by cidaut | Mar 15, 2018 | Sin categoría
The first Review Meeting of VULKANO project took place in Zaragoza on 13-14th December 2017 with the presence of the Project Technical Advisor of the European Commission. The meeting gathered more than 30 members from the consortium in order to review the general status of the project after the first eighteen months of execution.
The project has satisfactorily achieved its objectives throughout this time, obtaining useful results:
- Operating conditions of the two demo site furnaces (steel and ceramic sector) and the requirements from the new technology solutions to be implemented at the furnace have been defined.
- Development of high temperature PCM. Laboratory tests have been carried out to compare the results obtained in simulations. Pre-implementation has been performed in a ceramic furnace.
- Compositions of the new refractories blend have been reported. For steel furnace, materials based on alumina are used, while based on zirconia materials have been employed for the ceramic furnace.
- Feasibility of the natural gas substitution by the different syngas sources has been analyzed and CFD simulation of syngas/natural gas mixtures with adapted co-firing burners has been performed.
- The development and implementation of the furnace monitoring and control system has been updated.
- Development and implementation of a flexible holistic in-house predictive tool prioritizing the critical parameters for each sector.
- Technical documentation to start the construction of the replica furnace has been prepared.
- An updated market analysis presentation has been carried out.
As Task leader on WP5.1 “Designing and validating of co-firing systems”, CIDAUT presented to the Project Technical Advisor the results obtained in the feasibility assessment of natural gas substitution by alternative fuels (co-firing) in furnaces. Several syngas streams were considered from biomass gasification and process off-gases from steal sector.
With the results of the assessment, IEn as Task leader on WP5.2, presented the co-firing CFD simulations, jointly undertaken by IEn and CIDAUT for the unmodified burners. A deployment plan to design new adapted burners for an optimal co-firing was also established.
More info: http://www.vulkano-h2020.eu/
Keywords: VULKANO, co-firing, syngas, furnaces
by cidaut | Mar 15, 2018 | Energy
On 31ST January 2018, the second VALORCOMP project meeting took place at the CIDAUT Foundation facilities in Boecillo (Valladolid). The meeting was attended by the whole consortium with representatives of all project activities.
The meeting started with a brief technical review of the activities that are being carried out in the framework of thermochemical, material and agronomic use of compost within the project. Each partner exposed the results obtained and the next actions. In a common way, the problem associated with the presence of glass and inert material was pointed out and it will be important in future activities. On behalf of the main industrial partner of the project, Resíduos do Nordeste, emphasis was placed on the concept of Biorefinery to which the waste treatment centers will migrate, as well as the concept of Circular Economy that underlies the entire VALORCOMP project.
Another the relevant point of the meeting was the presentation of the project logo, which has already been accepted by the consortium. The designed logo tries to encompass the three fields of action of exploitation of VALORCOMP project represented by the three circles, deepening in the idea of Circular Economy.
At the same time, it was made the presentation of the project’s website which is already operational: http://www.valorcomp.ipb.pt. This website will be the showcase of dissemination where the results of the project will be published, as well as all the relevant information, news and events generated. As more content is generated, the information will be expanded, as well as expanding the dissemination channels.
Finally, the calendar of the next meetings was set, which will be held at the facilities of the Polytechnic Institute of Bragança and Resíduos do Nordeste in April and July 2018 respectively.
This project is co-financed by the programme of cooperation INTERREG V-A Spain-Portugal (POCTEP) 2014-2020 and will run until September 2019. Project VALORCOMP aims to contribute cooperatively to solve cross-border problems in the valorisation of waste generated in the treatment of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste.
Tags: VALORCOMP, compost, residues, POCTEP
by cidaut | Mar 15, 2018 | Energy
A new meeting was held to monitor the MOVBIO project in the facilities of the Center for Waste Valorisation (CVR) in Guimarães (Portugal) on January 18th and partners of Portugal and Spain with representatives of all project activities attended the meeting. The progress of the project in the study of the potential of pruning biomass for energy use in the north of Portugal and Castilla-León was shown. One of the purposes of the meeting was to establish the contents of the project’s website (www.movbio.eu) and the following milestones of the project aimed at preparing the final biomass potential report. The definition of case studies in which to validate the use of this biomass and the interaction with other projects related to the use of pruning such as the UP-running and BIOMASA-AP projects was also evaluated.
This meeting was completed the next day with a technical conference that included a demonstration in the field. It was possible to verify the pruning techniques of actinidia (kiwi) and of the vine, as well as its collection in the field for future energy use. Both species present a great potential in the north of Portugal and are of great interest in the scope of the MOVBIO project.
This project is co-financed by the programme of cooperation INTERREG V-A Spain-Portugal (POCTEP) 2014-2020 and will run until December 2019.
by cidaut | Mar 15, 2018 | Sin categoría
FCH Regions and cities initiative (http://www.fch.europa.eu/page/about-initiative) has set a series of workshops of the in different cities throughout in February- March 2018. The first one took place the 14th of February in Puertollano (Spain) in the National Centre of Hydrogen facilities. CIDAUT and Valladolid City Council had the opportunity to assist as part of the consortium of the initiative.
The workshop was attended by the mayor of Puertollano, Mayte Fernández, who together with the Minister of Economy of Castilla La Mancha, Patricia Franco, welcomed the opening of the Congress. Both stressed that the workshop was a good opportunity to expose the great potential of hydrogen in terms of energy. Emilio Nieto as Director of the National Centre of Hydrogen made an introduction to give way to the beginning of the workshop.
The workshop also had the presence of Enrique Girón as a representative of the FCHJU who kindly attended to all the doubts of the attendees regarding the initiative, as well as other issues related to projects financing. During the whole workshop the debate was moderated by the Roland Berger consultancy as coordinators of the initiative.
The different speakers were exposing the opportunities of hydrogen as an alternative energy source. Thus, Guillermo Figueruelo of the Hidrogeno Aragón Foundation presented the different projects they are involved such as HyER and BIGH2IT.
Carlos Funez presented the projects on hydrogen generation, hydrogen refuelling stations and the promotion of hydrogen vehicles from the point of view of CNH2 and INDHO. Jose Antonio Gago from ENAGAS presented a flagship proposal on Hydrogen corridors to cover Spain and Portugal, proposal that is supported by numerous entities that gathers a great consortium.
Regarding Valladolid, Henar Olmedo from CIDAUT stated that the City Council of Valladolid is working in a FCH roadmap, and, as signatory of the Covenant of Mayors, it has a Sustainable Energy and Savings Plan (SEAP). Any improvement of energy efficiency goes through the study and use of alternative energy to fossils such as renewable energy and can be hydrogen. The project to be implemented by the city council comes first in the awareness of citizens towards an unknown source of energy and reputed to be dangerous. Within the FCH technologies, the municipality has in mind the use of hydrogen in garbage trucks or buses.
Finally, as the closing of the event, the attendance of all the participants was appreciated and the next workshop was located in April, possibly in Santander.
by cidaut | Mar 15, 2018 | Energy, Sin categoría
The National Congress on Climate Change CNAC’18 (https://www.cnac2018.com/) took place on 19, 20 and 21 February in the Aula Magna of the University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD) in Vila Real (Portugal).
This event arises from the need to discuss a current and pertinent problem, targeting students of higher and secondary education, researchers, teachers, technicians, auxiliaries and the public in general. There are many myths and taboos surrounding the dialogue on climate change and in this event it is intended to diagnose, elucidate and discuss the essential aspects of a problem that affects all of us.
The congress was divided into two parts: oral presentations and workshops. The oral presentations were extended throughout the first two days and they were focused on different aspects related to the impacts and challenges associated with climate change.
CIDAUT, invited by Residuos do Nordeste and UTAD, had the opportunity to make a presentation on sustainable transport and hydrogen applications in transport. An analysis of the current context of greenhouse emissions and other types of emissions (such as NOx and particles) associated with transport and the need to search for sustainable alternatives was carried out. Likewise, it was carried out a review of the main fuel cell and hydrogen technologies available and the applications of these technologies in land, maritime and air transport. An extensive review was made not only of the development projects but of the applications that are already on the market.
It was concluded that fuel cell and hydrogen technology is a mature technology with multiple demonstration projects of different vehicle typologies worldwide that are already a reality. There are vehicle typologies where mobility based on H2 is already competitive with batteries and a significant reduction in battery and battery costs is expected. Nevertheless, it is necessary to continue with performance improvements and reductions in weight and volume. Besides,the development of H2-based mobility requires a deployment infrastructure set.
Tags: Climate change, hydrogen
by cidaut | Mar 15, 2018 | Sin categoría
In the framework of the process of the Circular Economy Strategy and the Bioeconomy Plan, promoted by the Regional Government of Castilla y León through the Ministry of Development and Environment and the Ministry of Economy and Finance, respectively, a cycle of dissemination days and a meeting point for the development of projects and initiatives was launched in the end of 2017.
The last meeting took place on February 22, 2018: “Circular Economy and Bioeconomy: closing the cycle of organic matter: from bio-waste to bioproducts” in the PRAE building of Valladolid and was organized by the Institute for Business Competitiveness of Castilla y León (ICE). CIDAUT had the opportunity to attendas well as to exchange impressions and opinions on the use of organic matter in line with the principles of the Circular Economy.
The day brought together a group of papers aimed at highlighting the potential use of bio-waste and its organic matter as a raw material for the productive cycle or the natural cycle (nutrients, proteins, etc.), regarding the remains of agricultural or forestry operations, such as solid domestic or commercial waste and the remains of agro-food industries.
Among these uses fertilizers, compost or the production of biofuels and energy were highlighted as the most basic ones. The interest to obtain products with higher added value such as new foods, new materials or compounds for the pharmaceutical, cosmetic or other industries was also mentioned. The problem associated with the use of the organic fraction of the municipal solid waste from non-selective collection composted was highlighted. This problem is the one dealt with in the VALORCOMP project in which CIDAUT participates.
Tags: Circular Economy, residues, bioeconomy
by cidaut | Jan 19, 2018 | Energy
The first review meeting of VALORCOMP project took place the 20th of October 2017 and was held in School of Industrial Engineering (EII) at the University of Valladolid. All the members of the consortium were represented as the first review of the progress of the tasks was made. The meeting was attended by Instituto Politécnico de Bragança (Principal Beneficiary), Fundación CIDAUT, Universidad de Valladolid, Resíduos do Nordeste and Nertatec.
The meeting started with a general evaluation of the project and introducing the agenda of the meeting by the project coordinator. Regarding the major operational activities, it was started by CIDAUT making an exhibition about the results of compost characterization from the point of view of thermochemical valorisation in activity 1. A comparison of results was made between the samples collected in the previous meeting and the visit to the Mechanical and Biological Treatment Unit (UTMB) in July 2017. It was pointed out the relevant amount of glass present in the different samples, a main problem and object of an in-depth study. The results of activity 1 were complemented by IPB with the work done in relation to the study of the adsorption process using activated carbon as adsorbent from treated compost. It was revealed that one of the objectives was to establish a ranking of activated carbon from biomass considering CO2 separation.
IPB subsequently focused its exposition on the results obtained in activity 2 on the analysis of the material valorisation of the compost. The presentations focused on two aspects: the advances on the use of treated compost as adsorbent of different chemical compounds and a first approach for the use of compost in ecological bricks.
Activity 3 was commented by the UVA and by IPB jointly. The UVA showed the results of characterization of the samples collected in July. This characterization was made from an agronomic point of view making clear that the presence of glass and improper represents a relevant problem. IPB, on the other hand, showed its advances in the use of leached waters with a first characterization.
Finally, a review was made of the transversal activities such as management and dissemination activities. Topics such as the project logo, as well as the launch of the website and attendance at events were established as priorities.
After the technical review of tasks, next meeting was planned to be held in CIDAUT facilities on February 2018.
This project is co-financed by the programme of cooperation INTERREG V-A Spain-Portugal (POCTEP) 2014-2020 and will run until September 2019. Project VALORCOMP aims to contribute cooperatively to solve cross-border problems in the valorisation of waste generated in the treatment of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste.
by cidaut | Jan 19, 2018 | Materials
All partners of the ALMAGIC, -Contract No. 755515 is a Clean Sky 2 funded Project-, gathered for reviewing the work done during the first six months. This meeting took place at Helmholtz facilities (Germany) on 16-17 November 2017.
During the meeting a general revision of the status of the project was done. Each WP leader presented the work that had been developed, and any question or doubt was solved at the moment.
On the first day, the meeting was focused on the technical activities done during the first six months of the project. During this period the main work has been focused on WP1, WP2 and WP3, which are related with the developing of chromium-free alternative coatings for aluminium and magnesium. The last part of the first day was dedicated to explain the work plan of WP 5 (“Test and Validation”) concerning the different validation tests in the project.
The second meeting day was fully dedicated to the Management and Dissemination of ALMAGIC. The main aspects of the project were reviewed: deliverables, future meetings, etc. The meeting finalised with the visit HZG facilities, were shown and on the second day a brief tour to show the capabilities of the centre was organized.
For more information on ALMAGIC, please visit http://www.cidaut.es/almagic-project/
by cidaut | Jan 19, 2018 | Energy
Different events on Circular Economy have taken place in the last months in Valladolid and CIDAUT took the opportunity to participate in them.
Entrepreneurs from all over the country gathered on Friday 3rd and Saturday 4th of November in Valladolid to promote an innovative model of a more responsible economy. The Agency of Innovation and Economic Development of Valladolid celebrated this weekend the first edition of Circularweekend, a national innovation meeting to learn to launch ideas with circular business models, modernize companies implementing more efficient processes in the use of resources and get in touch with all the agents of the circular economy ecosystem.
Attendees of the “Circularweekend” conference.
The meeting, organized by Enviroo and aimed at making the concept of circular economy more practical, has had workshops to solve the challenges of this type of economic model and launch new projects.
CIDAUT was present in the first day and with its participation helped to promote in this way an innovative model of economy based on the value of products, materials and resources being kept in the economy for as long as possible, thus helping to minimize the generation of waste.
Moreover, CIDAUT has participated in the conference on “Circular Economy: New models of production and consumption” organized by the Institute for Business Competitiveness of Castilla y León (ICE) on 29th of November. It took place at PRAE (Environmental and Educational Proposals) facilities in Valladolid. This initiative is part of the Circular Economy and Bioeconomy Strategy, promoted by the Government of Castilla y León through the Departments of Development and Environment and Economy and Finance, respectively. More specifically, it belongs to the activity of dissemination of the Circular Economy and the bioeconomy between the society of Castile and Leon in order to promote initiatives in cooperation.
The attendance and participation in these conferences by CIDAUT has allowed knowing in greater depth the framework of work on the use of waste within the scope of the circular economy, as well as the main barriers and opportunities that they generate.
Tags: Circular Economy, residues
by cidaut | Jan 19, 2018 | Energy
CIDAUT continues with the dissemination of the advantages of employing the tools of Industry 4.0 in the field of renewable energy generation and energy efficiency under the name of CIDERPLUS 4.0.
CIDERPLUS 4.0 encompasses the design of computer applications that based on cloud computing allow the efficient management of generation equipment through the use of predictive algorithms of demand, on-line predictive maintenance, as well as the definition of ICT tools that facilitate the work of operation, maintenance and monitoring of this type of facilities.
These ideas have been exposed by CIDAUT in two important forums held in November: the III National Forum of Energy Management – FOROGEn 2017 and the V National Congress of R&D in Defense and Security (DESEi +d 2017).
The III National Energy Management Forum – FOROGEn 2017 – is a meeting place for companies interested in improving their energy efficiency and energy management professionals. The third edition was celebrated on 16th November 2017 at the headquarters of the COAM (Official College of Architects of Madrid). Through short and dynamic presentations, consumer companies shared their experiences in energy management. CIDAUT had the opportunity to present its concept of CIDERPLUS 4.0.
From the 22nd to the 24th of November 2017, the V edition of the National Congress of R&D in Defense and Security (DESEi+d 2017) was held at the Toledo Infantry Academy. It is the reference point of the R&D sector in Defense and Security, putting in contact the main public and private agents: members of the Armed Forces, universities, companies, University Centers, research institutes, etc.
Within the congress, Cidaut participated in the thematic area of Plataforms-Energy, showing the application of industry 4.0 in the efficient use of renewable energy integrated on CIDERPLUS 4.0.
Tags: CIDERPLUS 4.0
