Study
for a Thermal Power MSc in the United Kingdom
Cranfield
UniversityA Multidisciplinary Technology
The focus of the Thermal Power MSc course at Cranfield is the gas
turbine engine. Gas turbine engines are now the primary source of
propulsive power for aircraft and are finding increasing application in
the power and energy sectors. The gas turbine - steam turbine combined
cycle is the most efficient electricity generating plant for industrial
scale applications. Gas turbine
engineering is a very successful manufacturing field in the United Kingdom and
Europe. The industry accounts for over £30 billion of sales worldwide.The number of gas turbines in service is
expected to expand greatly in the next few years and industrial gas
turbine sales are now of a similar value to those of aircraft gas
turbines.
This success is due to continuous advances in the many disciplines
required to design, operate and maintain these engines effectively. This
requires detailed expertise in a wide range of disciplines including
aerothermodynamics, materials science, combustion, mechanical integrity
and manufacturing. Large benefits can be accrued by Gas Turbine
operators if they have trained personnel understanding the impact of
tactical decisions in the operation and maintenance of gas turbine
engines. This knowledge can have a great impact on the economic
performance of the operator because of the complexity and cost of the
gas turbine and the associated equipment.
The industry and postgraduates
Cranfield plays an important role in the provision of
the expertise that underpins this exciting field of engineering.
Cranfield teaching programmes prepare postgraduate engineers for
challenging and rewarding careers. Engineers from many countries have
completed the specialist Thermal Power MSc course and are now making
important contributions to organisations in this advanced area of
engineering. Thermal Power M.Sc. graduates have progressed to very
senior positions in international organisations. The understanding
obtained from the course has greatly strengthened their knowledge base
helping them make important technical contributions with financial
implications. The skills acquired provide commercial and operational
benefits in a growth industry operating high technology equipment in a
demanding and competitive environment.
The Course
The course has three options that have been designed in response to
the demands of the industry sectors where the gas turbine engine has
major relevance. The three options share common courses but the
mandatory and optional modules within each option provide the difference
in emphasis. The options are:
1. Aerospace Propulsion: The development of
aerospace vehicles has revolutionised all aspects of modern life. The
key technological achievement underlying this revolution has been the
design and development of efficient and economical propulsion systems.
The breadth of aerospace activities, such as manufacturing, procurement,
research, operation and maintenance generates a large demand for expert
engineers. Given the growth forecast in the industry, this demand is
expected to increase.
The Aerospace Propulsion option within the M.Sc. in Thermal Power gives
the prospective propulsion engineer a detailed insight into the
principles and practices of the advanced technology employed in the wide
range of power pants for aeronautical and space vehicles. A thorough
grounding is provided in the design and operation of different types of
propulsion systems for aerospace applications in a course structured to
meet the different needs of individual course members. Typical lecture
courses within this option are:
 -
Propulsion System Performance and Integration
- Engine Systems
- Fuels and Combustion
- Gas Turbine Theory and Performance
- Piston Engines
- Space Propulsion
- Spacecraft Systems
- Turbomachinery
2.
Rotating Machinery Engineering and Management: Rotating Machinery is
employed today in a wide variety of industrial applications. This option
of the M.Sc. in Thermal Power emphasises subjects of particular interest
to major users in oil, power, gas and process industries; including
topics such as prime movers and driven equipment, selection, project
planning, commissioning, operation maintenance and management of power
systems. A thorough grounding is provided in the operation of different
types of rotating machinery for industrial, marine and off-shore
applications. Staff with experience in prime movers and driven equipment
provide an insight into varied aspects of machinery design and
operation. Typical lecture courses within this option are:
 -
Specification and Performance of Mechanical and Electrical Rotating
Equipment
- Emissions and Abatement
- Engine Systems
- Fuels and Combustion
- Gas Turbine Applications
- Steam Plant and Diesels
- Management for Technology
3. Gas Turbine Technology: This option provides
a more general overview of the design and operation of the gas turbine
engine. With its high power to weight ratio the gas turbine is being
used for an ever growing number of different applications. This type of
engine has been developed to very high levels of efficiency, reliability
and environmental friendliness. Engine manufacturers continuously
intensify their development efforts given the current economic and
environmental pressures. On the other hand users wish to operate this
complex and expensive machine in a widening range of environments and
applications. To enhance the quality of decisions relating to the
design, development, operation and maintenance of gas turbines an
advanced level of knowledge in a variety of complex disciplines is
required. A thorough grounding is provided in the design and operation
of gas turbines for different applications in a course structured to
meet the different needs of individual course members. Typical lecture
courses within this option are:
 -
Engine Systems
- Blade Cooling
- Fuels and Combustion
- Gas Turbine Applications
- Gas Turbine Theory and Performance
- Mechanical Design of Turbomachinery
- Materials Selection
- Turbomachinery
4. Power, Propulsion and
Environment
The Power, Propulsion and
Environment option of the MSc course in Thermal Power is an important
element in developing engineers with an environmental awareness.
The gas turbine is employed
today in a wide variety of industrial applications including oil, power,
and process industries. The continuing expansion of the applications of
rotating machinery implies that a multidisciplinary approach to their
design and selection - taking into account their techno-economic and
environmental impact - is required.
Typical lecture courses
within this option are
* Combustors
* Engine Systems
* Environmental Management
* Fuels and Combustion
* Industrial Prime Movers
* Gas Turbine Theory and
Performance
* Management for Technology
* Turbomachinery.
Optional modules are chosen
from:
* Materials Selection
* Mechanical Design of
Turbomachinery
* Piston Engines
* Gas Turbine Applications
* Blade Cooling
* Computational Fluid
Dynamics
* Fatigue and Fracture
* Simulation and Diagnostics.
An intensive two-week
industrial management module is offered to all MSc students; this module
assists in achieving exemptions from some engineering council
requirements. The students also benefit from invited lectures from
senior engineers and managers in the propulsion and power industries.
The Programme
The teaching programme comprises a series of lecture courses and an
extensive research or design project. The final M.Sc. assessment is
weighted equally between these two components The lecture programme
consists of, typically, twelve to fifteen courses. About three quarters
of these are compulsory and the remainder may be selected from a long
list of optional subjects. The programme also benefits from invited
lectures from senior engineers and managers from the propulsion, power
and gas turbine user industries.
In addition to the lecture programme the candidate is required to submit
a written thesis describing a project carried out during the course. The
thesis is examined orally in September in the presence of an external
examiner. Many of these theses have been carried out with industrial
contacts and often have resulted in international publications. Typical
topics of projects undertaken recently are:
- Procurement Criteria For Civil Aero-Engines
- Semi-Closed Power Cycles For Co2 Abatement
- Comparison Of Alternative Civil Aviation Power Plants
- Propulsion System for a Cruise Liner
- Combined Cycle Technical and Economic Evaluations
- Gas Path Anaysis and Engine Diagnostics
- Procurement Criteria for Combined Heat and Power
- Risk Analysis in the Power Industry
- Repowering Steam Turbine Plants
- Availability and Reliability of Prime Movers
In addition to the technical subjects, a two week, intensive
Management course is offered to all M.Sc. candidates. This course
assists in achieving exemptions from some engineering council
requirements.
Entry Qualifications
Applicants must possess the equivalent of an U.K. First or Second
Class Honours Degree in Engineering, Applied Science or Mathematics.
Candidates with alternative qualifications and suitable experience may
also be considered.
For further Information please contact:
CONTACT
Dr
Stephen Ogaji
Director, Thermal Power M.Sc.
School
of Engineering
Cranfield University,
Cranfield, Bedfordshire, United Kingdom, MK43 0AL
Tel:
+44(0)1234 £758218
Fax:
+44(0)1234 - 751566
s.ogaji@Cranfield.ac.uk
Website:
www.cranfield.ac.uk
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