The Advanced Propulsion Centre has today announced that its latest grant funding round (APC5) will include multimillion-pound support for revolutionary clean cold and power technology.
A consortium, led by Dearman, the clean cold and power technology company, has been awarded £6 million by the Advanced Propulsion Centre to develop zero-emission Dearman Engine technology and applications, helping to move it into manufacturing and full commercial deployment. The Dearman Engine will deliver radical improvements to the fuel efficiency of HGVs and buses, helping to significantly reduce emissions of NOx, particulate matter and CO2.
The project brings together Dearman, Hubbard Products, Air Products, Productiv, Wessington Cryogenics and Loughborough University, who will each bring unique expertise to the development, manufacturing and commercialisation of the technology. Government funding will be matched by the consortium, bringing the total investment in the cutting edge zero emission technology to £15.5 million.
The Dearman Engine is driven by the expansion of liquid nitrogen and can be used to produce clean cold and power for a range of applications across transport, logistics and the built environment.
The most advanced application of Dearman technology is a zero emission transport refrigeration system designed and developed in conjunction with Hubbard Products, as a sustainable alternative to the diesel driven units that conventionally keep refrigerated trucks cold. The system is currently on trial with Sainsbury’s, delivering food across London, where it is already having a positive impact on air quality.
With support from the APC, the technology will be developed to support further applications, including to an air conditioning and auxiliary power system for buses, which in hot climates can consume more than a third of a bus’ diesel.
Discussing the announcement, Toby Peters, Founder and CEO of Dearman said: “Globally we face a major challenge, how can we reduce our impact on the environment, while continuing to grow the economy. Technology such as the Dearman Engine has the potential to make a meaningful contribution to achieving both goals. It’s a low cost zero emission technology, which can improve the efficiency of diesel engines, or replace them entirely in some applications, without imposing increased costs on business. It can have a major impact on the air quality of our cities and help to address climate change.
“Because of all this, the clean cold and power technology we are developing with our partners, has the potential to be exported to fast growing economies around the world, helping them to meet their booming energy needs without creating disastrous environmental consequences. The APC has recognised both the economic and environmental potential of the technology and has provided support which will unlock further investment and enable the aspiration to become a reality.”
Applications of Dearman Engine technology can have a significant impact on the environment. For example, diesel powered transport refrigeration units are lightly regulated and as a result replacing an auxiliary unit with a zero emission alternative can reduce the total engine emissions of NOx, from the entire refrigerated vehicle, by over 70%.
