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Overview

Professor Peter Tavner

Emeritus Professor

MA PhD DSc Eur Ing CEng FIET SMIEEE

Affiliations
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Emeritus Professor in the Department of Engineering  

Biography

biography

Peter Tavner is an Emeritus Professor of the School of Engineering and Computing Sciences at Durham University. He received an MA in Mechanical Sciences (1969) from Cambridge University, a PhD (1978) from Southampton University, studying electromagnetism under Professor Percy Hammond, and a DSc from Durham University (2012). He had served as a Weapons Electrical Officer in the Royal Navy on the Guided Missile Destroyers, BRISTOL & LONDON and subsequently taught at the University of Benin, Nigeria. Following his PhD he worked for the UK Electricity Supply Industry. He then held senior research, development and technical positions in manufacturing industry, most recently as Group Technical Director of FKI Energy Technology, an international business manufacturing electrical machines, drives and wind turbines  in the UK, Holland, Italy, Germany and the Czech Republic.
He joined the University in 2003.
He has been Principal Investigator of Supergen Wind Consortium, http://www.supergen-wind.org.uk/, Principal Investigator of the Sino-British Future Renewable Energy Network Systems (FRENS) Consortium, www.reliable-renewables.com/, member of the Supergen Marine Consortium, http://www.supergen-marine.org.uk/news.php, and of the EU FP7 ReliaWind Consortium, http://www.reliawind.eu/.

He is a Fellow of the Institution of Engineering Technology. His international and esteem activities are shown below.

He is a winner of the Institution Premium of the IET.

Research interests

  • Reliability and availability of new and renewable energy devices and their cost-effective connection to the electricity system
  • Large wind power, reliability, availability and cost of energy onshore and offshore
  • Reliability of tidal marine renewable devices
  • Electrical machine design, performance and condition monitoring
  • Electromagnetic theory and the principles of operation of electrical equipment

Awarded Grants

  • 2010: Part of the Energy Technologies Institute Deepwater Project(£125000.00 from Romax)
  • 2009: Support for the European Academy of Wind Energy Seminar to be held in Durham University 29th Sept-1st Oct 2009(£9122.10 from Epsrc)
  • 2008: RELIAWIND(£496489.18 from European Commission)
  • 2007: SuperGen Marine Energy Project PhD Programme(£51638.00 from Epsrc)
  • 2006: WIND ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES(£2552788.00 from Epsrc)
  • 2004: TOWARD A ZERO-MAINTENANCE WIND TURBINE(£15999.00 from Evolving Generation Ltd)

Esteem Indicators

Media Contacts

Available for media contact about:

  • Industry: Engineering, manufacturing: The technology of renewable energy and its connection to the electrical network.
  • Energy: The technology of renewable energy and its connection to the electrical network.
  • Renewable energy: The technology of renewable energy and its connection to the electrical network.

Publications

Authored book

  • Tavner, Peter J, Ran, Li & Crabtree, Christopher J (2020). Condition Monitoring of Rotating Electrical Machines. The Institution of Engineering and Technology.
  • Tavner, P J (2012). Offshore Wind Turbines- Reliability, Availability & Maintenance. Institution of Engineering and Technology.
  • Tavner, P J, Ran, L, Penman, J, & Sedding, H, (2008). Condition Monitoring Of Rotating Electrical Machines. Stevenage, UK, Institution of Engineering & Technology.
  • Tavner, P J & Penman J (1987). Condition Monitoring of Electrical Machines. Letchworth, Herts, UK: John Wiley & Research Studies Press.

Chapter in book

  • Zappalá, D., Crabtree, C.J. & Tavner, P.J. (2016). Reliability and condition monitoring. In UK Wind Energy Technologies. Hogg, S. & Crabtree, C.J. Routledge. 76-136.

Conference Paper

  • Zappalá, D., Crabtree, C.J., Vilchis-Rodriguez, D.S., Tavner, P.J., Djurović, S. & Smith, A.C. (2014), Advanced Algorithms for Automatic Wind Turbine Generator Fault Detection and Diagnosis, European Wind Energy Conference, Scientific Track. Barcelona, Spain, European Wind Energy Association.
  • Zappalá, D., Tavner, P.J., Crabtree, C.J. & Sheng, S. (2013), Sideband Algorithm for Automatic Wind Turbine Gearbox Fault Detection and Diagnosis, European Wind Energy Conference, Scientific Track. Vienna, Austria, European Wind Energy Association.
  • Chen, Bindi, Matthews, P.C. & Tavner, P. J. (2013), Automated Wind Turbine Pitch Fault Prognosis using ANFIS, EWEA 2013. Vienna, Austria, European Wind Energy Association, Vienna.
  • Zappalá, D., Tavner, P.J. & Crabtree, C.J. (2012), Gear Fault Detection Automation Using WindCon Frequency Tracking, European Wind Energy Conference, Scientific Track. Copenhagen, Denmark, European Wind Energy Association.
  • Crabtree, C. J., Feng, Y & Tavner, P. J. (2010), Detecting incipient wind turbine gearbox failure: a signal analysis method for on-line condition monitoring, European Wind Energy Conference, Scientific Track. Warsaw, Poland, European Wind Energy Association.
  • Tavner, P. J., Gindele, R., Faulstich, S, Hahn, B, Whittle, M. W. G. & Greenwood, D. M. (2010), Study of effects of weather & location on wind turbine failure rates, European Wind Energy Conference, Scientific Track. Warsaw, Poland, European Wind Energy Association.
  • Smolders, K., Long, H., Feng, Y. & Tavner, P. J. (2010), Reliability Analysis and Prediction of Wind Turbine Gearboxes, European Wind Energy Conference, Scientific Track. Warsaw, Poland, EWEA.
  • Tavner, P. J., Higgins, A., Arabian, H., Long, H. & Feng, Y. (2010), Using an FMEA Method to Compare Prospective Wind Turbine Design Reliabilities, European Wind Energy Conference, Technical Track. Warsaw, Poland, EWEA.
  • Wilkinson, M. R. Hendriks, B., Spinato, F., Gomez, E.,, Bulacio, H., Roca, J., Tavner, P., Feng, Y. & Long, H. (2010), Methodology and Results of the Reliawind Reliability Field Study, European Wind Energy Conference, Scientific Track. Warsaw, Poland, EWEA.
  • Yang, W, Tavner, P. J. & Crabtree, C. J. (2009), An Intelligent Approach to the Condition Monitoring of Large Scale Wind Turbines, European Wind Energy Conference, Scientific Track. Marseille, France, European Wind Energy Association, Marseille.
  • Wilkinson, M. R., Harman, K., Tavner, P. J. & Hendriks, B. (2009), Derivation of Wind Turbine Reliability Profiles from Operational Data, European Wind Energy Conference, Technical Track. Marseille, France, European Wind Energy Association, Marseille.
  • Faulstich, S., Hahn, B., Lyding, P. & Tavner, P. J. (2009), Reliability of offshore turbines – identifying risks by onshore experience, European Offshore Wind Conference. Stockholm.
  • Watson, S. J., Xiang, J., Yang,W., Tavner, P. J. & Crabtree, C. J. (2009), Condition monitoring of a wind turbine doubly-fed induction generator, European Wind Energy Conference, Technical Track. Marseille, France, European Wind Energy Association, Marseille.
  • Djurovic, S., Williamson, S., Tavner, P.J. & Yang, W. (2009), Condition monitoring artefacts for detecting winding faults in wind turbine DFIGs, European Wind Energy Conference, Scientific Track. Marseille, France, European Wind Energy Association, Marseille.
  • Tavner, PJ (1998), The contribution of Laurence, Scott & Electromotors Ltd to the Royal Navy, 26th Weekend of the History of Electrical Engineering Professional Group. Norwich, England, IEE, Norwich.

Conference Proceeding

  • Tavner, P J Spinato, F, van Bussel, G J W & Koutoulakos, E (2008). Reliability of Different Wind Turbine Concepts with Relevance to Offshore Application. European Wind Energy Conference, Scientific Track, Brussels, Belgium, European Wind Energy Association.
  • Tavner, P.J. & Xiang, J.P. (2005). Wind Turbine Reliability, How Does it Compare with other Embedded Generation Sources. 3rd IEE International Conference on Reliability of Transmission and Distribution Networks (RTDN 2005), London, IEE.
  • Polinder, H, van der Pijl, F F A, de Vilder, G J & Tavner, P J (2005). Comparison of Direct-Drive and Geared Generator Concepts for Wind Turbines. IEEE International Conference on Electrical Machines & Drives, San Antonio, USA, IEEE.
  • Wilkinson, MR & Tavner, PJ (2005). Extracting condition monitoring information from a wind turbine drive train. 39th Universities Power Engineering Conference, Bristol.
  • Tavner, P J, Xiang, J & Spinato, F (2005). Improving the reliability of wind turbine generation and its impact on overall distribution network reliability. 18th International Conference on Electricity Distribution, Turin, Italy, IEE.
  • Smith, S, Todd, R, Barnes, M & Tavner, PJ (2005). Improved energy conversion for doubly-fed wind generators. Annual IAS Conference, Hong Kong, IEEE.
  • Ran, L, Bumby, JR & Tavner, PJ (2004). Use of turbine inertia for power smoothing of wind turbines with a DFIG. 11th International Conference on Harmonics & Quality of Power, USA, IEEE.
  • Ran L,, Tavner P J, & Bumby J R (2004). Control of a doubly-fed induction generator to ride-through a grid side fault. 16th International Electrical Machines Conference, Cracow, Poland.
  • Roberts P C,, McMahon R A, Tavner P J, Maciejowski J M & Flack T J (2004). Performance of rotors in a Brushless Doubly-Fed Induction Machine (BDFM). 16th International Conference of International Machines, Cracow, Poland.
  • Spooner, E, Tavner, P J, Mueller, M A, Brooking, P R M & Baker, N J (2004). Vernier hybrid machines for compact drive applications. 2nd International Conferences on Power Electronics Machines & Drives, Edinburgh, IEE.
  • Tavner, PJ & Caselotti, P (2003). Practical issues in the manufacture of high efficiency electric motors. 3rd International Conference on Energy Efficiency in Motor Driven Systems, Treviso, Italy, Springer Verlag.
  • Gallant, TA & Tavner, PJ (2002). Low starting current cage induction motors for the offshore petrochemical industry. 1st International Conference on Power Electronics Machines & Drives, Bath, UK, IEE.
  • Caselotti, P, Conchetto, A & Tavner, PJ (2000). High efficiency motors - Performance, economy & reliability, by optimisation. 2nd International Conference on Energy Efficiency Imrpovements in Electric Motors, London, UK, Springer Verlag.
  • Clegg, B, Griffiths, HR, Hall, DJ & Tavner, PJ (1999). The application of drives and generator technology to a modern container ship. 9th International Conference on Electrical Machines & Drives, Canterbury, UK, IEE.
  • Pratt, JW, Carpenter, MJ, Mistry, AL & Tavner, PJ (1999). The design of modern air-cooled turbogenerators for gas turbine power stations. 9th International Conference on Electrical Machines & Drives, Canterbury, UK, IEE.
  • Tavner, PJ & Hasson, JP (1999). Predicting the design life of high integrity rotating electrical machines. 9th International Conference on Electrical Machines & Drives, Canterbury, UK, IEE.
  • Gallant, T A, Jackson, B & Tavner, P J (1997). Large flameproof cage induction machines for exceptional ambient temperatures. 8th International Conference on Electrical Macines & Drives, London, UK, IEE.
  • Tavner, PJ (1989). Condition Monitoring - The Way Ahead for Large Electrical Machines. 4th International Conference on Electrical Machines & Drives, London, UK, IEE.
  • Tavner, P J, Wade, N W & Wilkinson, D A R (1988). Assuring the integrity of large electrical machines in a power station refurbishment programme. International Conference on Refurbishment of Power Station Electrical Plant, London, IEE.

Journal Article

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