Engineering courses in London
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London's universities are working with Transport for London to transform the city's transport network. London's underground train network is the oldest and one of the largest in the world.
The first train line, the Metropolitan District Railway, opened in 1863 and work on the network continues today as engineers complete the East London Line in time for the 2012 Olympic Games.
The Underground's age and size both pose their own problems and today's commuters are confronted with a system that has not modernised as quickly as the rest of London's infrastructure.
The government recently made a series of announcements signaling major improvements in the capital's transport infrastructure to help the city plan for the 2012 Olympic Games and beyond.
There are also short-term developments taking place on London's transport system, many of which are in partnership with universities in London or based on research undertaken by academics.
Keeping Londoners cool while deep underground during the summer months has been a major issue in recent years. The Tube, as the deep-level lines of the underground are known, was originally built long before air conditioning was invented.
Tunnels were designed and built with only enough space for trains. This means that in the deep-level tubes there is very little space for air-conditioning units on trains and nowhere to release the heat. Consequently the conditions can be stifling in the summer months.
This is one of the many challenges being addressed by London Underground's ‘Cool the Tube' project team. London Underground has been working with London South Bank University where a team, headed by Professor Graeme Maidment, has developed an innovative and award-winning groundwater cooling scheme at Victoria Tube station.
Across London's underground network 30 million litres of groundwater are pumped out each day. The cooling system trialled at Victoria station uses this groundwater to supply three exchange units that use the water to cool warm air before releasing the cooled air back into the station.
London's plentiful supply of groundwater is at a seasonally constant temperature of around 10°C, which is perfect for cooling.
The trial has proven an environmentally-friendly cooling solution for the Victoria line platforms and has been recognized with a prestigious Innovation Award by the Carbon Trust, a company set up by the government to assist in developing commercial low carbon technologies.
David Waboso, London Underground's director of engineering said, “The groundwater cooling trial at Victoria uses an available and sustainable energy source that has had a very noticeable impact in reducing temperatures on the Victoria line concourse and platforms.”
Posted: Tuesday 9 February 2010