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Fuel cell power trains and clustering in heavy-duty transports (FELICITAS)

Objective: The FELICITAS consortium proposes an Integrated Project to develop fuel cell (FC) drive trains fuelled with both hydrocarbons and hydrogen. The proposed development work focuses on producing FC systems capable of meeting the exacting demands of heavy-dut y transport for road, rail and marine applications. These systems will be: - Highly efficient, above 60Prozent - Power dense, - Powerful units of 200kW plus, - Durable, robust and reliable. Two of the FC technologies most suitable for heavy-duty transport applic ations are Polymer Electrolyte FuelCells (PEFC) and Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFC). Currently neither technology is capable of meeting the wideranging needs of heavy-duty transport either because of low efficiencies, PEFC, or poor transient performance,SO FC. FELICITAS proposes the development of high power Fuel Cell Clusters (FCC) that group FC systems with other technologies, including batteries, thermal energy and energy recuperation.The FELICITAS consortium will first undertake the definition of the requirements on FC power trains for the different heavy-duty transport modes. This will lead to the development of FC power train concepts, which through the use of advanced multiple simulations, will undertake evaluations of technical parameters, reliab ility and life cycle costs. Alongside the development of appropriate FC power trains the consortium will undertake fundamental research to adapt and improve existing FC and other technologies, including gas turbines, diesel reforming and sensor systems f or their successful deployment in the demanding heavy-duty transport modes. This research work will combine with the FC power trains design and simulation work to provide improved components and systems, together with prototypes and field testing where ap propriate.The FELICITAS consortium approach will substantially improve European FC and associated technology knowledae and know-how in the field of heavv-duty transport.

Biomass Fuell Cell Utility System (BIOCELLUS)

Objective: Energy from Biomass needs highly efficient small-scale energy systems in order to achieve cost effective solutions for decentralized generation especially in Mediterranean and Southern areas, and for applications without adequate heat consumer. Thus fuel cells are an attractive option for decentralized generation from biomass and agricultural residues but they have to meet at least two outstanding challenges: 1. Fuel cell materials and the gas cleaning technologies have to treat high dust loads of the fuel gas and pollutants like tars, alkalines and heavy metals. 2. The system integration has to allow efficiencies of at least 40-50 percent even within a power range of few tens or hundreds of kW. This proposal addresses in particular these two aims. Hence the first part of the project will focus on the investigation of the impact of these pollutants on degradation and performance characteristics of SOFC fuel cells in order to specify the requirements for appropriate gas cleaning system (WP 1-2). These tests will be performed at six existing gasification sites, which represent the most common and applicable gasification technologies. WP 3 will finally test and demonstrate the selected gas cleaning technologies in order to verify the specifications obtained from the gasification tests. The results will be used for the development, installation and testing of an innovative SOFC - Gasification concept, which will especially match the particular requirements of fuel cell systems for the conversion of biomass feedstock. The innovative concept comprises to heat an allothermal gasifier with the exhaust heat of the fuel cell by means of liquid metal heat pipes. Internal cooling of the stack and the recirculation of waste heat increases the system efficiency significantly. This so-called TopCycle concept promises electrical efficiencies of above 50 percent even for small-scale systems without any combined processes.

Fuel Flexible, Air-regulated, Modular, Electrically Integrated SOFC System (FLAME-SOFC)

Objective: The overall objective of the FlameSOFC project is the development of an innovative SOFC-based micro-CHP system capable to operate with different fuels and fulfilling all technological and market requirements at a European level. The main focus concerning t he multi-fuel flexibility lies on different natural gas qualities and LPG, but also on liquid fuels (diesel like heating oil, industrial gas oil IGO and renewables like FAME). The target nominal net electrical output is 2 kWel (stack electrical output ca. 2,5 kW), which is expected to represent the future mainstream high volume mass market for micro-CHPs. An advanced planar, compact SOFC-stack will be developed and combined with an innovative, compact and robust fuel processor, which will be able to process many different fuels without catalytic components, thus enabling the potential for a long lifetime of greater than 30.000 h. A simple, highly integrated and reliable system design will result via the integration of advanced peripheral components like the advanced T hermal Partial Oxidation reformer (T-POX), the multi-purpose off-gas burner, the compact heat exchangers, the cool flame vaporizer and the soot trap. Advanced control strategies will assure an optimal integration in an electrical network environment. The o verall efficiency targets are greater than 35 percent net electrical efficiency and greater than 90 percent total CHP efficiency, which will result in 2 tons of annual CO2 reduction per unit (compared to the combination of a condensing boiler and European electricity mix). The SOFC fuel cell technology will be applied because it is less sensitive to impurities and variations in the fuel composition than other fuel cell systems and has a better cost reduction potential than other fuel cell types. The high temperature level of the SOFC tec hnology gives also a better integration potential in co- or tri-generation applications. The main target application is a micro CHP system for single or two-family residential homes with electrical grid connection.

Biomass fluidised bed gasification with in situ hot gas cleaning (AER-GAS II)

Objective: The project aim is a low-cost gasification process with integrated in-situ gas cleaning for the conversion of biomass into a product gas with high hydrogen concentration, high heating value and low tar/alkali/sulphur concentration in one process step for s ubsequent power production. The proposed process uses in-situ CO2 capture (AER, Absorption Enhanced Reforming). It is more efficient than conventional gasification due to (i) the in-situ integration of the reaction heat of CO2 absorption and water-gas shif t reaction heat (both exothermic) into the gasification and (ii) the internal reforming of primary and secondary tars, which cuts off the formation of higher tars. Thus, the chemical energy of tars remains in the product gas. The product gas after dust rem oval can directly be used in a gas engine for electricity generation. Due to the low operation temperature (up to 700 C) and due to CaO-containing bed materials, the proposed process allows the use of problematic feedstocks such as biomass with high minera l and high moisture content, e.g. straw, sewage sludge, etc., leading to an increased market potential for biomass gasification processes. Screening/development of absorbent materials with high attrition stability and tar cracking properties will be carrie d out. Analysis of tar formation/decomposition process will be studied in a lab-scale fixed bed reactor and a 100 kWth circulating fluidised bed reactor (continuous mode). With the acquired data, the 8 MWth biomass plant at Guessing, Austria, will be opera ted with absorbent bed material in order to prove the feasibility of a scale-up and to assess the economical aspects of the process. In order to point out the market potential, the cost reduction of the AER technology will be quantified in comparison with the conventional gasification power plant. Expected results will be: (i) a broad knowledge of the proposed process and (ii) a low-cost technology for biomass gasification with subsequent power production.

Catenary Interface Monitoring Coherent sensing technology for electrical railway infrastructure and rolling stock for interoperable cross boundary transportation (CATIEMON)

Objective: In a deregulated EU rail market monitoring of the vehicle and infrastructure interface is mandatory for enhanced availability of operation reducing costs. Especially when a rolling stock is crossing boundaries between independent infrastructure grids, cond ition monitoring becomes crucial. A monitoring tool on OCLs overhead contact lines - for infrastructure managers is needed for an separate measurement of contact force and surface condition of the vehicle current strip. The rolling stock operator needs a complementary device to measure not only the vertical contact force, but moreover the friction force, in order to analyse the vehicle and OCL interface condition. In SMITS a monitoring system for contact force on the interface current collector lt;- gt; c ontact wire has been developed. A sensor technology has been started to explore showing the potential for an extended range of rail monitoring tools. An innovative coherent sensor technology approach shall be investigated and two independent monitoring too ls for vehicle and infrastructure be developed. These shall be validated at new rail tracks specified for TSI interoperable cross boundary transportation: the Ltschberg Basis Tunnel, CH and the HSL Zuid high speed line, NL, both ready for operation in 2007 . Demonstration tests in operation will be performed along the Korridor X infrastructure passing through different countries rail networks. The outcome of the project will enable managers to specify driving conditions for the usage of their infrastructure to avoid excessive wear improving availability. Complementary rolling stock operators can monitor OCL condition giving them an informative argument in case of damage. Condition-dependent user fees as well as threat of penalty will force vehicle and infrast ructure managers to maintain the vehicle and infrastructure interface on a superior level of availability. The operational costs will be reduced and availability of transportation capacity enhanced.

Calcium cycle for efficient and low cost CO2 capture in fluidized bed systems (C3-CAPTURE)

Objectives: The project aims on developing a dry CO2 capture system for atmospheric and pressurized fluidized bed boilers. The atmospheric option will be developed towards a pilot plant application. For the pressurized option the project seeks for a proof of principle to determine if the advantages of a pressurized capture system can balance the problems known from existing PFBC systems. The quantifiable objectives are: - Low CO2 capture costs (less than 20 Euro/t for atmospheric, less than 12 Euro/t for pressurized sy stems) - Acceptable efficiency penalty for CO2 capture (less than about equal to 6 percent nel). - greater than 90 percent carbon capture for new power plants and greater than 60 percent for retrofitted existing plants - A purge gas stream containing greater than 95 percent CO2 - A solid purge usable for cement production - Sim ultaneous sulphur and CO2 removal with sulphur recovery option Approach: Limestone is a CO2 carrier. The CO2 can be released easily in a conventional calcination process, well known in the cement and lime industry. By integrating a closed carbonation/calc ination loop in the flue gas of a conventional CFB-boiler, the CO2 in the flue gas can be removed. The heat required for calcination is released during carbonation and can be utilised efficiently (high temperature) in the steam cycle of the boiler. Concent rated CO2 can be generated when using oxygen blown calcination. Because the fuel required for supplying heat for calcination is only a fraction of the total fuel requirements, the required oxygen is only about 1/3 of the oxygen required for oxyfuel process es. The work programme: 1.Definition of the technical and economic boundary conditions 2.Selection and improvement of sorbent materials 3.Lab scale and semi-technical scale process development (experimental work) 4.Technical and economic evaluation 5.Des ign of a 1 MWth Pilot plant.

Environmental risk assessment of pharmaceuticals (ERAPHARM)

The overall objective of ERAP harm is to improve and complement existing knowledge and procedures for the environmental risk assessment (ERA) of human and veterinary pharmaceuticals. Based on EU regulatory frameworks on the ERA of pharmaceuticals and on the outcome of previous projects ERAP harm will address the following aspects: It will investigate previously unstudied major routes leading to exposure of the terrestrial and aquatic environment and subsequent fate of pharmaceuticals in surface water and sediment. Factors and processes affecting the behavior of pharmaceuticals in the environment will be studied on the laboratory, semi-field and fieldscale. A scenario-based exposure assessment system will be developed for predicting concentrations of pharmaceuticals in soils, surface waters and sediments and leaching to groundwater. It will be investigated if environmentally relevant concentrations of pharmaceuticals pose a risk to aquatic and terrestrial organisms. Pharmaceuticals and selected transformation products will be screened using in vitro and low complexity bioanalytical tests in order to provide a first hazard characterization and to target higher tier testing. Higher tier test methods will be improved and applied for detecting the effects of long-term, low-level exposure to pharmaceuticals on aquatic and terrestrial invertebrates and fish. It will be evaluated if information on pharmaco- and toxicodynamics in mammalian species can be used to predict effects of pharmaceuticals on environmental organisms. Moreover, the effects of antibiotics on microbial communities will be studied with a main focus on the spread of genetically encoded resistance. Based on the developed approaches recommendations will be provided on how to improve the ERA procedures for pharmaceuticals. A guidance document will be compiled that will be made available to regulators, industry and the scientific community.

Integration of Renewable Energy Sources and Distributed Generation into the European Electricity Grid (IRED)

Objective: Background: There are seven projects running which are supported by the European Commission under FP5 dealing with the integration of Renewable Energy Sources (RES) and Distributed Generation (DG). This cluster represents a total budget of about 35 million? More than 100 participating institutions from research, industry and the utility sector are contributing. Proposed Actions: The subject of the proposed CA is to extend the existing cluster activities in such a way that a real European added value by mobilising research will be obtained as a major contribution to the ERA. This extension will be realized by the inclusion of forthcoming projects supported by FP6 by national and regional activities. 1. A systematic exchange of information by improving links to relevant research, to regulatory bodies and to policies and schemes on the European, the national, the regional and the international level. 2. Set-up of strategic actions such as trans-national co-operation, the organization and a co-ordination of common initiatives on standards, testing procedures and the establishment of common education. 3. Identification of the highest priority research topics in the field of integration and formation of appropriate realization schemes. a) The establishment of an expert-group covering important cross-cutting areas such as power-quality, ICT/IST, laboratory experiments est.) The formation of a group of contact persons to national, regional and international policy). Set-up of a full data- and information-exchange system with links to national, regional and international information systems).

Energy Storage for Direct Steam Solar Power Plants (DISTOR)

Objective: Solar thermal power plants represent today's most economic systems to generate electricity from solar insulation in them-range in regions like the Mediterranean area. By demonstrating the feasibility of direct steam generation in the absorber pipes European industry and research institutions have gained a leading position in this technology area. A key element foray successful market penetration is the availability of storage systems to reduce the dependence on the course of solarinsolation. The most important benefits result from -reduced internal costs due to increased efficiency and extended utilisation of the power block-facilitating the integration of a solar power plant into an electrical grid-adoption of electricity production to the demand thus increasing revenues Efficient storage systems for steam power plants demand transfer of energy during the charging/discharging process at constant temperatures. The DISTOR project focuses on the development of systems using phase change materials (PCM) as storage media. In order to accelerate the development, the DISTOR project is based on parallel research on three different storage concepts. These concepts include innovative aspects like encapsulated PCM, evaporation heat transfer and new design concepts. This parallel approach takes advantage of synergy effects and will enable the identification of the most promising storage concept. A consortium covering the various aspects of design and manufacturing has been formed from manufacturers, engineering companies and research institutions experienced in solar thermal power plants and PCM technology. The project will provide advanced storage material based on PCM for the temperature range of 200-300 C adapted to the needs of Direct Steam generation thus expanding Europe's strong position in solar thermal power plants.

Remote Sensing and Geo informatio n processing in the assessment and monitoring of land degradation and desertification in support of the UNCCD. State of the art and operational perspectives (DESERTSTOP)

In the past years, the persisting threat of desertification and degradation of natural resources has resulted in a large number of initiatives and research efforts on a global scale, including the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification. Despite significant progress, knowledge still remains fragmented in many fields, especially with respect to the definition of related indicators or early warning systems. The specific support activity 'Remote Sensing and Geoinformation processing in the assessment and monitoring of land degradation and desertification in support of the UNCCD. State of the art and operational perspectives', intends to serve as a platform to bring together leading scientists working in the fields of remote sensing and geoinformatics with a focus on desertification and land degradation with potential users. A dedicated conference striving for attention on a world wide level will be the core around which various other activities are assembled. Commissioned studies in specific target fields will provide an overview on the state of the art, being complemented through methodological and application studies. Besides taking care of a sound scientific management and logistic organisation of the conference, major efforts will be dedicated towards the international visibility of the event and its results by providing for a high-level dissemination following different pathways (abstract book/CDROM, special issues of scientific journals, printed conference proceedings). A web site will provide further dissemination of the project as well as dynamic elements. Following principles set forth by the Commission under the ENRICH initiative and the quest to strengthen the European Research Area, the project will address renowned scientific experts, and support the participation of experts and stakeholders from third world and developing countries, which are often among the regions most affected from desertification and land degradation.

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