AV俱乐部 student Braden Murphy was still in high school when he read an article in Popular Science that got him thinking about engines, and how they鈥檙e configured.
鈥淢y dad showed it to me and it outlined all the inefficiencies of automobiles,鈥� says Mr. Murphy, a master鈥檚 student in mechanical engineering.聽
A particular shortcoming noted in the article caught his attention鈥�the inefficiency of engines. Since then, Mr. Murphy has been putting some serious thought towards how to improve them.
What started as a senior design project in the last year of his undergraduate degree has now evolved into a successful pneumatic engine prototype. The engine is smaller, more reliable, and ultimately, more efficient than the technology that鈥檚 currently available on the market.
鈥淧neumatic motors take a compressed gas, like air, and transfer that energy to a rotating drive shaft that turns a piece of machinery,鈥� explains Mr. Murphy. An 鈥渁ir motor鈥� can also be spark-free, so it鈥檚 safe to use in environments riddled with hazardous materials, like those in the oil and gas industry.聽
Dr. Darrel Doman, co-inventor of the new engine and assistant professor in mechanical engineering, explains the new design requires fewer maintenance checks than current technology, which is a huge financial benefit to companies that need air motor technology. Additionally, the engine is more powerful at slower speeds than previous models鈥� making it ideal in many applications.聽
鈥淭his innovation doesn鈥檛 just happen,鈥� explains Dr. Doman. 鈥淵ou not only need the right people, but you also need strong leadership, as well as the right industrial partners,鈥� explains Dr. Doman.聽
A partnership worth exploring
Naturally, the innovative nature of the new engine design was of interest to many, beginning with Dal鈥檚 Industry Liaison and Innovation office (ILI).聽
鈥淔rom the outset, this seemed like a solid, promising project that had legs,鈥� says Erica Fraser, manager of technology commercialization for engineering and science with the ILI.
The ILI鈥檚 involvement helped secure a licensing agreement with York Bridge Enterprises, which was officially announced on Tuesday.
鈥淭his is a great example of the type of assistance our office is striving to provide for the AV俱乐部 research community by working with both the private sector and the research community,鈥� adds Stephen Hartlen, executive director of the ILI.聽
York Bridge Enterprises, based in Toronto, is focused on supporting small start-up technology companies in Canada.聽
Ken Richards, a Dal alumnus and partner at York Bridge was flipping through a copy of Dal鈥檚 alumni magazine when an article on the Life Sciences Research Institute caught his eye. One simple email from Ken started a chain of events that eventually resulted in yesterday鈥檚 announcement. Additional licensing agreements are also in the works.
George Smitherman, another partner with the firm, recognizes the tremendous amount of technology being developed at Canadian universities and the need for access to funds that would allow their creations to be commercialized.
鈥淭hrough the brainpower of a then-undergrad influenced by the extraordinary capacity of faculty, we have an opportunity to bring to the market a product which addresses some of the most serious deficiencies in the pneumatic engine as we know it today,鈥� says Mr. Smitherman. 鈥淚t鈥檚 our objective and obligation to do what we can to make sure the world gains access to this incredible technology.鈥�
Moving forward
Commercialization is on the horizon as NS-based start-up, Scotia Motor Works, develops the new engine technology鈥�right here in the province. Mr. Smitherman will be the CEO of the company.
鈥淒al does a lot of great, innovative research and to see it licensed and carried forward into the market and staying in Nova Scotia as well鈥� Well, I think it鈥檚 great,鈥� says Dr. Doman.