Swansea University is a UK top 30 institution for research excellence (Research Excellence Framework 2014), and has been named Welsh University of the Year 2017 by The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide.
Sponsoring Company: Tata Steel
Start date: October 2017
Tata Steel and its Tubes business manufacturers a range of conveyance products for use within HVAC (Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning) building and industrial services applications. Our products are made from steel produced by Port Talbot and are fully normalised during tube manufacturing by passing them through a furnace at temperatures greater than 800degC. Surface scaling formed during this heating operation can result in cosmetic issues which can also impact the performance of post heat-treatment ‘added value’ coatings.
Project Aims:
The aim of the research will be the development and validation of novel production coatings to improve the surface cosmetics and performance of HVAC pipework.The project will investigate and develop novel coatings that can be applied pre heat-treatment/normalising to control oxide formation and improve the surface finish of the hot-finished products. Such coatings will protect the steel in the furnace and prevent oxide from forming.The coating will be produced and tested using thermogravimetric analysis and other more novel testing means in the brand new Swansea University Bay Campus Laboratories. Once the coating has been formulated, an effective application method must then be devised in order to successfully coat the tubes before entrance to the furnace.Finished products can then have a range of post heat-treatment coatings applied to improve service life, the project will also examine ‘added value’ coating options, including the use of ‘smart’ coatings to improve the performance of our conveyance tubes when in service.The activities also include working with the operations technical teams at Port Talbot, Corby and Hartlepool, other Tata Steel project students at Cranfield University and Loughborough Universities Building and Industrial Services Pipework Academy (BISPA) as well as other industrial partners located in both the UK and EU, and may require additional travel.
Deliverables:
Develop a financially viable and effective coating for protecting the steel surface during normalising.Develop a coating method to effectively and consistently coat thousands of metres of tubes of varying sizes. Identify post heat-treatment ‘added value’ coatings to improve conveyance tube performance when in service.
The Athena SWAN Charter recognises work undertaken by institutions to advance gender equality. The College of Engineering is an Athena SWAN bronze award holder and is committed to addressing unequal gender representation.
Established in 1993, Cranfield University is a non-profit public higher education institution located in the rural setting of the small town of Cranfield (population range of 2,500-9,999 inhabitants), East of England. This institution has also branch campuses in the following location(s): Shrivenham. Officially accredited and/or recognized by the Privy Council, Cranfield University is a small (uniRank enrollment range: 4,000-4,999 students) coeducational higher education institution. Cranfield University offers courses and programs leading to officially recognized higher education degrees such as master degrees, doctorate degrees in several areas of study. See the uniRank degree levels and areas of study matrix below for further details. International applicants are eligible to apply for enrollment.