Students visit new hydroelectric plant in Heron Corn
A group of civil engineering students from the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) visited Heron Corn Mill to view the new plant and gain inspiration for their own projects.
The day involved a guided tour of the mill, highlighting the comparisons between the old and new plants and how they are used to convert water into energy.
Julie Marsh, senior lecturer in civil engineering, discussed the benefits of the trips to students looking at studying civil engineering at UCLan.
"This kind of visit hopefully makes the world of civil engineering a bit more real to them because what they are trying to do is make their projects as real as possible."
“It is a working water mill which has had the benefit of a recent hydroelectric scheme,” said Julie. “Even though it’s on quite a small scale, it’s similar to the students design project and will give them valuable insight.”
“It takes them away from the theory and actually shows them that a grid coming into the turbine gets dirty, for example. This means that they can put everything into context rather than only looking in books and photographs, making the world of civil engineering a bit more real.”
“I think that it is fantastic that we get to show them civil engineering in practice, which can help inform their school and book work for the next half a term. Ultimately, this practical course will develop their skills and knowledge to ensure they are well equipped civil engineers.”