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Objective/Problems to be solved: Groundwater is the main source for drinking water production in most regions of Europe. In many areas this groundwater is contaminated by a variety of mainly organic pollutants threatening the drinking water supply in the future. Existing methods for remediation of groundwater have limitations and disadvantages, in particular, when used on-site. In general, very polar compounds have not been removed by these techniques. Scientific objectives and approach: A novel technology will be developed which allows the removal of organic contaminants from polluted groundwater. Groundwater clean-up is achieved by adsorption of the pollutants onto organic polymers of small particle size packed in radial beds. The surface of the polymer particles will be modified to reduce pore plugging. After loading with pollutants the polymers can be regenerated on-site. Explosives and phenols have been selected as model compounds to test this new technology. Contamination by these compounds is wide-spread in Europe. Moreover, they are representative for polar compounds in general, which are difficult to remove from groundwater. The project starts with laboratory studies on the adsorption process (determination of adsorption isotherms and breakthrough volumes) followed by laboratory studies on the regeneration process. Based on the results of laboratory studies mathematical simulation models will be developed which allow the design and finally the construction of the pilot plant. In the final part of the project this pilot plant with a capacity of 1 - 3 mA3/h will be tested in the field and further optimized. Expected impacts: It is expected that the new technology allows an efficient remediation of polluted groundwater also in remote areas, as one means to ensure the sustainability of groundwater into the next century. Thus the project contributes to the goal to maintain the quality of life and health in the European Community. Finally, the clean-up of contaminated groundwater preserves and enhances the quality of the environment in general and the availability of natural resources.
Objective: Problems to be solved: The project will contribute to the abatement of water pollution from contaminated lands, landfills and sediments. With its capacity of on-line and real-time measurement of pollutants, measurement techniques that are not available at the moment, the proposed sensor is a valuable tool for landfill monitoring, risk assessment and control of remediation efficiency. It can, for example, improve the 'use' of natural attenuation as a remediation technique. Natural attenuation, i.e. leaving remediation to natural processes without applying costly techniques, is based on the observation that there is a decrease in the contaminant concentrations which limits the extent of the contaminant plume. The key disadvantage of natural attenuation is the need to ensure that the contamination does not propagate further. The proposed sensors, placed in the vicinity of the plume may serve as a cost effective and reliable alert network. Possible emerging economic possibilities for waste disposal should strengthen EU industrial competitiveness. This is of special importance for the EU with its densely populated production sites. Scientific objectives and approach: The project aims at monitoring of soil and water for landfill related contamination by an in-situ monitoring for soil and water by infrared sensing. A portable and rugged system will be developed that will allow sensor elements to be inserted and left in soil locations under the ground for long term monitoring of organic pollutants. The concept of a buried sensor gives the opportunity to continuously monitor organic pollutants without sampling errors. Since it is important to monitor pollutants over a long period of time, the sensor system will be optimised with regard to long term stability. Expected impacts: The IMSIS sensor concept is novel for landfill monitoring, its central objective is to open new possibilities for continuous monitoring and control. For this reason it is one objective of the project to investigate and evaluate the need of end users with respect to sensor applications. Mid IR spectroscopic measurements are widely used for the analysis of samples placed inside spectrometers. This project is involved in the development and use of IR optical fibres for absorption measurements on remote locations. The development of this remote spectroscopy is on one hand an innovation with respect to real time analytical measurements inside landfills, on the other hand it opens the field of all kind of IR remote sensing applications e.g. in process control or measurements in explosion endangered environments. Within the project, there will be a development of short segments of tapered and flattened fibres which will serve as sensor elements in the sensor head. Tapering of fibres to increase sensitivity is a well-known technique in the UV and visible wavelength range. Tapering of MIR fibres is a completely new and demanding task since IR transmitting materials are difficult t
Objective/Problems to be solved: The objective of the project is to assess the degree of interference of anthropogenic activities with the hydrosphere in mountain regions. For this purpose, six regions have been selected. Analyses of various factors of agricultural, industrial activities affecting the hydrosphere will permit to assess the efficiency of imposed measures to protect the hydrosphere. The investigation will be carried out on two scales: detailed and regional. This study will also consider the results of monitoring and earlier data filed in archives, which would allow to reconstruct the evolution of hydrosphere in studied regions during the last 40 years. The modelling will allow to simulate various alternatives in term of landscape-use leading to an optimum one from the viewpoint of water management. Scientific objectives and approach: Results of this work must permit to predict the influences on water (in quantity and in quality) of various landscape-use scenario, in order to give a preference for the choices in land-planning , compatible with a sustainable development. Our project will focus on the following topics: -to identify and solve the correlation between individual factors which influence the quality and volume of water resources in mountain areas. - suggestions for optimum local development from the viewpoint of groundwater protection. Partial output of this work will be the assessment of efficiency of implementation of E.U. and national directives on groundwater protection. - The ultimate objective of the LOWRGREP project is the creation of the ECEMEWAM system (European Centre for Mutual Exchange of Experience in Water management in Mountain Regions) which will lead to a set up of project's own WWW pages. This will provide all data on optimum exploitation from the view-point of groundwater protection (general information) and data from yet studied areas to any client interested in the problem. In the case of some very specific issue, the client will be offered to contact an appropriate specialist. The first stage involves collection of all environmental data, their transfer into electronic form and their preliminary processing using a Geographical Information System. The second stage consists in monitoring catchments with two different scales (local and regional).A model will be built up in order to describe the water balance and the trends in water quality under various conditions. The final stage is the design of a software, HYDRODESUSMA: Hydrogeological Decision Support System in Mountain Areas; this software is aimed at the presentation and analysis of all the obtained data and knowledge in user-friendly form that can be easily interpreted by potential users... Prime Contractor: Association pour la recherche et le developpement des methodes et processus industriels, laboratoire geotechnique, exploitation, ressources, mineralogie; Ales/France.
Objective: The project is aimed at investigating and developing a new concept of Natural Gas Fired Combined Cycle, which makes use of low temperature waste heat for the evaporation of water droplets in an air-water mixture before entering the combustor of the gas turbine. A significant part of the work focuses on the performance of feasibility studies for potential test cases of application and a market survey for the basic components of the Combined Cycle (gas turbine, compressor, evaporator, heat recovery boiler with condensation and condensate polishing plant). Experimental work is carried out on the combustion of natural gas with an air-water vapour mixture. A basic technical problem to be solved is the instability of combustion that may occur; a pilot flame with higher oxygen content may be necessary. Description of work: The work carried out for the current project is divided in five Work Packages. Work Package 1 is aimed at the development and optimisation of the new Combined Cycle, using a cycle calculation program and an optimisation algorithm. Work Package 2 includes a market survey for the adaptation of the compressor and gas turbine and an experimental study on the combustion of natural gas with an air-water vapour mixture, using a modified combustor sector from a helicopter gas turbine. Work Package 3 deals with the identification of the evaporator's specifications, the study of the heat recovery boiler with condensation and a market survey on these components. Work Packages 4 is aimed at the identification of one ISCCS (Integrated Solar Combined Cycle System) project and the calculation, evaluation and comparison of the ISCCS thermodynamic cycle with the new Combined Cycle. A market survey of potential sites for adaptation of the new Combined Cycle concept is also carried out. Finally, Work package 5 includes a study of the economic, environmental and social impacts of the new Combined Cycle. Expected Results and Exploitation Plans: The expected results of this project are: - Optimisation of the new Combined Cycle and formulation of proposals on the compressor's and gas turbine's configuration. - Optimisation of the combustion chamber. - Study of the evaporator, the heat recovery boiler with condensation and the condensate polishing plant. - Identification of potential sites for adaptation of the new concept. The results of this project can be exploited for the formulation of a competitive and high efficiency Combined Cycle with advanced fuel utilisation and improved emissions of pollutants, for adaptation by the European power production sector. Prime Contrator: Public Power Corporation, Directorate for Development; Athen/Greece.
Objective/Problems to be solved: Across the European Union there are concerns about nitrogen (N) in lowland and upland fresh water systems, estuaries and marine areas. In such systems, additional N inputs can cause rapid aquatic plant growth, leading to eutrophication. The problems of eutrophication are usually associated with lowland, intensively farmed areas where fertilisers provide a significant source of N and/or urban areas where domestic and industrial effluent is discharged to the receiving watercourse and groundwaters. However increasing N deposition from the atmosphere has lead to increased problems in upland regions. Whilst management strategies have been implemented to control N in river systems, these have tended to address single issues: either diffuse or point sources, or upland or lowland areas. However, the N concentrations and loads in rivers reflect the integration of the catchment N sources: fertiliser inputs, atmospheric deposition and sewage discharges. Superimposed on these anthropogenic inputs are contributions from the vegetation and mineralisation and nitrification of organic N in soils. Thus, given the holistic nature of the N problem, an integrated management approach is required. To support such an approach, modelling tools are needed to assess the likely impacts of land management, N deposition and climatic change on river N concentrations and loads. The INCA project has been designed to assess the impacts of multiple sources of N (N deposition, agricultural and sewage inputs) on water quality in European catchments. As such the project will directly contribute to EC policies including the Nitrate Directive (91/676/EEC) aimed at controlling diffuse nitrate pollution of public water supplies throughout Europe; the EC Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC) which aims to provide for the preservation of rare and valuable remnants of natural habitat in member states, including both terrestrial and aquatic habitat types; the Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control Directive (96/61/EEC) and the proposed Water Framework Directive (COM (97) 49 Final). Scientific objectives and approach: The INCA project is based on the INCA (Integrated Nitrogen in CAtchments) model, a processed based model of plant/soil system and instream N dynamics which has been developed and tested in 4 UK catchments. Based on mass balance and reaction kinetics, INCA accounts for the multiple sources of N and simulates the principle N mechanisms operating, including mineralisation, immobilisation, nitrification and denitrification. INCA will be applied to assess the impacts of catchment N inputs on water quality at the pan European spatial scale... Prime Contractor: University of Reading, Department of Geography; Reading,Silchester/United Kingdom.
Objective: The objective is to make available advanced system and component technologies for f.c. application on different categories of vehicles according to relevant operational requirements and consistent with sustainable life cycle and environmental impact prerequisites incl. energy sources infrastructures, fuel availability industrial production and recycling aspects. The project is the leading frame of the cluster 'land transport by fuel cells technology' which include development projects conducted by components makers: PROFUEL CARDEMECEL HIPERSTACK COMPEX, ECO-POWER related respectively to the areas of fuel processing, direct methanol cells, PEM stack, compressor- expander, electric drive trains. The key issue of the project is focused on overall studies and def. of specifications of components suitable for an optimised management of a F.C. vehicle, the LCA the test bench evaluation and final assessment after a demonstration phase.
Objective: Our project is centred around the development of thermally stable (up to 180-C) proton exchange membranes (PEM) for use as solid electrolytes in electrochemical devices, in particular hydrogen/oxygen (or air) fuel cells, but also electrolysers. Fuel cells need no justification as an advanced technology option to reduce the fossil fuel/nuclear energy demands needed to satisfy energy requirements over the coming decades. Adaptable to both stationary and mobile power generation, their use at higher temperatures leads to improved economy by enabling operation in combined heat/power mode, thereby supplying 'waste' heat for space heating or steam production. Use of fuel cells will lead to reduction in noise and in emissions of NOx, SOx, particulates etc., problems of particular concern to society and with clear associated public health and environment issues. In addition, polymer electrolyte membrane technology is also an option for the development of electrolyser-based oxygen concentrators supplying oxygen of high purity for medical use for patients requiring oxygen therapy.
Objective/Problems to be solved: The EU Water Framework Directive defines a framework for assessing water-bodies in the future - however, the precise method for determining the ecological status is still to be defined. Hence, there is the requirement and the unique opportunity to establish a general assessment method for streams and rivers and to define general quality targets for running waters throughout Europe. The assessment system should consider different impact factors enabling a holistic assessment of streams. With this project we will lay the scientific foundations for such a method, develop the method and start the transfer to applied water management. Scientific objectives and approach: The aim of the project is to develop and test an assessment procedure for streams and rivers which meets the demands of the EU Water Framework Directive using benthic macro invertebrates. In all, partners from 8 EU member states participate. Therefore, the method developed will be tested in many parts of Europe and will, hence, be applicable in most ecoregions in Europe. The partners represent a transect from northern to southern Europe (Scandinavia to Central-Mediterranean area) and another transect from the Iberian Peninsula to the Eastern Mediterranean. The assessment system will be based on the outlines of a European stream typology and on the fauna of near-natural reference streams. The biological and a biotic data sets of reference sites and impacted sites should be entirely comparable and of a high scientific quality. Therefore, it is necessary to collect new data sets in both a sophisticated and economic way: the North-South and East-West sampling transects give the possibility of inter-comparisons in methodology and assessment concepts between ecoregions. The method developed will be adapted to regional conditions in order to allow comparable use in all EU member states. It will be combined with selected methods for stream assessment and indication currently used in the EU member states. If current methods supply additional information for certain regions, they will be included in the assessment system as additional modules. Databases on European macro invertebrate taxa used for the assessment system will be generated. Finally, the transfer of the developed method into water management application will be started, via a manual and a PC program. Expected impacts: The proposed project serves precise and long-term implementation of EU policies addressing questions in the area of water and surface waters protection. Securing and maintaining a high ecological quality of streams, the improvement of the quality and prevention of further deterioration are important targets of the EU as defined in article 1 of the EU Water Framework Directive. These aims must be based on methods for indication and assessment of the ecological status. The project will supply the EU member states with a tool for assessing the ecological river quality...
Objective/Problems to be solved: RECOVER:2010 is designed to assess the impact of current and future anthropogenic pressures on sensitive European freshwater ecosystems. RECOVER:2010 will evaluate the present extent of recovery of acidified freshwaters, and identify and quantify the dominant driving processes governing the timing and magnitude of recovery. This Pan-European assessment will use enhanced predictive models to evaluate the degree of compliance with respect to restoration of acidified waters by the year 2010 as specified under the Water Framework Directive. Similarly, agreed and proposed UN-ECE protocols on emissions control will be critically assessed and economic costs and environmental benefits evaluated with respect to the recovery of freshwaters. Scientific objectives and approach: Empirical data from different acidified European ecotypes will be evaluated to provide measures of time lags in response to changes in emissions of acidifying compounds, and indeed to separate out the different contributing processes. Regional controls on sulphur dynamics, and the role of nitrogen in the recovery process will be determined. Current conceptualisation of the recovery process has not considered potential interaction with natural variations such as climate induced impacts, and RECOVER:2010 aims to assess the magnitude and spatial extent of these confounding factors. Current dynamic modelling approaches will then be enhanced through improved process representation, and through the linking of hydrochemical changes to biological impacts and time lags in ecosystem recovery. An evaluation of Pan-European existing and proposed emission controls will then be undertaken to determine spatial and temporal patterns of response. Feedback from the modelling evaluation will be central to the development of strategies to optimise environmental benefit against economic cost. Similarly, the timing of mitigation measures such as the implementation of S and/or N emissions reduction, will greatly influence the expected recovery of both individual regions and Europe as a whole. These, previously un-addressed interactions, will be also explored within RECOVER:2010. Hence these are distinct scientific, methodological and policy challenges which interact within the concept of RECOVER:2010. Expected impacts: The development of sustainable options for emissions control reductions is required to balance economic, social and environmental constraints. RECOVER:2010 will specifically address such concerns, and the involvement of an end-user focus group comprising National and International Agencies, will ensure that the results of this project extend further than just the scientific domain. Prime Contractor: Macaulay Land Use Research Institute; Aberdeen/UK.
Objective/Problems to be solved: Contaminated land in Europe poses a serious problem with respect to soil quality and the risk of spreading of pollutants into other compartments of the environment. The major concern at most contaminated sites is the risk of groundwater pollution by organic and inorganic compounds. Since, the remediation of all of the contaminated sites in Europe is economically not feasible, groundwater risk assessment procedures are needed for the ranking of sites, decision making on further use and remedial actions. In contrast to existing procedures this project concentrates on the development of methodologies for the assessment of the mobile contaminant fraction in contaminated soil and waste material. (i.e. the contaminant fraction which would reach the aquifer). It will allow the determination of the long-term contaminant release rates and the overall emission of pollutants into the groundwater at contaminated sites. The most important innovations expected will be more harmonized and integrated guidelines for groundwater risk assessment in Europe and beyond. Scientific objectives and approach: The procedures to be developed take the form of a scenario approach, as it is intended to be generally applicable to different situations in terms of classes/combination of pollutants and site-specific conditions, such as climatic conditions, permeability and distance between contamination and groundwater table. Such a scenario approach will allow the determination a priori whether, under given site conditions (subsurface permeability, distance to groundwater table, type of material) and contaminant properties (volatile/non-volatile/water soluble etc.), a minor, medium or high risk of groundwater pollution exists. The validation of these new risk assessment procedures will be done 1) in a well controlled field experiment which comprises an emplaced source of a hydrocarbon mixture consisting of volatile to semi-volatile, (partly) biodegradable compounds, 2) laboratory and field investigations for the quantification of contaminant transfer rates across the capillary fringe for specific scenarios and 3) column leaching tests for the quantification of the mobile contaminant fraction in various contaminated soils and waste materials (e.g. slag, bottom ash, construction/recycling materials). To cover as many different site-specific-scenarios as possible, the project involves numerical modelling for vapour phase contaminant transport in the unsaturated zone and long-term leaching of contaminants from specific materials. Expected impacts: The most important deliverables of the project will be guidelines for groundwater risk assessment which for certain scenarios, compound classes and material types does not require or requires only minor field or laboratory investigations. Therefore it would significantly reduce the costs to society for dealing with the legacy of industrial pollution...
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