LCI Celebrates Innovation in Engineering in Collaboration with Federation University

LCI’s director, Jack McGuire, had the honour of presenting the LCI Innovation Engineering Award to Matthew Frith at Federation University’s Student Awards Ceremony on May 24th, 2024. This award reflects our commitment to fostering innovation, excellence, and nurturing young engineering talent. We are proud to back the next generation as they make significant strides in their research and industry contributions.

Matthew Frith’s project stands out for its potential impact. His research focused on the viability of implementing an energy recovery system into a pressure reduction station in large pharmaceutical and food manufacturing facilities. By using a pressure vessel and limacon expander, the project aims to reduce steam pressure while creating work from the pressurised, saturated steam to produce onsite energy in the form of electricity. This innovative approach not only replaces traditional pressure reduction and pressure relief valves but also optimises the energy output of the expander based on the needs of a particular facility. Through the creation of a mathematical model, Matthew was able to analyse and optimise the performance of the system, highlighting its potential for widespread application in industrial settings.

Student Awards are a crucial part of recognising and celebrating the achievements of students. We are grateful to Federation University for organising these events and our continued collaboration.

Congratulations, Matthew Frith, on this well-deserved award. Your work is an inspiration, and we look forward to seeing the future impact of your research.