Specialist Centres
University of Bath
Education:
- Master of Engineering (MEng) in Mechanical Engineering - 4 year first degree.
- Master of Engineering (MEng) in Automotive Engineering - 4 year first degree, both degrees are available with French or German.
- Master of Science (MSc) in Automotive Engineering - 1 year postgraduate degree.
Annual intake for the MEng programmes is 130 with 17 currently registered on the Automotive Engineering programme. The MEng programmes were introduced in 1996 and a full course has not yet run. It is therefore not possible to indicate grades achieved.
6 students are registered for the MSc in the 99/00 session.
There are 14 research postgraduate registrations (mainly PhD) in the automotive sector with 1 Marie Curie Fellowship.
Research:
Projects include:
- Modelling and Prediction of Diesel Injector Systems for Enhanced Performance
- Vehicle Powertrain Control to Maximise Efficiency and Minimise Harmful Emissions
- Loss Mechanisms in Automotive Belt Drive Transmissions
- The Driveability of Vehicles with Continuously Variable Transmissions
- Low Emissions Investigations on a High Speed Direct Injection Diesel Engine
- Towed Vehicle Aerodynamics
- Transient Emissions Investigation of a High Speed Direct Injection Diesel Engine
- Zero Emission Three-Wheeled Scooter (ZEDIS)
- Suction Characteristics of Power Steering Vane Pumps
- Algorithms for Switchable Dampers
- Elastomeric Hydraulic Mounts for Secondary Suspension Applications
- Life-Cycle Assessment of Motor Vehicles using Alternative Fuelling Systems
- Variable Geometry Turbocharging for Lower Emissions and Improved Torque Characteristics
- Computational and Thermal Design of Diesel Engines
- Computational Fluid Dynamics Study of Inlet Port Design for Diesel Engines
- Computational Study of Scavenging in a Direct Injection 2-Stroke Diesel Engine
- Fuelling Aspects Associated with Catalytic Gas Turbine Units
- Heat Transfer Studies in IC Engine Cooling Systems
- Axi-symmetrical CFD Validation of a Diesel Engine In-Cylinder Zonal Gas Flow Model
- Extending Phenomenological Engine Simulation to include the effects of Zonal Airflow
- Design Methodology for Precision Forging
- Energy Technology Assessment for Low Emission Vehicles Modelling Tools for the Forging Industry
- Tailored Welded Blanks
- Manufacturing Systems Modelling
- Virtual Manufacturing
Equipment available includes:
- Chassis Dynamometer } all with industry standard
- Dynamic Powertrain test cell } emissions measurement
- Steady state engine test bed } and data acquisition
- Four poster vehicle test bed
- Test cells for:
- Vehicle heat management
- Engine thermal flow
- Turbocharger evaluation
- Continuously variable transmissions
- IC Engine cooling gallery simulators
- Hydraulic systems including power steering
- 100 ton press for forging
- Denford cyclone CNC lathe
- Co-ordinate measuring machines
- Matchmaker vertical CNC milling machine
- 250 PCs (mostly networked)
- 150 Unix workstations (networked)
- Various robots
- Specialist computer software:
- Time Domain Simulation (including own commercially available package for hydraulics systems)
- Forging Modelling (own package)
- Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)
- Finite Element and Heat Transfer
- Techniques for Life Cycle Assessment
- Manufacturing System Modelling
- Virtual Manufacturing
Contacts:
Department of Mechanical Engineering:
Academic staff 34
Researchers 110
Dr N D Vaughan: Head of Automotive Systems and Leader Powertrain Control responsible for undergraduate programme with foreign languages
Dr J G Hawley: Head of IC Engines responsible for MSc course in automotive engineering
Professor G P Hammond: Head of Thermofluids Group, energy analysis and life cycle assessment
Professor A N Bramley: Head of Manufacturing and Design, forging technology
Dr A R Mileham: Head of Welding and Joining Unit manufacturing systems
Department of Materials Science
Professor R Stevens: Head of Department, fuel cells and light-weight materials
Department of Chemical Engineering
Professor S T Kolaczkowski: Head of Department, catalyst materials and modelling
School of Management
Professor A Graves: Director International Motor Vehicle Programme
Clients
- Ford Motor Company: diesel engine projects, powertrain and transmission research
- BMW-Rover Group: continuously variable transmission research
- Lucas Diesel Systems: powertrain control
- Johnson Matthey: powertrain control (joint programme with Lucas)
- Ricardo Engineering: heat transfer in engine cooling
- Torotrak Development Ltd: continuously variable transmission and powertrain control
- Lister-Petter: engine performance and emission modelling
- Ford Research Centre, Aachen, Germany: engine modelling and control heat transfer in engine cooling system
- Ford Research Centre: specialist courses in hydraulic systems
- Dearborn, USA: specialist courses in hydraulic systems
- Delphi Automotive, Saginaw, USA: specialist courses in hydraulic systems
- Delphi Automotive, Paris, France: specialist courses in hydraulic systems
Also links with component and vehicle manufacturers including Bosch Group, Daimler-Chrysler, Renault, Delphi, ECIA(PSA Group), Van Doornes Transmissie, and General Motors.
University Collaboration:
A contributor to the Universities' Combustion Engine Group (UNICEG) since its inception. Bath Emeritus Professor Frank Wallace was a founder member.
Two EPSRC networks have been funded - 'FORGE-NET' lead by Professor Bramley and "TxNet" for powertrain systems led by Dr Vaughan.
A collaborative programme in combustion modelling is underway with the University of Exeter.
Collaborative discussions have taken place with the Universities of Brunel, Leeds, Nottingham and Warwick.
Student exchange in the automotive area has taken place with:
- RWTH Aachen
- Eindhoven University of Technology
- Ecole Centrale de Nantes
Links also exist with:
- Ecole Centrale de Paris
- INSA de Lyon
- University of Munich, Germany
- University of Windsor, Canada
- Queen's University, Canada
- University of Wisconsin, USA
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Introduction
