N E W S Chasing engineering innovation A University of Canterbury academic whose pioneering work has real-world impact that ranges from intensive care medicine for babies to earthquake engineering has won the University of Canterbury 2017 Research Medal. The University Council has announced the medal will be awarded to Distinguished Professor Geoffrey Chase, of UC Mechanical Engineering, who specialises in dynamic systems modelling and control applied to medicine and structures, with focus on intensive/ acute care medicine and earthquake engineering. The annual award goes to a University of Canterbury researcher whose work has been recognised as truly world class, Professor Ian Wright, Deputy vice-chancellor (Research and Innovation), says. “Professor Chase has initiated, developed and successfully applied a novel area of Bio-Engineering research with a very strong clinical-applications focus called model-based therapeutics (MBT) for cardiovascular diagnostics. He is a pioneer of MBT and the first to use virtual (computer based) trials to design a therapeutic protocol that is now a regular standard of care both in New Zealand, parts of the European Union, and Malaysia,” Professor Wright says. “His research also pursues solutions in many other areas of medicine, which include clinical practice changes in the neonatal ICU for glycaemic control and novel very low-cost methods of diagnosing type 2 diabetes before the ability to intervene and reduce long-term costs is passed, and low-cost and non-invasive means of breast cancer diagnosis.” The Research Medal is the highest honour that the University Council can extend to its academic staff in recognition of research excellence. www.engineeringnews.co.nz 15 BOC to collaborate with CSIRO on $3.4m hydrogen project BOC, a member of The Linde Group, one of the world’s leading gases and engineering companies, will support CSIRO during its $3.4 million ammonia to hydrogen cracking and membrane purification project that they say is set to revolutionise the global supply chain for hydrogen. As part of a recently signed collaboration agreement, BOC will contribute in-kind gas products, equipment and technical expertise worth in excess of $100,000 for the two-year project now underway at CSIRO’s test site in Pullenvale, Brisbane. BOC will supply ammonia, which will be cracked and purified into pure hydrogen by the modular membrane technology unit developed by CSIRO. BOC engineers will also assist with compressing the hydrogen and storing it in special cylinder packs, then distributing it to customers on the Australian east coast for use in hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. General manager hydrogen, Alex Dronoff, says BOC is proud to be working with CSIRO researchers as they take a significant step forward in hydrogen technology, paving the way for a renewable hydrogen export market that could meet rising demand in emerging markets Europe, Japan and South Korea. “As the only global organisation with expertise and technology that covers the entire hydrogen supply chain, BOC and The Linde Group are committed to working with Australian researchers and industry to help advance the global transition towards clean hydrogen for mobility and energy. “We look forward to sharing our extensive experience with CSIRO as they enter the final development stages of the membrane technology device – providing advice on generation and storage, right through to transportation and refuelling of hydrogen-powered vehicles.” CSIRO energy director Karl Rodrigues is excited by the growing global momentum to develop hydrogen energy systems, and the potential for a hydrogen export industry to benefit Australia. “We’re pleased to be partnering with industry – including BOC – and look forward to applying CSIRO innovation to facilitate the creation of new low emissions energy markets.” Dronoff adds the CSIRO project is a vital technology breakthrough that complements much of the pioneering work that The Linde Group has been driving for decades. To meet the overwhelming need, it was clear the growing concern had to be mitigated. With the UK Blind Bolt Company and its New Zealand distributor – Steel and Tube commissioning HERA with the task. Quality compliance ensures safety and reliability At HERA we believe it’s important that our members seek independent verification for products and services. As it ensures they adhere to New Zealand regulations and international best practice as well. That’s why we launched HERA Verified. Exploiting HERA’s know-how gained from product and standards development, it’s an assessment scheme that awards a quality mark testifying the manufacturer’s technical data has been independently assessed. And more importantly confirming its reliability over a range of performance data offered by suppliers. We applied this thinking to the Grade 10.9 carbon steel high strength Blind Bolt product. Recently completing verification with an aim to develop new design equations to comply with New Zealand and Australian standards. Implementing the rules contained within ISO 2394, we performed comprehensive structural reliability analyses. Taking into consideration all the variations of overseas steel material properties and manufacturing tolerances. The outcome was final design equations for tension, shear and combined tension and shear capacities consistent with the formats specified in NZS 3404, AS/NZS 5100.6 and AS 4100 - supplemented with modification factors. These design equations required rigorous structural reliability analysis. Which considered the variation in material properties, geometrical tolerance and variation in the prediction against laboratory tests to ensure the safety margin required for its application in the New Zealand and Australian market were met. Following our third-party verification assessment we’ve been able to provide confidence to local structural engineers when it comes to utilising these bolts in projects nationwide. Providing them with New Zealand and Australian equations they’re familiar with in their day to day operations to easily incorporate into today’s built environment.
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