Student to aid Caterpillar ditch diesel

Caterpillar diesel fleet and gear may be transferred to battery use with the help of a Glasgow Caledonian University PhD student.

The PhD student will help Caterpillar, a manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, switch from diesel engines to battery-driven equipment.

This research involves the development of a tool that Glasgow Caledonian University say Caterpillar can use to monitor the life and degradation of batteries that could be used to power its vehicles, tools and heavy-duty machines.

Caterpillar is funding the project conducted by the PhD researcher, who is an employee of the company, with supervision from the Glasgow Caledonian team.

The concept is yet to be proved, so UKRI funding is yet to be sought.

Project supervisor, Professor Mohamed Emad Farrag, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, says: ‘By the end of this research phase, a tool will be developed to help the company take a decision to shift toward phasing in battery-based equipment with minimum risk to their day-to-day business. There is no a time frame of this, but positive results will speed the process of transition.’