Namibia Workshop SANUMARC Univeristy of Namibia, Hentiesbay 3 - 5 June 2010

Presenter Biographies

ALTERNATIVE FUELS FOR ENGINE DRIVEN COMBINED HEAT AND POWER

Internal combustion engine (ICE) driven combined heat and power (CHP) systems offer fuel energy conversion efficiencies in excess of 85% as compared to approximately 25% when the same fuel is used in automotive applications.
New bio-fuel preparation and production methods linked with novel combustion technologies will enable the greatest CO2 reduction whilst improving efficiency and dramatically reducing emissions when applied within renewable CHP plants. Duel fuel combustion system developments will also allow both liquid and gaseous bio-fuels to be utilised within the same engine. Although the internal combustion engine is ‘old technology’ it offers great flexibility and efficiency at a size best suited to local embedded generation; engine driven CHP will be a major factor in improving energy efficiency on a global scale.

Presented by:

John McNeil is a consultant with Aquafuel Research Limited; a research company situated within the 60-acre Kent Science Park at Sittingbourne, Kent, UK.  He is responsible for instigating and controlling research and development projects for Aquafuel.
John has been involved in power production and industrial process research for 15 years. These include

• electric power projects such as very high current rotating electrical contacts;
• acyclic generation and superconducting acyclic generation;
• high efficiency wind to hydrogen via acyclic DC generation;
• oxygen enrichment of hydrogen fuel cells;
• renewable energy generating systems;
• high and very high temperature superconductor experimentation; and
• embedded renewable Combined Heat and Power systems.

In the combustion field he has been involved in projects such as

• IC engine cycle to enable Glycerol combustion;
• IC engine cycle to enable ultra lean burn spark ignition;
• renewable dual fuel combustion systems;
• oxygen enriched combustion in Internal Combustion engines;
• complete and efficient combustion of bio-fuels in oxygen enriched diesel engines;
• bio-Liquid preparation for Internal Combustion engine application;
• high efficiency combustion of Bio-ethanol in high speed engines;
• closed loop zero CO2 emission engine systems; and
• renewable hydrogen from local engine driven systems.

The inventor of processes recorded in over twenty patents covering a range of topics, Mr McNeil has also been involved with international motorsport for the last 25 years, mainly focusing on endurance sports car racing including the Le Mans 24 hour race in France, with in-house prototypes. He originated and designed the renewable fuel-powered car entered by Team Nasamax at various Le Mans Endurance Series races in 2003 and 2004, including Le Mans itself. This was the world’s first renewable fuel vehicle to race at (and complete) the Le Mans 24 hour race. He is also interested in fundamental vehicle dynamics and bio-fuel conversion for standard and competition electric hybrid vehicles.

Mr McNeil is a member of various professional bodies, including the Motorsport Industry Association, the Institute of the Motor Industry, the Royal Institution, the Institution of Diesel and Gas Turbine Engineers, the British Racing Drivers Club, and the Society of Automotive Engineers. He was the winner of the Kent Environment Business of the Year Award in 2005, and the winner of the MIA Technology and Innovation Award in 2004.