KTP Associate - Whittaker Engineering (Stonehaven) Ltd (71023)
 

Salary range:  £30,000 plus £6k training budget
FTE:  1
Term:  Fixed (30  months)  
Closing Date: 26 March 2018

The Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering in partnership with Whittaker Engineering Limited (WEL) seeks to recruit a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) Associate. This is an opportunity for a dynamic and enthusiastic Electrical/Electronic Engineer to become involved in the development of a new and innovative heat pump and energy storage device which can provide valuable ancillary services to smart electrical power networks.

As a KTP Associate you will be principally based at Whittaker Engineering Limited (WEL) (http://www.whittakereng.com/) near Stonehaven, Scotland but you will spend periods of time at the University of Strathclyde as required.

WEL is predominantly a mechanical engineering company, carrying out bespoke precision manufacturing for the offshore and marine sectors. They have recently developed a new Stirling engine containing patented valve technology which allows virtually instant reversal from drive (heat consumption) to re generate (heat production), which can be used as a bidirectional electrical/heat storage system. It is proposed to use this technology in parallel with renewable power to improve the supply/demand balance, and to increase electrical grid stability through the use of synchronous machine interconnection and all the inherent benefits of that type of connection, compared to converter-connected devices.

The successful candidate will form an essential link between WEL and the expertise and ongoing research at the University of Strathclyde. You will become the electrical engineering expert at WEL, in particular concerning the electrical interactions of the heat engine/heat pump with the power network, and in the operation with emerging electrical markets. You will need to become expert in the technical electrical aspects of power network operation in the modern context of high penetrations of renewables. This will include detailed understanding of inertia, power quality, system stability, interactions with converter-connected devices, control and protection, and islanded operation. You will need to examine the existing body of research in this area, and also carry out your own high-fidelity dynamic power-system simulations to demonstrate the capabilities and benefits of the WEL solution.

You will also need to gain knowledge in the financial aspects of the markets by which owners of the heat engine/heat pump assets (e.g. storage devices) can obtain revenue, either when packaged with renewable generation, or as a stand-alone assets. Markets for small scale power production and ancillary services are just beginning to appear in Ireland, and are under discussion in GB.

Your role will be to gain expertise in the areas described, and support WEL in the development of a functional specification for the prototype machine, business plan, market entry strategy and product launch based on the developed Stirling engine connected to a synchronous machine. You will be responsible for transferring all of this knowledge and strategy to WEL, disseminating the findings at meetings, and formal document/report writing.

In the third year of the project, the newly developed unit is to spend a period under test at the Power Network Demonstration Centre, Cumbernauld (http://pndc.co.uk/). You will be responsible for defining, preparing instrumentation for, carrying out the electrical tests, and analysing the results.

To be considered for this role you should at least have a minimum 2:1 degree in the area of electrical/electronic engineering, physics, or a related discipline.

For informal enquiries, please contact Dr Andrew Roscoe, Senior Lecturer andrew.j.roscoe@strath.ac.uk 0141 548 2715.  Click here for full details







Faculty
Faculty of Engineering
Department/School
Electronic and Electrical Engineering
Staff Category
Research
Type of Employment
Fixed-term
Working Hours
Full-time
Vacancy Description
 
Salary range:  £30,000 plus £6k training budget
FTE:  1
Term:  Fixed (30  months)  
Closing Date: 26 March 2018

The Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering in partnership with Whittaker Engineering Limited (WEL) seeks to recruit a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) Associate. This is an opportunity for a dynamic and enthusiastic Electrical/Electronic Engineer to become involved in the development of a new and innovative heat pump and energy storage device which can provide valuable ancillary services to smart electrical power networks.

As a KTP Associate you will be principally based at Whittaker Engineering Limited (WEL) (http://www.whittakereng.com/) near Stonehaven, Scotland but you will spend periods of time at the University of Strathclyde as required.

WEL is predominantly a mechanical engineering company, carrying out bespoke precision manufacturing for the offshore and marine sectors. They have recently developed a new Stirling engine containing patented valve technology which allows virtually instant reversal from drive (heat consumption) to re generate (heat production), which can be used as a bidirectional electrical/heat storage system. It is proposed to use this technology in parallel with renewable power to improve the supply/demand balance, and to increase electrical grid stability through the use of synchronous machine interconnection and all the inherent benefits of that type of connection, compared to converter-connected devices.

The successful candidate will form an essential link between WEL and the expertise and ongoing research at the University of Strathclyde. You will become the electrical engineering expert at WEL, in particular concerning the electrical interactions of the heat engine/heat pump with the power network, and in the operation with emerging electrical markets. You will need to become expert in the technical electrical aspects of power network operation in the modern context of high penetrations of renewables. This will include detailed understanding of inertia, power quality, system stability, interactions with converter-connected devices, control and protection, and islanded operation. You will need to examine the existing body of research in this area, and also carry out your own high-fidelity dynamic power-system simulations to demonstrate the capabilities and benefits of the WEL solution.

You will also need to gain knowledge in the financial aspects of the markets by which owners of the heat engine/heat pump assets (e.g. storage devices) can obtain revenue, either when packaged with renewable generation, or as a stand-alone assets. Markets for small scale power production and ancillary services are just beginning to appear in Ireland, and are under discussion in GB.

Your role will be to gain expertise in the areas described, and support WEL in the development of a functional specification for the prototype machine, business plan, market entry strategy and product launch based on the developed Stirling engine connected to a synchronous machine. You will be responsible for transferring all of this knowledge and strategy to WEL, disseminating the findings at meetings, and formal document/report writing.

In the third year of the project, the newly developed unit is to spend a period under test at the Power Network Demonstration Centre, Cumbernauld (http://pndc.co.uk/). You will be responsible for defining, preparing instrumentation for, carrying out the electrical tests, and analysing the results.

To be considered for this role you should at least have a minimum 2:1 degree in the area of electrical/electronic engineering, physics, or a related discipline.

For informal enquiries, please contact Dr Andrew Roscoe, Senior Lecturer andrew.j.roscoe@strath.ac.uk 0141 548 2715.  Click here for full details