BRENT
MEASUREMENT TECHNOLOGY Ltd
Instrumentation Systems
Engineering for the Natural Environment
Moorland
Cottage, Harbourneford, South Brent,
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
(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.
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,
·
Instrumentation system and contribution to the design
of physical trials of a wave and tidal energy system at IFREMER,
· Report on
measurement equipment and deployment for a shoreline wave energy conversion
proposal for the
· Design and
manufacture of a wave measuring instrument for the
· Design and
manufacture of a data acquisition system for measuring mooring loads of up to
200 tonnes on a platform in
· 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,
‘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
· 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
· Design of a
pedestrian, vehicular and rail traffic monitoring system for installation in
· 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)