CleanTech engine and compressor developer Lontra has completed the initial prototype of its novel Blade Compressor™, a major step in the development of its innovative, energy saving compressor and engine technology.

The test–bed prototype, completed to budget and schedule at the Romsey workshop of Lontra partner FFD, demonstrates the basic geometry and validates the design concept.

Steve Lindsey, Technical Director: “The achievement of this important milestone is a credit to the project team, including FFD and Mahle Powertrain. The success of this prototype endorses Lontra’s development approach of using sophisticated modelling and virtual prototyping extensively before physically cutting metal. And it’s exciting to see the first full iteration of a technology which has been in development for many years.”

Further testing of the heavily instrumented prototype will follow, with a pre–production prototype due to be completed in the Spring of 2007.