Durham University
The School of Engineering and Computing Sciences undertakes research in a number of fields. The School participated in RAE08 and received detailed feedback in January 2009 and was assessed as being of International Quality and over 70% was recognised as Internationally Excellent or World Leading (3* and 4*). The RA08 Panel particularly praised the impact that our research has and singled-out our excellent research support and training arrangements.
Peter Wyllie received an MPhys in physics from Edinburgh University (2004) and an MSc (Distinction) in New and Renewable Energy from the University of Durham (2008). He began his PhD in January 2009 on reliability of power electronic converters. He is particularly interested in the thermal cycling occurring in components of the converters found in wind turbines and is developing a model to help understand this. He can be contacted at p.b.wyllie@durham.ac.uk.
Matthew Whittle is a PhD student working on the fatigue of wind turbine generators. He graduated with first class honours in Mechanical Engineering from Durham University in 2009 and began his PhD in October of the same year. Matthew can be contacted at m.w.g.whittle@durham.ac.uk.
Jon Trevelyan obtained his PhD from the University of Bristol in 1984, studying transfer function methods for the determination of the dynamic properties of arch dams. After working as a graduate engineer for Gibb, he joined the Computational Mechanics (CM) Group to work on commercial software based on the boundary element method. He stayed with CM for twelve years, seven of which were spent as Vice-President of CM, Inc. in Massachusetts, with responsibility for the operations of the group in North America, Canada and Mexico. In 1995, he returned to the UK and was appointed a Senior Lecturer at the University of Brighton. One year later he joined Durham University. He was promoted to a readership in 2005, and since 2007 has been the Head of the Mechanics Research & Teaching Group. Jon’s research involves the use of the boundary element method in three areas: simulation of short wave propagation, rapid stress analysis/re-analysis and enriched formulations for fracture mechanics.
Peter Tavner is the Professor of New & Renewable Energy and Head of the School of Engineering at Durham University. He received an MA in Mechanical Sciences (1969) from Cambridge University and a PhD degree (1978) from Southampton University. He has held a number of senior research and technical positions in industry including Technical Director of Laurence, Scott & Electromotors Ltd, Engineering Director of Lintott plc and Brush Electrical Machines Ltd. Most recently he was Group Technical Director of FKI Energy Technology, an international business which manufactures wind turbines, electrical machines, electrical drives, dynamometers, transformers and switchgear in the UK, Holland, Italy, Germany and the Czech Republic.
He joined the University in 2003. His research Interests are in the reliability and availability of new and renewable energy devices and their cost-effective connection to the electricity system.
He is a member of the Council of the Institution of Engineering Technology, a Director of the New & Renewable Energy Centre, Blyth, Northumberland and winner of the Institution Premium of the IET.
Dr Li Ran joined the School in July 2003 as a Lecturer in Electrical Power and Control.
Li obtained a PhD degree from Chongqing University, China in 1989. After working as a lecturer and then associate professor at Chongqing, he joined Aberdeen University as a research fellow. At Aberdeen (1993-1996), he was involved in research in Marine Electrical Propulsion and Offshore Electrical Systems. He then worked at the Universities of Nottingham and Heriot-Watt as a research associate (1996-1999). His work at Nottingham was to investigate the Electromagnetic Compatibility in Industrial Drives. He returned to Offshore Electrical Engineering at Heriot-Watt. Between 1999 and 2003, Li was with Northumbria University where he fitted in the Power and Control Research Group and taught in Electrical and Electronic Courses.