John Crane and the University of Sheffield Partner to Drive Clean Energy Innovation
Collaboration Aims to Develop Advanced Sealing Technologies for the Energy Transition
Slough, England (28th October 2024) ― John Crane, a global leader in rotating equipment solutions and energy transition technologies and services, and a business of Smiths Group plc, has announced a strategic, multi-year partnership and collaboration agreement with the University of Sheffield. This partnership will span multiple departments, including the Leonardo Centre for Tribology, Thermofluids Group and Materials Engineering, to advance high-performance sealing technologies crucial for the energy transition.
In the first year, John Crane will fully fund two PhD projects aimed at advancing mechanical seals for high-pressure hydrogen storage and low-carbon technologies. These initial projects will be conducted within the Leonardo Centre for Tribology and the Thermofluids Group. The PhD candidates will work closely with John Crane's research and development teams, contributing to global sustainability efforts while gaining valuable industry experience.
The partnership is designed to be long-term, with plans to fund additional PhDs in subsequent years and engage in various collaborative efforts such as contract research projects and short projects for master's students.
John Crane being at the forefront of innovation for advanced sealing solutions in rotating equipment, the partnership with the University of Sheffield is a significant step in the organisation's mission to accelerate core technology development and new sealing concepts needed for a hydrogen and low-carbon economy, as well as supporting the next generation of engineers at a very early stage of their career development.
Professor Koen Lamberts, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sheffield, said, "At the University of Sheffield we have a rich engineering heritage and one of our major strengths is research into low-carbon energy technologies to help address the climate emergency. A key part of this is the work our academics do with industry, in which they use their world-class research and expertise to address industrial challenges in the transition to net zero. We are excited to start this new collaboration with John Crane and for the opportunities it will bring for our academics and students."
John Crane's Mike Eason, Chief Technology Officer, stated, "John Crane's partnership with Sheffield University is a cornerstone of our open innovation strategy. Sheffield's expertise and commitment to sustainability and diversity provide a fertile ground for collaboration and developing cutting-edge technologies for the energy transition. We're excited to kickstart this partnership and welcome our first PhD student."
These PhD opportunities are available to candidates with backgrounds in Engineering, Materials Science, Physics and related fields. As part of this partnership, John Crane will provide funding, industry expertise and access to state-of-the-art facilities at its research centre in Manchester and manufacturing site in Slough. The University of Sheffield will offer academic support and a collaborative research environment. This collaboration reinforces John Crane's commitment to advancing technologies that support clean energy and nurturing the next generation of engineers.
About John Crane
John Crane is a global leader in mission-critical technologies for the energy and process industries and an innovator in rotating equipment, encompassing mechanical seals, couplings, filtration systems and cutting-edge asset management and digital diagnostics solutions. Blending a rich legacy of innovation with a commitment to service excellence, we've enabled our customer's reliable and sustainable operations for over a century. While recognising the role of traditional energy, we are pioneering solutions that enable cleaner alternatives, crafting a vision for a sustainable energy future. Our extensive global presence underscores our promise to customers, with over 200 service centres in 50 countries. With £1 billion in revenues in 2023, we are an integral pillar of Smiths Group plc, a FTSE 100 listed company dedicated to improving our world through smarter engineering.