Engineering news
Rescue robot set for Sellafield nuclear site
The Engineer
A remotely-operated rescue robot developed for the Sellafield nuclear site can be adapted for disaster recovery in a range of hazardous industrial environments.
London launches England’s first hydrogen double-deckers
Professional Engineering
Double-decker buses that only need to be charged for five minutes once a day have launched in London. Twenty new hydrogen fuel-cell double-decker buses have been unveiled by Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London – they’ll run on bus route 7 between East Acton and Oxford Circus, and produce no pollution from their exhausts.
New undersea energy storage system harnesses the power of buoyancy
New Atlas
Electricity transmitted from the surface via power cables is used to drive powerful electric motors, which pull the buoyant tubes down toward the sea floor to store the energy. When it's time to release energy, the tubes are released, and their powerful buoyancy pulls the electric motor in reverse, turning it into a generator and feeding power back into the grid.
Prototype electric motorcycle set for tilt at land speed records
The Engineer
A prototype electric motorcycle designed to reduce drag by up to 70 per cent is being primed for attempts at land speed records.
Recruitment bias may stop women returning to engineering
Professional Engineering
Female engineers returning to the industry after a career break are more likely to experience recruitment bias than men, according to a survey by STEM Returners.
Aviation’s climate impact isn’t just about CO2
Professional Engineering
A new study from researchers at the University of Birmingham suggests that aviation will continue to contribute to climate change, even if it meets its Paris Agreement targets.
New science and technology council aims to boost UK tech
Professional Engineering
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has unveiled plans for a new National Science and Technology Council. The council will provide strategic direction on the use of science and technology as tools to tackle societal changes. Sir Patrick Vallance, the government’s chief scientific adviser, will take on a new role as National Technology Adviser, and head up a new Office for Science and Technology Strategy based in the Cabinet Office.
Switch on for grid-scale battery storage system
The Engineer
The UK’s first grid-scale battery storage system connected directly to the transmission-network has been activated as part of the £41m Energy Superhub Oxford (ESO) project.
New method converts carbon into graphene or diamond in a flash
New Atlas
Researchers at Rice University have developed a way to turn carbon from a variety of sources straight into useful forms such as graphene or diamond. The technique uses a “flash” of electricity to heat the carbon, converting it into a final form that’s determined by the length of the flash.
Boeing wins $578m production contract for 14 RAF Chinooks
Aerospace Manufacturing
Boeing has been awarded a $578 million contract to deliver 14 extended-range Chinook helicopters to the RAF. The extended range Chinook gives the RAF fleet more versatility to execute the domestic and international heavy-lift missions.
Get to grips with the future factory: sign up now for our Advanced Manufacturing briefings (19-23 July), part of the Engineering Futures series.
Content published by Professional Engineering does not necessarily represent the views of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.