Description

 

Event flyer

The gas turbine industry is one of the world’s largest and most technologically advanced. Of critical importance for gas turbine users are issues such as mission capability and preparedness, reliability, availability, life and life-cycle costs. The aftermarket of this industry is now some 55% of the total business of the companies designing and manufacturing these products. The economics are such that a leading aero gas turbine industrialist once famously stated, “the aero engine business is like the razor business; you can give away the engines because the money is made on the blades!” Whilst the emphasis is different, there are similar concerns for defence forces, power, energy and related industries.

Whilst aftermarket studies are advanced, there is a considerable opportunity here. The investment and particularly intellectual investment in this field does not match that available to the research, design and development gas turbine community. A particular opportunity, because of its complexity is gas path diagnostics and this has been emphasised at Cranfield for over two decades, resulting in some patents and novel concepts of value into the future. The presentation will seek to encourage a discussion on the nature of the problem, the challenges and opportunities.

Notes about the Speaker:  Professor Riti Singh was Director of the Rolls-Royce University Technology Centre in Performance Engineering. He has given many plenary/keynote speeches.  Professor Singh holds numerous patents, and has published widely. His research has been strongly supported by industry, the European Union and EPSRC. Professor Singh has a keen interest in gas path analysis and novel cycles for power and propulsion, particularly in the context of the environment. In 2013, he was awarded a unique grant from NASA to pursue research in the field of distributed propulsion. Another prestigious major award was a “Platform Grant” from the Engineering & Physical Sciences Council of the UK to undertake research in performance simulation and diagnostics.

He has received many accolades during his career, including ASME’s International Gas Turbine Institute’s Annual International Aircraft Engine Technology Award for 2010, presented to one individual each year for sustained, innovative personal contribution to the field. Professor Singh is a past chairman of the Aerospace Division of the UK’s Institution of Mechanical Engineers, and continues his involvement as a board member of this and the International Society of Air Breathing Engines (ISABE), where he is a past Vice President.

Professor Singh has consulted for over 40 organisations, including gas turbine manufacturers and users in more than 20 countries. In India, he has a close relationship with HAL and has also consulted for the Scientific Advisor to Defence Minister earlier. He has been a keynote speaker at a number of international conferences in India, including Aero India several times. In 2013, Professor Singh was honoured to receive the Mahatma Gandhi Pravasi Award at the UK’s House of Lords for keeping the flag of India flying.He was the keynote speaker at the Gas Turbine Users’ Association in Dubai (1999) and gave an IMechE International Prestige lecture at Abu Dhabi.