Thermofluids Group
The Thermofluids Group has had a link to the IMechE Journal of Power and Energy for many years through membership of the Editorial Board. The scope of this journal includes all aspects of energy conversion systems. The November issue includes papers on instability in a large-scale Francis turbine, instability in a centrifugal pump, transient performance of a low speed centrifugal, a two-stage screw compressor and aero-elastic problems of transonic fans.
At the end of each year the Editorial Board evaluates all the papers published in the journal to provide nominations for IMechE prizes. Last year the Thermofluids Group Prize (the Donald Julius Groen Prize) was won by a paper on the use of shape memory alloys for improving automotive fan blade performance.
In early November the Thermofluids Group in collaboration with the Oxford region of the Institution organised a lecture on ‘SABRE The Next Breakthrough in Space Propulsion’. This fascinating lecture was delivered by Richard Varvill, the Chief Technical Officer and Chief Designer of Reaction Engines. This concept is intended to achieve a step change reduction in cost of space rocket propulsion by using an air-breathing concept. The company is making encouraging progress with development of key technologies, which include for example an intake pre-cooler with a capacity around 500MW.
Turbomachinery is a field of continual interest to the Thermofluids Group. The latest research results concerning the fluid dynamics and thermodynamics of all configurations of turbomachines will be presented at the 12th European Turbomachinery Conference, 3-7 April 2017 in Stockholm, Sweden.
Co-sponsored events
15th UK Heat Transfer Conference, Brunel University London, 3-5 September 2017
The UK National Heat Transfer conferences are organised under the aegis of the UK National Heat Transfer Committee. As with the previous conferences, the focus for UKHTC2017 will be to bring together academic and industrial colleagues, both from the UK and abroad, working on all aspects of Heat Transfer, from fundamentals to industrial applications. The conference will be an excellent forum to disseminate current work and discuss new ideas, including the latest advances in the Heat Transfer area.
The conference will start with a reception during the evening of the 3 September 2017 at Brunel University London, so please keep your diaries free between the 3-5 of the month. More information and updates are available on the conference website: www.ukhtc2017.com
MNF2018, Georgia Institute of Technology, 9-12 September 2018
Following the highly successful Micro and Nano Flows Conference at the Politecnico di Milano in September 2016 (a closure note of MNF2016 is available on the conference homepage), the sixth run of the conference series, MNF2018, will be held in Atlanta, Georgia, USA.