City launches Industrial Consortium on Compressors and Expanders for future Energy Systems (CERES)

Professor Ahmed Kovacevic, Howden/RAEng Research Chair in Compressor Technology and Professor Abdulnaser Sayma, Head of Engineering and Director of City's Thermo-Fluid Research Centre (TFRC) officially launched the Industrial Consortium on Compressors and Expanders for future Energy Systems (CERES) on May 13^th 2022. The first meeting of the new consortium was also held on that day.

The consortium comprises a network of partners for addressing global challenges by performing world-leading research in this energy transforming sector and expand the scope of resources through applications for funds to research councils in the UK and abroad.

Companies who join CERES industrial consortium will benefit from the following:

• Access to the cutting-edge affordable research with high leverage ratio (>20:1).
• Access to knowledge from related non-consortium open projects (lev. ratio >50:1);
• Access to cutting-edge experimental and numerical facilities at the Centre for Compressor Technology (CCT) and TFRC;
• Active participation in ongoing projects and steering of research directions;
• Provide input and directions on the future research topics and project ideas;
• Ability to use results from the Centre for Compressor Technology and TFRC with company internal R&D efforts: external validation, shorter internal efforts, etc.;
• Access to expert knowledge, fresh views, and new ideas: CCT, TFRC and other SMCSE centres with diversified range of backgrounds and research interests;
• Access to opportunities to form teams with the world leading academics to reach larger governmental funds;
• Additional, cost-effective contract research opportunities;
• Excellent recruiting opportunities with access to well-trained and educated students that you can interact with throughout the academic career of the student;
• Exclusive opportunities and reduced rates for participation in the biennial International Conference on Compressors and their Systems;
• Access and review technology meetings, and additional technology focus briefings

Representatives from nine companies and the Royal Academy of Engineering joined City officials and staff who were present for the hybrid meeting held at City. The founding members of CERES are Howden, Mayekawa, Carrier, Ansys and PDM Analysis. Representatives from Jaeckllin, Edwards, Total Energies and Trane Technologies also attended the meeting to explore the benefits of joining this forward-looking consortium.

In-person attendees also joined the meeting for an annual poster competition and social event organised by City's Thermo-Fluids Research Centre. There was also an opportunity to meet researchers from the Centre, enjoy visits to the test cells and learn about current research under way.

The rest of the day was devoted to project proposal presentations by City researchers. Seven projects addressing different issues in compressors and expanders technology were presented, followed by a fruitful discussion.

Lihini Seneviratne, Graduate Mechanical Engineer at MAYEKAWA Europe, said:

I’ve never been to a consortium meeting before so this was very insightful. I loved seeing different test rigs, talking to the PhD students, learning about new methods and meeting new people, whom I hope to see again. It was also my first time at City. As a young engineer at Mayekawa, I found myself thinking of many ways to solve problems, with a lot of ‘what ifs’, ‘hows”, etc - I just felt so inspired by the enthusiasm of the PhD students!

Professor Kovacevic said:

Since 2019, we had the idea to form this consortium. It is not a very common method of collaboration between industry and academia and the inspiration came universities in the US who have similar bodies. I am very pleased that we had substantial interest from the compressor industry to form CERES and I am grateful to the staff at City for helping to set up the procedures to enable us to grow and make an impact toward achieving Net Zero targets. 

Companies and organisations wishing to learn more about CERES Consortium membership should contact the Director of the Centre for Compressor Technology, Professor Ahmed Kovacevic at A.Kovacevic@city.ac.uk