Richard Fenlon Knights

Experience

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  National Physical Laboratory

  Jul 2010 - Sept 2010

  Force and Mass Intern

  Worked within the force and measurements team (summer placement) performing detailed analysis on density and pressure. Undertook a project to investigate density and wettability of powders and used a number of programs, including Visual Basic and LabVIEW. This post gave me the opportunity to use the skills and knowledge gained throughout my university course and apply my written and verbal inter-personal skills, organising and prioritising skills and team working skills in a professional environment. Show less

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  Wood Group

  Aug 2011 - Dec 2016

  Senior Mechanical Engineer

  PetroChad (Mangara) – Onshore Oil Plant, Services Agreement. Woking, UK: Jun 2016 – Dec 2016.Lead mechanical engineer on a project to verify existing equipment data and bring to full capacity two oil plants in Chad, Africa. Tendered bids for three work packages and scheduled and managed the mechanical activities. Simplified the client’s work estimation tool, subsequently utilised across the project. Managed a team of three for a study of prefabricated equipment weather enclosures.Det Norske – Ivar Aasen Topsides (NCS), Detailed Design. UK & Singapore: Sept 2014 – Jun 2016.Sole site-based mechanical engineer at the SMOE Fabrication Yard (Singapore) for 14 months until final sail-away of the 14,000 Te offshore oil platform. Responsible for all site based mechanical queries, liaising daily with the construction team and the client to resolve technical engineering issues. Successfully managed, implemented, and closed more than 1,000 site actions, chairing weekly action meetings with the client and fabricator. Focal point for all 62 mechanical equipment packages, worth up to £30,000,000. Designed more than 40 equipment modifications, identified and issued 30 deviations to standards and specifications, and managed work actions. Assistant Package Responsible Engineer for the Produced Water Treatment package, covering 3 vessels, 2 progressive cavity pumps, and associated pipework, deluge, and valves. Built to Norwegian Standards (NORSOK) and to European Standards (ATEX).Eastman – Onshore Chemical Plant, Detailed Design. Woking, UK: Jun 2013 – Sept 2014.Responsible engineer for two detailed design level packages. Package 1: two high pressure batch vessels with agitators (a mixer, powered by an 18.5 kW motor) complete with Plan 53B seal system, designed to pressure vessel standards ASME and PED. Package successfully delivered with only 3 implemented change orders. Package 2: major filters. Approved vessel general arrangements and Finglow calculations to ASME and PED. Show less

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  Padris Albin Publishing

  Dec 2016 - Jun 2018

  Author

  Authored three novels and twenty short stories in the Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Thriller genres (published and seeking publication).

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  UK Atomic Energy Authority

  Jun 2018 - now

  Lead Engineer of AGHS Tritium Decanting Facility Project (Oct 2019 – May 2020)Implemented agile project management methodology, leading daily stand-up meetings coordinating six team members. Re-built project schedule to realistically meet demanding timescales – re-baselined commissioning target start-date achieved on-time. Resolved multiple technical engineering issues within the constraints of the projects, such as design pressure mismatches.Lead Engineer of the Palladium Membrane Reactor Experiment (Nov 2018 – Present)Managed, designed, built, and operated a palladium test reactor used to recover hydrogen from tokamak exhaust streams. Successfully navigated the project from detailed design through to operation, with the first operation conducted in-front of the client achieving more than 90% hydrogen recovery. Resolved numerous technical issues, from re-routing tubing to increase efficiency, to redesigning sections to improve heat transfer, to calculating ventilation requirements to meet DSEAR regulations. Mentored staff into becoming experts within their respective equipment assignments. Designed drafted, and built large swathes of the equipment, including the hazardous gas cabinet, the inert gas inlet pipework, and managed the vendor design of the gas panel.Lead Senior Authorised Person for DSEAR/ATEX (Dec 2018 – Present)Built a robust plan for site compliance involving “awareness training” for 20% of UKAEA staff, risk assessor training for 4 staff, and site inspection for critical areas. Authored the site policy & procedure document for designing systems with flammable gases. Conducted risk assessments and authored hazardous area classification documentation. Show less

  • Tritium Technology Group Leader

    Oct 2023 - now

  • Head of the Tritium Innovation Unit

    Jan 2023 - Oct 2023

  • Tritium Realisation Group Leader

    Jun 2022 - Feb 2023

  • Engineering Manager (Tritium Innovation)

    Feb 2021 - Jun 2022

  • Engineering Manager (Fusion Technology)

    May 2020 - Feb 2021

  • Mechanical Engineer

    Jun 2018 - May 2020