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Covid-19: Meeting the challenges through Engineering

I was president of the IET for 2016-17, and have been asked by government to gather practical and innovative ideas from our Engineering communities. So, please enter any ideas you might have in this thread that might help address and mitigate the Covid-19 crisis. Ideas might include digital tracking / monitoring through therapy equipment and beyond. Even ideas outside your usual expertise domain will be welcome. Now’s the time for Engineering to show we can change the world!

0 Former Community Member over 5 years ago

Hi all,

before we go too headlong in this please take a look at this short video. I have made a home made version for my own use when going out to protect myself. This will protect health workers and can be used by the general public too.

https://twitter.com/YahooFinance/status/1246593896605315072?s=20
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0 Susan Jones over 5 years ago

Hello, thanks for the feedback.

Mark N - If you go to the board - rather than reply - then that's where I see the PDF I attached just under the post. . This shouldn't be an issue at the speeds we'd be discussing on commonly used equipment. Although 100% O2 could be provided, it would probably work better at lower flows e.g. people recovering / early stages. It would free up capacity on the hospital supply for the ventilators. I hope you can see the PDF, if not I'd be happy to send it privately - thanks for your information too - I will look into it and pass on any people with an interest.

John P - thanks, we've seen the snorkelling mask - but this suggestion is not about adapting masks such as was done in Italy - that idea has been shared. This is about augmenting the supply of oxygen using SCUBA tanks and WELDING tanks.
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0 Former Community Member over 5 years ago

I have to admit I'm surprised that the Diving equipment manufacturers don't appear to be approached or included in the procurement of Ventilators. There are at several UK manufacturers of diving equipment - one for the military/professional market and at least 2 for the sport diving community. Of those one is a world leader in Closed Circuit Rebreather technology which reduces the amount of O2 consumed in the breathing cycle, the replenishment of which is under well proven electronic control. It can also allow for and maintain elevated O2 levels in the breathing 'loop'.
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0 Jeremy D Watson over 5 years ago

I believe one of the challenges recently faced by hospitals is achieving sufficient 'house' oxygen flow from the cryogenic O2 storage typically used. Liquid gas is evaporated by warming coils, drawing thermal energy from ambient air. To get more flow, active warming may be needed (e.g. electrical trace heating) does anyone have experience of this type of modification to cryogenic oxygen evaporators?
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0 Former Community Member over 5 years ago

Jeremy: We've been supplying flexible insulated electrical heating jackets to industrial users of pressurised gas cylinders for many years. It's a common problem, relatively easily solved. We just need size/dimensions of tank, ambient temperature, indoor or outdoor, and preferably photographs of the tank to start dialogue. Most common problem is variable flow due to pressure variations with lower ambient temperatures. Email me using mark@drumheating.com to discuss further.

Hope we can help!

We've also started making full face visors to CE standards - to give away free of charge to any front line need - and found it difficult to engage with the "official" channels despite using all the recommended routes.

Mark Newton, Managing Director, LMK Thermosafe Ltd, Haverhill, Suffolk.
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0 Mike Henry over 5 years ago

Hi Jeremy,

I work in the oil and gas industry and we have a large number of electrical heat tracing applications.....I'm sure I can find you contacts at EHT manufacturer's that might be able to help with this problem.

Generally, EHT is designed to maintain temperature in pipelines in my industry, rather than raise it higher enough to vaporize liquid, so I'm not personally sure how much energy would be required for what you are describing. However, the EHT manufacturer's could well have resolved this problem in previous application. Please reach out if you need contact details, I will help if I can.

Cheers,

Mike

E: michael.henry@ietvolunteer.org
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0 Former Community Member over 5 years ago

I'm a retired MIET control systems engineer and have some ideas on how control engineering concepts could be useful in the control of lockdown exit. For a few weeks I've been unsuccessfully trying to find a way of feeding these ideas into the Government’s considerations. The parliamentary Health and Social Care Select Committee are holding an inquiry that may cover this so I managed to put my ideas into the attachment and submit it yesterday as written evidence to the enquiry, the closing date for which is today.
I’m not familiar with the way in which the IET lobbies the government and I feel like a bit of a lone voice. I’d like to contribute ideas to IET lobbying on lockdown exit.
I've contacted my MP but he's not been terribly helpful, possibly because, as a minister, he has his hands full but he may also be constrained by parliamentary protocol as this is not in his portfolio.
Attachment:A control engineers view of lockdown exit.docx
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0 Former Community Member over 5 years ago

Dave Gray:
I'm a retired MIET control systems engineer and have some ideas on how control engineering concepts could be useful in the control of lockdown exit. For a few weeks I've been unsuccessfully trying to find a way of feeding these ideas into the Government’s considerations. The parliamentary Health and Social Care Select Committee are holding an inquiry that may cover this so I managed to put my ideas into the attachment and submit it yesterday as written evidence to the enquiry, the closing date for which is today.
I’m not familiar with the way in which the IET lobbies the government and I feel like a bit of a lone voice. I’d like to contribute ideas to IET lobbying on lockdown exit.
I've contacted my MP but he's not been terribly helpful, possibly because, as a minister, he has his hands full but he may also be constrained by parliamentary protocol as this is not in his portfolio.
Attachment:A control engineers view of lockdown exit.docx

Hi Dave,

Thank you very much for sharing this and apologies at the slight delay in getting back to you. Can I ask where in the UK you are based for future reference? I am the Devolved Nations Lead so deal primarily with Scotland and Northern Ireland at present but I'd like to pass this on to my colleagues if that's ok?

Many thanks,

Kate-Zillah Sharpe

Devolved Nations Lead, IET
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0 Former Community Member over 5 years ago

Hi Kate

I'm in Nailsea, just west of Bristol

Regards

Dave Gray
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0 Barry Brooks over 4 years ago

I'm not sure how active this forum is, but here goes:

Professor Nachi Chockalingam, a fellow Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Engineers and Professor of Clinical Biomechanics at Staff Uni, is seeking help to find solutions to a problem that we all face: Automating Handwashing Systems that ensure thorough washing whilst reducing waste of running water.

Yes, there are some part-solutions out there, but none is an end-to-end solution in terms of effectiveness and economy of use. See attached paper and, if you can help, or know someone who can, please contact Professor Nachi (details in the paper), or me.
20201024 IET Call for solutions to Hand washing automation proposal.pdf

Barry Brooks CEng FIET

(IET President 2013-14)
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Covid-19: Meeting the challenges through Engineering

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