocket thruster could hit high speeds
Professional Engineering
A new type of rocket thruster that replicates the mechanism behind solar flares could send humans to Mars and beyond, a researcher has claimed. Fatima Ebrahimi from Princeton University proposed the concept, which would apply magnetic fields to cause particles of plasma to shoot out the back of the rocket, propelling it forward. Current space-proven plasma thrusters use electric fields to propel the particles.
Floating turbines to be installed at Blyth wind farm
Professional Engineering
EDF Renewables has announced plans to install floating wind turbines at its Blyth Offshore Demonstrator wind farm. Up to five new turbines will be installed on floating substructures, contributing towards a maximum capacity of 99.9MW. The project is one of the first to use floating turbines in English waters.
3D printing technique could print bone-like structures within the body
Professional Engineering
A new 3D printing technique can create structures with living cells at room temperature, opening up the possibility of printing bone-like material directly into the body. A team of researchers from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Sydney developed a new ink made of calcium phosphate and a technique known as ceramic omnidirectional bioprinting in cell-suspensions (Cobics). The process enabled them to print bone-like structures that harden in minutes when placed in water.
Thread sensors can track body’s movements
Professional Engineering
A new sensor can measure the movement of the neck using little more than two threads coated with carbon-based ink. Engineers at Tufts University in Massachusetts created and demonstrated the flexible sensors, which provide data on the direction, angle of rotation and degree of displacement of the head. They could be used by athletes or for other biomedical purposes.
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.