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PRODUCTS & APPLICATIONS


SENSORS & SENSING SYSTEMS LIGhTING UP ThE ThAMES wITh hYDROELECTRIC POwER


Kingston University is testing prototypes of a new hydroelectric turbine design that will use power generated by the Thames to illuminate a portion of the river itself. The turbine will sit on a pontoon and provide a floating test and measurement laboratory featuring sensors and monitors – including a TorqSense wireless torque sensor from Sensor Technology. The turbine, which has been developed by


Hales Marine Energy, will be on a submergible tank that will sit on the sea bed and can be floated up to the surface when required. The design, however, is almost infinitely scalable – the unit under test is 1m diameter and produces about 1kW; 5m turbines suitable for inshore deployment would generate round 20kW; smaller units would be ideal for river use. But, with access to the test site being by


small boat, the test regime had to be simple and comprehensive. Rod Bromfield, senior lecturer of the Faculty of Engineering, Kingston University, commented: “The critical measurement is torque, as this indicates the power we can derive from the system. We had to be certain that we would get continuous measurements over an extended period of time, because we need to map power production against actual river flow. Also, for this technology to succeed in the emerging green power market, it must be capable of continuous and predictable energy production.” One of the issues Rod faced was the relatively slow (below 50rpm)


revolution of the turbine. This helped define the choice of the TorqSense, but it is also a key feature of the Hales turbine – the slow speed means less stress on moving parts but also minimises habitat disturbance. Bromfield was concerned about mounting the sensor vertically in such a


harsh environment, however some TorqSense’s have been installed vertically, including several high up on vertical axis wind turbines. The Hales turbine was developed by design


engineer Paul Hales. He explained: “It is based on the traditional water wheel, but mounted on a vertical axis – on its side. Using modern engineering and materials it is possible to take this effective early turbine and, by turning the output shaft to the vertical, immerse the whole turbine into the tidal flow. To overcome the high resistance on the wheel blades that on one side are trying to move against the water flow, they are shaped and hinged to present a minimum resistance. The large blade area on the drive side produces very high amounts of torque (rotational force) at low speed, in the range of 10 -20rpm. “Coupled with modern permanent magnet


generators that can start producing electricity rotations as low as 2rpm, my turbine can offer the possibility of tidal generation worldwide.” He added: “Water is nearly 800 times denser


than air so it carries far more energy, making water turbines a very attractive alternative to wind energy. Notably, seabed systems are not an


impediment to shipping, nor do they have any visual impact, and ecological issues are minimal for low speed systems.” Being simple, robust and low maintenance, the turbine is suitable for


remote and less developed areas; and its continuous and predictable power output overcomes the intermittency associated with wind, wave and solar power, the company explains.


sensor technology sensors meet lemans race demands


Gibson Technology is a world leading manufacturer of motorsports powertrains encompassing engines, electronics and electronic gearshift systems. Its latest development, a 4.2 litre GK458 engine, is the exclusive choice for LMP2 class racing, competing amongst others in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) including the Le Mans 24 Hour Race, where this year 28 cars were equipped with Gibson Technology. As part of the electronic


fuel injection equipment on the naturally aspirated 90-degree, DOHC V8 engines, Gibson Technology chose Variohm EuroSensor’s high reliability Euro-XPD series Hall Effect angle sensors to provide precise throttle position feedback. Based on the company’s motorsports-


proven Euro XP range of Hall Effect non-contacting angle sensors, the Euro-XPD features an 8mm diameter D-shaft drive which, without the need for a separate coupling, is easily adapted and extensively used for throttle position sensing in motorsports. The sensor is supplied as standard with an electrical angle of 360˚ or may be optionally ordered with a programmable angle from 30˚ to 360˚ in 10˚ steps. Its redundant CW and CCW ratiometric


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output has optional interfacing parameters of five to 95% or 10 to 90% of the 5V DC supply voltage with independent linearity to within ±0.5% of each signal range. Additional features include an almost


unlimited life with up to 50 million movements, extreme robustness, an extended vibration rating and operating temperature durability from -40˚C to +125˚C (short term to 150˚C). These specifications combine with a choice of 32 or 38mm PCD slotted hole mounting for M4 screws to provide


wide-ranging application


flexibility as well as form-fit interchangeability with competitive models. Electrical connection is via 500mm


long sleeved cable with customised connector options, such as the motorsports industry standard Deutsch DTM, available on request.


variohm eurosensor 01327 351004 www.variohm.com


1 desiGn solutions SEPTEMBER 2022 t: 01869 238400 www.sensors.co.uk


3mm capacitive displacement


sensor launched


Two new sensors have been added to Micro- Epsilon’s CapaNCDT range of non-contact capacitive displacement sensors. Compact in size, the


capaNCDT CSE01 and capaNCDT CSE025 provide a measuring range of 0.1mm and 0.25mm respectively. With a diameter of 3mm and a length of 15.6mm, the capaNCDT CSE01 is said to be one of the smallest triaxial sensors in the world. The CSE025 has a diameter of 4mm and a length of 16.1mm, making both sensors ideal for distance, position and thickness measurement tasks in confined installation spaces. These also offer resolutions of just 0.08nm and 0.188nm for the respective ranges. The sensors can withstand extreme


temperature conditions (low to high, -50˚C to +200˚C) while providing the best possible temperature stability.


micro-epsilon t: 0151 355 6070 www.micro-epsilon.co.uk


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