RESEARCH, TEST FACILITIES & PROJECTS (HVACR)

There are a number of Universities and Organisations that provide research or testing facilities in the HVACR sector. Some are also running projects of interest to the HVACR industry. Below are details (and links) of the organisations that have provided us with information. As we receive more, we will add their details.

If your organisation is not shown,please email your entry to FETA.

 

BRE (Building Research Establishment)
Garston, Watford, Herts WD25 9XX

Main contact: Dr Farshad Alamdari. Tel: 01923 664947 Fax: 01923 664095
Direct e-mail: [email protected]
Website address: www.bre.co.uk

Key areas of involvement: ventilation; air conditioning; heating; energy efficiency; renewable energy; refrigeration; chp; control systems; boiler controls; air quality – indoor and outdoor; humidity; airtightness; the wind environment; sound transmission; building acoustics; pollution dispersion, daylighting and solar shading.

Description of services

• Research for UK & EU governments and commercial organisations. We undertake individual studies, club and collaborative projects.
• Development of standards and regulations.
• Compliance guidance for standards and regulations.
• Product testing and development.
• Performance assessment of environmental systems.
• Design advice and assessment.
• Building diagnostics.

BRE is the UK's leading research organisation and testing centre for construction and fire. It is owned by the Foundation for the Built Environment – a non-profit distributing company limited by guarantee. The FBE consists of some 150 firms, professional bodies end other organisations representing the breadth of interests of the construction industry.

Brighton University
Department of Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering, 
Cockcroft Building, Lewes Road, Brighton BN2 4GJ
Main contact: Prof Morgan Heikal
Direct tel no: 01243 2300 Direct fax: 01243 2301 
Direct E-Mail [email protected]

Key areas of involvement air conditioning; refrigeration

Description of Services. Single tube heat transfer test facility for heat transfer and friction factor determination; heat exchanger testing for evaporators and condensers; computational fluid dynamics; consultancy services.
 

 

Brunel University

Mechanical Engineering, Uxbridge, Middlesex. UB8 3PH
http://www.brunel.ac.uk/faculty/tech/mechanical/resfrm.html

Main contact: Professor Savvas Tassou; Tel No: 01895 274000 ext 2717; Fax: 01895 256392; direct E-mail: [email protected]

Key areas of involvement heating; ventilation; air conditioning; refrigeration; heat pumps

At Brunel we have expertise and carry out research, development and consultancy work in a number of areas in the HVACR field. These include:

1. Refrigeration and heat pump systems. In this area the work concentrates on the design and control optimisation of refrigeration and environmental control systems for retail food applications.

2. Low energy cooling and environmental control of buildings. The work covers the environmental control of commercial and historic buildings using low energy cooling technologies such as natural ventilation, evaporative and desiccant cooling, solar assisted ventilation, thermal energy storage etc.

Facilities include an 80m³ environmental chamber for the testing of refrigeration and heat pump systems under controlled conditions, a large range of other test facilities for refrigeration research, instrumentation and flow measurement equipment and a range of computer simulation hardware and software.

 

Building Services Research and Information Association (BSRIA)
Old Bracknell Lane West, Bracknell, Berks. RG12 7AH
http://www.bsria.co.uk

Main contact: Julia Evans. Tel: 01344 465600 Fax: 01344 465626 Direct E-Mail: [email protected]

Key areas of involvement air conditioning; chimneys; heating; heat pumps; refrigeration; ventilation; stoves.

Description of services. One of the UK’s largest research and testing organisation dedicated to HVACR involved with heating, ventilation, air conditioning, refrigeration, heat pumps and chimneys.  BSRIA have a research programme exceeding 2 million per year. 181 staff in 40,000 sq ft of offices and laboratories based in Bracknell serving Consultants, Manufacturers, Contractors and Building operators.

Collaborative research through PIT, EU, Link and other schemes and private contract research both in technical and product market research world-wide. BSRIA is a non-profit distributing members based Research Association.

 

Cardiff University (University of Wales)
Welsh School of Architecture, Bute Building, King Edward VII Avenue, Cardiff, CF1 3AP
http://www.cf.ac.uk/uwcc/archi/res&dev/r&d1.html

Main contact: Jonathan Williams. Direct tel: 01222 874000 x5980 Direct fax: 01222 874623 Direct E-Mail: [email protected]

Key areas of involvement air conditioning; heating; heat pumps; refrigeration; ventilation;

Description of services. Environmental laboratory - incorporating a wind tunnel. Computer simulation - 'HTB2' in-house building energy model. Field monitoring - the group has extensive experience in the monitoring of buildings. Consultancy services - thermography surveys, u-value measurement, air leakage measurements, etc.

City University, London
Centre for Positive Displacement Compressor Technology, Northampton Square, London. EC1V 0HB
http://www.city.ac.uk/msj376/intro.html

Main contact: Professor N. Stosic or Prof I K Smith. Direct tel: 0171 477 8925/8114 Direct fax: 0171 477 8566 Direct E-Mail: [email protected] or [email protected].

Key areas of involvement air conditioning; heat pumps; refrigeration

Description of services. Screw compressor rotor profiling, compressor performance prediction, design, prototyping and testing, systems performance prediction, Cycle efficiency enhancement.

 

CORDIS
CORDIS, the Community Research and Development Information Service, offers you access to a wide range of information on EU research and innovation activities. Provided by the European Commission's INNOVATION Programme, CORDIS offers timely, comprehensive coverage of Community R&D and can help you.
http://www.cordis.lu

 

Hertfordshire University
Aerospace, Civil and Mechanical Engineering, College Lane, Hatfield, Herts. AL10 9AB
Main contact: Dr. P. N. Surrendran Direct tel: 01707 284141 Direct fax: 01707 285086 Direct E-Mail: [email protected]

Key areas of involvement air conditioning; heating; heat pumps; refrigeration; ventilation;

Description of services. Performance study of air distribution components in fully automated chamber, wind tunnel testing of airflow around structures, CFO modelling of internal air flow, design and testing of refrigeration systems, Ultra low speed anemometry, design of special air conditioning systems.

 

Leeds Metropolitan University
Acoustic Department
C902 Civic Quarter, Leeds LS1 3HE
www.leedsmet.ac.uk/hss/research_acoustics.htm
Main contact: Martin Stevenson. Direct tel: 0113 812 3764. Direct e-mail [email protected]

 

Key areas of involvement air conditioning, ventilation

Description of services. At Leeds Metropolitan University we have a specialist acoustic department which can carry out a wide range of noise & vibration consultancy, research and development work.
Our facilities include an Anechoic Chamber, Reverberation room and Acoustics Laboratory which can be used to measure fan sound power levels and absorption coefficients. In addition to measurements and product development advice, we also offer an experienced team of acoustic consultants able to provide assistance on a range of noise related problems.

 

London South Bank University

Faculty of Engineering, Science and the Built Environment
http://www.lsbu.ac.uk/esbe/

 

Nottingham University
Institute of Building Technology, University park, Nottingham. NG7 2RD
Main contact: Professor S. B. Riffat Direct tel: 0115 951 3158 Direct fax: 0115 951 3159 Direct E-Mail: [email protected]
http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/

Key areas of involvement air conditioning; heating; heat pumps; refrigeration; ventilation; chimneys

Description of services. IBT currently holds major grants from EPSRC, EU and industry in ventilation, refrigeration, heat pumps, heat exchangers and heat storage. It has established a laboratory for ventilation and air quality studies equipped with tracer gas systems airflow measuring equipment, a wind tunnel and environmental chambers. It also has numerous rigs for investigating heat powered cycles.

Strathclyde University
Department of Mechanical Engineering, 75, Montrose Street, Glasgow. G1 1XK
Main contact Dr. J. S. Fleming. Direct tel: 0141 548 2691 Direct fax: 0141 552 2086 direct E-Mail: [email protected]

Key areas of involvement air conditioning; chimneys; heat pumps; refrigeration;

Description of services Mathematical modelling of screw and reciprocating compressors. Energetic and heat transfer assessment of new refrigerants: single fluid and mixtures.

Tun Abdul Razak Research Centre
Rubber Consultants, Brickendonbury, Hertford, Herts SG13 8NL
www.rubberconsultants.com and www.tarrc.co.uk

Main contact: Dr Ian Gelling / Mrs Kathy Ward - Tel: 01992 554657 or 01992 584966
Fax: 01992 504248 or 01992 554837
e-mail - [email protected]

Key areas of involvement heating; air conditioning; heat pumps; refrigeration; ventilation

Description of services. Materials and product development and testing for rubber based (elastomeric) products. Expertise in chemical analysis and physical testing for all types of natural and synthetic rubbers and thermoplastic elastomers for products including hoses, diaphragms, anti-vibration components, expansion joints, seals, etc. Failure analysis and expert witnesses.

 

University of Ulster
Energy Research Centre, 
Cromore Road, Coleraine, Co Londonderry. BT51 1SA
www.ulst.ac.uk/faculty/science/energy/index.html

Main contact: Professor J. T. McMullan. Direct tel no: 028 70 324469; direct fax: 028 70 324900; direct E-mail: [email protected]

Key areas of involvement air conditioning; refrigeration; heat pumps

We offer design and testing facilities particularly for refrigeration and heat pump plant. We also offer advice on alternative refrigerants and their implementation.

 

Warwick University
Engineering Department, Coventry, CV4 7AL
Main contact DR. Bob Critoph. Direct tel: 01203 523137 Direct fax: 01203 418922 Direct E-Mail: [email protected]

Key areas of involvement air conditioning; heat pumps; refrigeration

Description of services. Absorption and other heat driven cycles for air conditioning, refrigeration or heat pumping. Applications include gas-fired or solar air conditioning. Heat transfer - Vortex generating compact heat exchangers for HVACR. CFD - contact Dr. Chris Shaw.