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Walker Subsea Engineering:

Powering the Future of Underwater Engineering

Wallsend, North Tyneside

Walker Subsea Engineering

engineeringoffshorechemical engineeringResearch

Their Challenge

Walker Subsea Engineering, founded by Vahid Walker, is a specialist engineering firm that provides both operations engineering for offshore construction projects and research & development (R&D) for the offshore industry. Based at the historic Swan Hunter shipyard in Wallsend, Newcastle upon Tyne, the company is at the forefront of developing innovative subsea solutions, including battery-powered systems for underwater applications.

As a leader in offshore engineering, Walker Subsea sought to enhance its work on underwater power solutions, particularly its D-SEA battery pack project. The challenge lay in selecting the right coolant to improve thermal management and safety within the battery packs. The team had a good understanding of the fluid chemistries they wanted to explore but required specialised expertise to validate their choices and refine the selection process.

The Arrow programme has been instrumental in helping us refine our underwater battery technology. Northumbria University’s expertise in fluid chemistry gave us insights that we wouldn’t have had access to otherwise. Beyond technical support, the connections and networking opportunities have been invaluable. This project has opened doors for continued collaboration, and we look forward to working with the University on future innovations.
Vahid Walker

Founder, Walker Subsea Engineering

Arrow Analyses the Business Challenge

After learning about the Arrow programme through positive recommendations, Walker Subsea worked with the Arrow team at Northumbria University to gain access to its advanced materials and sustainable chemistry expertise. The key business challenge was ensuring that the selected immersion fluids provided optimal performance while mitigating risks.

Working Together for Real Results – Arrow’s Solution for Success

The collaboration between Walker Subsea and Arrow focused on the following areas:

Fluid Chemistry Expertise: Arrow provided in-depth knowledge on fluid chemistries, helping Walker Subsea evaluate potential immersion fluids for their battery packs.

Material Compatibility & Safety: The team assessed the potential risks associated with corrosion, plastic dissolution, and hazardous liquid handling, ensuring the selected fluids would not compromise battery safety.

Industry Networking: Northumbria University leveraged its network to bring additional industry expertise into the project, broadening the scope of knowledge and research available to Walker Subsea.

Database Development: A comprehensive database of immersion fluid suppliers was created, allowing Walker Subsea to make informed decisions about future material selections.

Project Impact

Walker Subsea now has a robust immersion fluid selection strategy, ensuring improved battery safety and efficiency in underwater applications. It also has a short-list of suitable industry suppliers.

Following the support through the Arrow programme, Walker Subsea is at the forefront of using immersion fluids for battery cooling, a concept gaining traction in offshore energy.

The successful partnership has laid the foundation for future collaborations, including a potential Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP).

Hear from our university partners

Arrow is a great way for businesses to engage with universities. It’s about delivering highly relevant solutions to industry challenges. Our collaboration with Walker Subsea brought critical chemistry expertise into an engineering project, ensuring safety and performance. This partnership is just the beginning, and we look forward to further joint innovations.
Dr Gareth Crapper

Senior Innovation Associate, Arrow, Northumbria University

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founder, David Irwin Design

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Founder, Andrew Turner Inventions

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Vahid Walker

Founder, Walker Subsea Engineering

The Arrow programme has been instrumental in helping us refine our underwater battery technology. Northumbria University’s expertise in fluid chemistry gave us insights that we wouldn’t have had access to otherwise. Beyond technical support, the connections and networking opportunities have been invaluable. This project has opened doors for continued collaboration, and we look forward to working with the University on future innovations.
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