BRENT MEASUREMENT TECHNOLOGY Ltd

Instrumentation Systems Engineering for the Natural Environment

 

 

 

 

 

 

Moorland Cottage, Harbourneford, South Brent, Devon, TQ10 9DT, UK

Tel: 01364 72195 Fax: 0870 7060166 info@brentmt.co.uk www.brentmt.co.uk

 

Directors: Paul A.D. Bird BSc PhD CEng MIMechEMIEE Eileen A. Bird BA

Registered in England No. 4435479 VAT Reg No. 795 2438 91

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(WEBSITE UNDER CONSTRUCTION)

 

 

 

BRENT MEASUREMENT TECHNOLOGY Ltd was started by Dr Paul Bird in 2002 to provide consultancy services and equipment in the field of measurement and control. Areas of application have mainly, though not exclusively, been in the marine sector, often involving use in harsh environments over long periods of unattended operation. Work to date has fallen into two categories: scientific and engineering consultancy on wave and tidal power devices; and measurement, instrumentation and control for a number of ‘special projects’ from diverse sectors of industry.

 

We work with our clients on a range of levels: from design and commissioning of an instrumentation or control system to advice, analysis and modelling of new energy conversion devices. Projects may be a simple as a short request for advice or a longer term collaboration as a research partner, contributing to the planning stage through to assisting with data analysis and reports for the raising of capital. Many of our clients have considerable engineering or scientific expertise but choose to use Brent Measurement Technology to help in specialised sections of the work. That approach frees their staff to concentrate on core aspects, and brings in the experience required to get dependable information ‘right first time’. Another type of client, without a strong technical background, requires us to advise on appropriate technologies to solve the problem. Our multi-disciplinary capability is an advantage in successfully designing complex engineering systems: projects so far have required expertise in instrumentation and control, electronics, electrical and mechanical engineering, mathematical modelling of dynamic systems, software design, hydrodynamics and thermodynamics.

 

In planning a new installation existing component parts and equipment are selected where possible using a wide knowledge of the many manufacturers and products in the market. Where equipment to fulfil a necessary function is not currently available we have the electronics and mechanical engineering capability to produce more specialised devices. Specialist partners are used when required. Overheads are kept low – we aim to apply our expertise and find the right solution at best possible value. Please contact us to see if we can help.

Current and Completed Projects

wave and marine:

·       Consultancy for several clients on the development of devices for wave energy conversion: a Carbon Trust funded numerical and physical model study of a multiple-resonant oscillating water column (MRC); and assessments of two further proposals based on different principles prior to patent and funding applications.

·       Development of a numerical model of a wave and tidal stream energy converter.

·       Instrumentation systems for physical trials of the MRC wave power device at Ecole Centrale de Nantes, and IFREMER, Brest.

·       Instrumentation system and contribution to the design of physical trials of a wave and tidal energy system at IFREMER, Boulogne-sur-Mer.

·       Report on measurement equipment and deployment for a shoreline wave energy conversion proposal for the North Cornwall coast

·       Design and manufacture of a wave measuring instrument for the North Cornwall coast: a seabed mounted, pressure sensing unit with electronics and batteries integrated in a sealed housing. The client has developed a novel fixing platform for the instrument that permits deployment and recovery without divers                        

·       Design and manufacture of a data acquisition system for measuring mooring loads of up to 200 tonnes on a platform in Turkey, using solar power. Like the wave recorder it permits long term unattended use, storing load values on a flashdisk card

·       Design and production of display and analysis software for the mooring load system, plus a module for implementing metal fatigue analysis

·       Hydrodynamics, and system control for two wavemakers for the National Marine Aquarium, Plymouth

‘special projects’:

·       Design and manufacture of a system control unit, with associated software, to integrate a precision parts handling device with a laser marker

·       Outline design of the control and electrical systems for the ‘Breaking the Surface’ project at Bridgwater Dock – an illuminated telescopic structure that responds to tide level in the Bristol Channel

·       Design and manufacture of an illuminated feature based on heart rate monitoring, exhibited in Orleans, Tours and Tarbes, France; Southampton and Manchester, UK; and Ontario, Canada. Manufacture of five permanent units for Darlington town centre

·       Design of a pedestrian, vehicular and rail traffic monitoring system for installation in South London

·       Design and manufacture of two bike ride simulators playing variable speed video of selected rides and applying realistic loads to the wheel.

Clients and end-users include:

Birse Civils Ltd, Bovis Lend Lease, Bristol South West Primary Care Trust, Camborne School of Mines, Centre de Creation Contemporaine,  Darlington Borough Council, Dynamic Load Monitoring UK Ltd, Germanische Lloyd, London Borough of Lewisham, Merlin Automation and Robotics Systems, Michael Pinsky, National Marine Aquarium, ORECon, Somerset County Council, Sustrans, University of East London, University of Plymouth, Verderg Ltd.

Engineering Background of Brent Measurement Technology Staff

·       Aerospace (avionics, generation systems and engine fuel control)

·       Telecomms (precision test instruments)

·       Environmental (air conditioning, radon control, building electrical supply)

·       Wave energy (24 channel instrumentation system with GSM radio telemetry for an 8 tonne OWC buoy)

·       Oceanography and coastal engineering (instruments for directional wave spectra, wave impact pressures, sea water aeration and near-shore water surface elevation. These have given many years’ service in all conditions in support of international research projects on the behaviour of breakwaters and beaches. Other academic research includes hydrodynamics in the surf and swash zones, and work on ‘reflection-absorbing’ hydraulically controlled wavemakers for the laboratory)

·       Management of University Civil Engineering laboratories

·        Health and Safety management                                                    (9 September 2007)