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Resolving the impact of climatic processes on ecosystems of the North Atlantic basin and shelf seas: Integrating and advancing observation, monitoring, and prediction (BASIN)

The scale of influence of global change and the added value of co-ordinating the scientific activities of the EU and North American countries to assess, predict and mitigate the effects on marine ecosystems of the North Atlantic and their services is the justification for the development of the BASIN SSA. An important step towards such a co-ordinated approach is the development of an implementation plan where by jointly funded international projects can be supported. The development of such a plan is the first key goal of BASIN. The second goal of BASIN is to develop an integrated basin-scale North Atlantic research program, for submission to the EU 7th framework program, US NSF and Canadian NSERC for joint funding. Programmatic goals will be achieved in working groups including experts from both the EU and North America as well as delegates from funding organisations. As a prerequisite for the development of the research proposal, this SSA will (1) assess the status of climate related ecosystem research in the North Atlantic basin and associated shelf seas, (2) identify gaps in systematic observations and process understanding of atmospheric and oceanic parameters, (3) identify the potential for consolidation of long-term observations from EU and international databases for modelling and prediction. The BASIN research program will focus on: Resolving the natural variability, potential impacts and feedbacks of global change on the structure, function and dynamics of ecosystems; Improving the understanding of marine ecosystem functioning; Developing ecosystem based management strategies. Hence, BASIN will contribute significantly to the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) 10-Year Implementation Plan via the development of comprehensive, coordinated, and sustained observations of the Earth System, improved monitoring of the state of the Earth, increased understanding of Earth processes, and enhanced prediction.

Development of Best Practices and Identification of Breakthrough Technologies in Automotive Engineering Simulation (AUTOSIM)

Objective: Major organisations in the European automotive industry have seen substantial benefit from the integration of modelling and simulation into their design process. Today, there is a need for more widespread adoption of engineering simulation throughout the supply chain. At the same time, technology is being developed that offers the potential to reach a new generation of advanced applications.A number of key issues are currently holding these developments back, including: A lack of sufficiently skilled personnel and inefficiencies in their use. Smaller organisations not being ready or able to deploy the technology. Limits to the confidence placed on the reliability of analytical results. Suppliers using different procedures when supplying to different companies. Researchers needing a coordinated industrial view on priorities for the development of breakthrough technologies. AUTOSIM will establish an international team of leading experts representing much of the European automotive industry. They will develop a preliminary set of Best Practice Guidelines, standard analytical procedures and research strategies. They will then consult with the wider automotive industry to gain feedback on the preliminary documents and establish credibility of the final documents.Final authoritative versions of these Best Practice Guidelines, standard analytical procedures and research strategies will be delivered and widely disseminated. Their adoption throughout the industry will: Increase the efficiency and improve the quality of simulation. Increase the efficiency of the supply chain. Enable simulation to be practiced more effectively by a broad range of personnel. Coordinate ongoing research by providing a focused set of priorities. Assist industry to plan its future implementation strategy for simulation. With these actions, AUTOSIM will contribute substantially to advancing design techniques in the European automotive industry.

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.

Development of new intermodal loading units and dedicated adaptors for the trimodal transport of bulk materials in Europe (TRIMOTRANS)

Objective: The constitution of the common European market is accompanied by continuously increasing cross-border goods and passenger traffic. Road transportation is facing a rapidly increasing congestion whilein the contrary the available capacities in railway transportation as well as inland waterwaytransportation are being underutilised. A redistribution of the carriage of goods is urgently needed, but up to now the most important obstacles consists in the incompatible interfaces between the various carriers and the diversity of loading devices being used in the EU. Main objective of the project is the development of new intermodal loading units including devices (ISO-bulk container and Roll-off container), capable adaptors and mobile fixtures suitable for the trimodal transport of bulk and packaged goods at road, railway and inland waterways. Essential element of the project is the design and integration of innovative adaptors for lifting and shifting operations of the loading units. This will lead to an optimum on intermodal compatibility. The goals are in conformity with the aims of the Specific Programme 'Sustainable Surface Transport', research domain 3.16. 'Development of equipment for fast loading / unloading of intermodal transport units'. By application of the new loading units the logistic chain can be set up without changing the loading unit throughout the whole door-to-door transport process. The transhipping procedures do not require crane technology any more and the costs will be reduced substantially. The uniformity of the specialinternal features as well as the compliance with the ISO-container dimensions will contribute to the harmonisation of loading units. The projects includes the development of containers, adaptors and mobile units, test and demonstration of two prototypes and dissemination and exploitation of the results. The consortium consists of ten partner with six SMEs from five countries (G, HU, CH, A,CR)

Bringing Retrofit Innovation to Application in Public Buildings (BRITA IN PUBS)

Objective: The BRITA proposal on Eco-buildings aims to increase the market penetration of innovative and effective retrofit solutions to improve energy and implement renewables, with moderate additional costs. In the first place, this will be realised by the exemplary retrofit of 9 demonstration public buildings in the four participating European region (North, Central, South, East). By choosing public buildings of different types such as colleges, cultural centres, nursery homes, student houses, churches etc. for implementing the measures it will awareness and sensitise society on energy conservation. Secondly, the research work packages will include the socio-economic research such as the identification of real project-planning needs and financing strategies, the assessment of design guidelines, the development of an internet-based knowledge tool on retrofit measures and case studies and a quality control-tool box to secure a good long-term performance of the building and the systems.

High efficiency engine r&d on combustion with ultra low emissions for ships (HERCULES)

Objective: The HERCULES I.P. will develop new technologies to drastically reduce gaseous and particulate emissions from marine engines and concurrently increase engine efficiency and reliability, hence reduce specific fuel consumption, CO2 emissions and engine lifecy cle costs. Successive objectives for improvements to be available onboard ships are set for the years 2010 and 2020. These objectives will be attained through interrelated developments in thermodynamics and mechanics of 'extreme' parameter engines, advance d combustion concepts, multistage intelligent turbocharging, 'hot' engines with energy recovery and compounding, internal emission reduction methods and advanced aftertreatment techniques, new sensors for emissions and performance monitoring, adaptive cont rol for intelligent engines. Advanced process models and engineering software tools will be developed, to assist in component design. Prototype components will be manufactured and rig-tested. Engine experimental designs will be assessed on testbeds to vali date the new technologies and confirm the achieved objectives. Full-scale shipboard testing of chosen systems will demonstrate the potential benefits of next-generation marine engines. The work is structured in 9 Workpackages, with 18 Tasks and 54 Subproje cts. The Consortium includes engine makers, component suppliers and equipment manufacturers, compounded by renowned universities and research institutions, as well as, world-class shipping companies. The partners hold 80Prozent of the world market in marine engi nes and hence are the keepers of today's best-available-technology.'

Development and validation of technical and economic feasibility of a multi MW Wave Dragon offshore wave energy converter (WAVE DRAGON MW)

Objective: The Wave Dragon is a slack-moored wave energy converter of the overtopping type. It is by far the most powerful wave energy converter and at the same time one of the most energy efficient and economic devices under development today. Since March 2003 a 20kW scale 1:4.5 prototype of a 7MW Wave Dragon has been tested as the world's first floating grid connected wave energy converter. The project will develop the Wave Dragon technology further from the tested all steel-built 20kW prototype to a full size composite built 7MW unit and by testing validate the technical and economic feasibility. The RTD-part of the project will: - Develop Wave Dragon's energy absorbing structure, the low head turbine power take-off system and the control systems. An additional reservoir placed above the existing reservoir level will also be developed. The result of these changes to the overall design will be a significant increase in power production and a reduction in O&M cost. The development of the 7MW unit will be based on the knowledge base established through the tests with the 20kW prototype and the design process will comprise several innovative elements utilizing the O&M experience from the 20kW prototype tests. - Develop cost effective construction methods and establish the optimal combination of in situ cast concrete, post- stressed reinforcement and pre-stressed concrete elements - Develop new supplementary environmental friendly water hydraulic power take-off systems - Demonstrate reliable and cost effective installation procedures and O&M schemes - Establish the necessary basis for design codes and recommendations for floating multi MW wave energy converters. The test program will demonstrate the availability, power production predictability, power production capability and medium to long term electricity generation costs at 0.052EUR/kWh in a wave climate of 24kW/m, which could be found relatively close to the cost at the major part of the Atlantic coast.

European Optimised Pantograph Catenary Interface (EUROPAC)

Objective: Europac will gather major European railway stakeholders around a research project on vehicle-infrastructure interaction through the pantograph-catenary contact. The project aims at enhancing interoperability between pantographs and catenaries all over Europe, decreasing the number of incidents related to this system, and reducing maintenance costs by improving preventive maintenance and diminishing corrective maintenance. On that purpose, Europac will develop a comprehensive system composed of a joint interoperable software, an on-board monitoring system and a track-side monitoring station. The Europac software is designed to predict the interoperability between any present and future pantograph and catenary. Moreover, it is intended to take into account up to now unaddressed effects of deteriorated conditions such as extreme temperatures, cross-winds, wear or defects in devices. The on-board monitoring system aims at detecting defects in a catenary, identifying their origins and evaluating their seriousness. The goal of the track-side monitoring station is to evaluate both compatibility and quality of a pantograph coming into a network. The two systems will combine human-like expert-systems with real-time analyses. Europac's contribution to integration of European railways is manifold: - At the regulation level, it will help refining interoperability specifications and standards and defining new ones. - At the industrial level, it will help manufacturers to comply with interoperability requirements while reducing their development costs. - At the operational level, it will allow railway operators and infrastructure managers to both increase interoperability and reinforce reliability of their rolling stocks and infrastructures. Increased productivity along with economies of scale allowed by interoperability will radically improve competitiveness of the railway transport, thus reversing the trend in favour to this environmentally-friendly mode of transport.

Sustainable energy management systems (SEMS)

Objective: The aim of this project is to turn 4 core communities (Germany, Austria, Luxemburg, Poland) with clearly defined system borders and 14 - 20.000 inhabitants each into CONCERTO communities. A mix of different EE and RES demonstrations (including refurbishment of old buildings, eco-buildings and polygeneration, all underpinned with complete business plans) will allow to avoid about 300 GWh/yr end energy from fossil sources, thus avoiding 94.000 tons CO2/yr, and saving 22.9 mio Euro/yr of disbursements for extra-communal electricity and heat deliveries. The application of the Decentralised Energy Management System (DEMS) will allow for local and inter-communal operation, monitoring and control of energy consumption, storage and generation units and grids, including DSM and LCP, thereby exploring a EE potential of at least 5Prozent. The target in RES coverage for 2010 is of resp. 39 to 62Prozent of the then remaining electricity and heat demand. EnerMAS, a low-threshold version of the European environmental management system.

Integrated small scale solar heating and cooling systems for a sustainable air-conditioning of buildings (SOLERA)

Objective: The project aims to develop highly integrated solar heating and cooling systems for small and medium capacity applications which are easily installed and economically and socially sustainable. The envisioned applications are residential houses, small office buildings and hotels. The goal is to use the excess solar heat in summer to power a thermally driven cooling process in order to provide cooling for air-conditioning. In the heating season the solar system is used to provide direct heating. The proposed project therefore aims to demonstrate the technical feasibility, reliability and cost effectiveness of these systems, specially conceived as integrated systems to be offered on the market as complete packages which will make better use of the available solar radiation as present systems.

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