Eureka moment at the JCB Academy
A MODERN-day version of one of the world’s oldest engineering wonders has been installed at the new JCB Academy, where it will be responsible for generating the majority of the centre’s electricity.
An environmentally friendly Archimedes Screw turbine was this week lowered into place at the Academy, which is based at the historic Grade II listed Tutbury Mill, in Rocester, Staffordshire.
The pump, shaped like a giant corkscrew, was first used over 2,000 years ago to move water to higher ground to irrigate farmland in ancient Greece, but this latest version – weighing 13.5 tonnes and measuring 36ft x 10ft – uses the reverse principal of harnessing water power from the adjacent millrace to turn a turbine to create power.
It will generate up to 85% of the centre of learning’s electricity needs when it opens its doors to students for its inaugural term in September 2010, and will save up to 64 tonnes of CO2 compared to using mains electricity.
‘When we designed The JCB Academy, we wanted to be as green as possible and the Archimedes Screw turbine embraces the latest technology to generate electricity in an environmentally friendly way,’ said JCB group property director and Academy Trust director Alan Thomson. ‘It also complements other methods of power generation that will be used, which include installing a wind turbine and photovoltaic cells to harness solar power.
‘When the turbine starts operating, it will be the first time the millrace will have been used to generate power at the site since 1946, when a mill wheel was replaced by a steam engine. We have also ensured it is wildlife friendly, having installed a gate and ladder to allow fish to pass freely.’
A total of 170 young people from Staffordshire, Derbyshire and the cities of Stoke-on-Trent and Derby have enrolled at The Academy, which will help create Britain’s engineers and business leaders of the future.
As well as classroom working with sophisticated IT and equipment, students will benefit from hands-on experience with JCB’s blue chip Academy partners, such as Rolls Royce, Toyota, Bombardier and Harper Adams University College, as part of their industry-orientated curriculum.
An environmentally friendly Archimedes Screw turbine was this week lowered into place at the Academy, which is based at the historic Grade II listed Tutbury Mill, in Rocester, Staffordshire.
The pump, shaped like a giant corkscrew, was first used over 2,000 years ago to move water to higher ground to irrigate farmland in ancient Greece, but this latest version – weighing 13.5 tonnes and measuring 36ft x 10ft – uses the reverse principal of harnessing water power from the adjacent millrace to turn a turbine to create power.
It will generate up to 85% of the centre of learning’s electricity needs when it opens its doors to students for its inaugural term in September 2010, and will save up to 64 tonnes of CO2 compared to using mains electricity.
‘When we designed The JCB Academy, we wanted to be as green as possible and the Archimedes Screw turbine embraces the latest technology to generate electricity in an environmentally friendly way,’ said JCB group property director and Academy Trust director Alan Thomson. ‘It also complements other methods of power generation that will be used, which include installing a wind turbine and photovoltaic cells to harness solar power.
‘When the turbine starts operating, it will be the first time the millrace will have been used to generate power at the site since 1946, when a mill wheel was replaced by a steam engine. We have also ensured it is wildlife friendly, having installed a gate and ladder to allow fish to pass freely.’
A total of 170 young people from Staffordshire, Derbyshire and the cities of Stoke-on-Trent and Derby have enrolled at The Academy, which will help create Britain’s engineers and business leaders of the future.
As well as classroom working with sophisticated IT and equipment, students will benefit from hands-on experience with JCB’s blue chip Academy partners, such as Rolls Royce, Toyota, Bombardier and Harper Adams University College, as part of their industry-orientated curriculum.
