Good vibrations

Evan Dumbleton – a man of many talents.

EVAN Dumbleton is an award-winning engineer by trade and a musician by choice, but after winning awards in both areas his musical talents may become more than just a hobby.
LAST week, Seatoun based mechanical engineer Evan Dumbleton was awarded the Institution of Professional Engineers (IPENZ) Evan Parry Award for achievement in the Energy Systems Sector. He received the award for a number of reasons, most notably for being NZ’s “number one hydro-turbine guru” according to his peers. He was responsible for solving a vibration-induced cracking problem in turbine stay vanes by welding simple spoilers on the edge of the vanes and devised the concept of controllable turbine discharge gates, like those at Tokaanu, which optimise back pressure.
He compares his engineering skills to a medical doctor – first there is a problem (or illness) and he must find a cure for it.
“I think ‘how can I solve it’ and I could can spend weeks head scratching to come up with a complicated answer, when A, B or C worked.
“Sometimes, you are not 100% sure that something is the problem. It can have unusual symptoms.
“The [stay vane] problem doesn’t occur that often and I could have either changed the shape of the component by cutting or grinding it, but instead welded a scrap piece of metal into position. It wasn’t regarded as a permanent solution as it reduces the efficiency of the machine, but it stops the machinery from cracking into bits,” he says.
Simplicity was the winner and instead of changing the shape, the scrap metal stuck.
“It was a great buzz when it stopped. Under the conference paper title I wrote Gimme Those Good Vibrations (from The Beach Boys song) as a joke,” he says laughing.
Dumbleton’s hands hint at a hard-working, intelligent man with a creative streak. For 12 years he has run his own company, Hydromech Consulting Limited, after working for the Electricity Corporation NZ. Through a combination of practical experience and knowledge, from studying engineering at the University of Canterbury, he has developed innovative and fit-for-purpose solutions to complex turbine engineering problems, increasing reliability.
Back in the day, Dumbleton used to work in Meremere, then Hamilton, where mechanical engineers became very useful for hydro. Then, he says ‘green’ issues were not a concern for engineers in the way they are now.
“I remember a faulty turbine leaking a lot of oil in the Waikato River, but now, those days are gone,” he adds thankfully.
In the 1980s a holiday to China opened his eyes up to the importance of building a sustainable society.
“I remember thinking ‘this is completely unsustainable’.
“A lot of people don’t think hydro power is green because it alters the environment in terms of interfering with the river but it can be made very discreet and can be underground. Personally, I haven’t come across a lot of protest,” he says.
“I look at the mechanical side of dam safety and first I play devil’s advocate and brainstorm the ‘what ifs’ – a process requiring a fair amount of imagination.”
Now, much of his work revolves around upgrading older stations to work safely and efficiently – an important task given that approximately 60% of NZ’s electricity comes from hydro power.
Covered in paint with well-worn fingernails, his strong hands look like they could have welded anything from a spoiler on the edge of a turbine stay vane, to building a practice organ “made by throwing together some synthesizers”.
“Pipe organs are the original heavy metal”, he says laughing, referencing their use of tin.
His fondness for music extends further than just hobby territory however. Last week, he received first prize in the NZ Organists’ Association composition competition.
Dumbleton, who also has a music degree and sings tenor, “a very endangered species”, for the Festival Singers, decided to enter his composition. The work, based on the hymn In Dulci Jubilo will “fingers crossed” be played by his wife - Judy Dumbleton in a concert in Auckland in June. Although Dumbleton has played the organ, he is happy for his wife, “one of the best organists in NZ”, to take on the piece.
Despite his success, Dumbleton says he is “winding down”. A back injury has meant more time for composing – which isn’t a bad thing by the look on Dumbleton’s face as he plays the piano – and researching other music competitions online. So far, he has got his eye on two competitions.
“I see too many of my contemporaries where work consumes their life,” he says. “Except I still can’t work out who nominated me for the [engineering] award. I have accused a number of people but they have denied it.
“And anyway I’m 64, so in a year’s time I’ll get my telegram from Winston Peters,” he says smiling.
Janina Nicoll