sustainability matters june/july 2013

http://www.nextgenzincalume.com.au

4 Sustainability Matters - June/July 2013 www.SustainabilityMatters.net.au

contents June/July 2013

6 A recycling industry perspective

8 Beyond best practice for infrastructure design

10 Case studies

20 Air change effectiveness contributes to Green Star

26 Funky food from fruit by-products

27 Research & development

41 Resource centre Legislation, governance, programs and industry links to help guide your sustainability development

42 Game changer for wastewater recycling

Westwick-Farrow Media is committed to using environmentally responsible print services to produce our publications.

PAPER This edition is printed on recycled paper (FSC Mixed Sources Certified) from an elemental chlorine free process.

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AEven though I’m still relatively ‘young’, I can remember a time when sustainability was the norm rather than some-thing we strive to achieve.

We repaired clothes and appliances, ate leftovers, drank milk from recycled glass bottles and had one tiny bin for a family of five. There are many benefits associated with our improved lifestyle and standard of living, but the amount of waste gener-ated in our consumer-driven society is not one of them. When it is more economical to buy a new appliance rather than repair the old one, it is difficult to resist the throwaway mentality.

Waste is big business and can be con-sidered both a problem and an opportunity. The European initiative ReNEW (Resource Innovation Network for European Waste) is exploring new ways to extract valuable resources - such as metals, nutrients and chemicals - from household and indus-trial waste. Closer to home, Yarra Valley Water is developing an innovative waste-to-energy facility in the northern suburbs of Melbourne which will convert organic waste destined for landfills into energy.

Educating our youth on protecting the environment and the sustainability cause may be another part of the solution to make sure our future society values waste. The SITA school education program is a great initiative for getting the resource recovery message out there in the schools. The workshops focus on particular aspects of waste management, from the basics of using the council bin system and what happens to waste, to the mysteries of recycling and the importance of composting.

Carolyn [email protected]

Cover image: ©stock.xchng@cr55

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Leadingthe way

Grant Musgrove is the CEO of ACOR, a national advocacy body for the resource recovery and recycling industry. ACOR represents approximately 40 organisations nationally in both the public and private sectors.

The sustainability of the radical rise

in Australian paper and plastics

exports is questionable. Quite

dramatically, recent contaminated

shipments of plastics and

other recyclables destined

for China were refused entry at

customs en masse, regardless of

whether a commercial transaction

has been completed.

With all the discussion regarding container deposit legislation, packaging regulatory reviews and product stewardship, it is timely to step back and examine the key drivers to sustainable packaging and global trends.

A recycling industry perspective

The current Decision Regula-tory Impact Statement (DRIS) under development is, in part, in response to a perception that the Australian Packaging

Covenant may not meet its targets and a hard-fought campaign to introduce container deposit legislation to Australia by environmental groups, but resisted by the beverage industry in particular.

From ACOR’s perspective, a more fundamental issue is the trend in packag-ing design towards one-time use justified by the application of life cycle analysis (LCA). Importantly, this framework seeks to minimise resource inputs to achieve fewer ‘bad’ outcomes. However, LCA is fraught with methodological boundary issues and is based on cradle-to-grave thinking in a world of finite resources, and can be easily confused with sustain-able packaging.

While LCA does align with the waste hierarchy which speaks of the urgent need for radical reductions in the amount of re-sources we consume, the waste hierarchy itself is linear, not circular. Manufacturers marketing in consumer packaging or mar-keters working in packaging companies often produce packaging that reduces resource inputs to principally compete for consumer preferences, which can result in absurdly complex multimaterial containers that are not compatible with recycling systems.

With one fifth of the world’s popula-tion, 70% of China’s ‘waste’ is imported and packaging pollution is now seen as a threat to its social stability and eco-nomic and environmental sustainability. An amendment to China’s 2003 Cleaner Production Law to include a ban on the production and use of excessive packag-ing took effect from July 2012. It makes companies responsible for avoiding exces-sive packaging, with packaging required to contain no more than three layers. China will be one of the first countries to attempt to regulate the volume and materials used in packaging. This is

the first step on a long path towards packaging design for recovery by law. The sustainability of the radical rise in Australian paper and plastics exports is questionable. Quite dramatically, recent contaminated shipments of plastics and other recyclables destined for China were refused entry at customs en masse, regard-less of whether a commercial transaction has been completed. There is also now a zero export demand for glass recycling. The lightweighting of glass, justified in LCA/waste hierarchy terms as resource minimisation, has resulted in a 100% recyclable material being smashed into glass fines and rendered unrecyclable by any commercially viable means - a lost resource at the design phase. It seems Australia may no longer be able to just put its recycling on a ship to somewhere else.

To make matters more challenging, internationally, a packaging consumption time bomb is ticking with the World Bank forecasting a 47% increase in packaging by 2025. Once GDP per capita reaches approximately $10,000 US per annum (ie, middle class by global standards) then the markets for and units of packaging escalate dramatically.

All of this has profound implications for supply chains, Australian policy set-tings, infrastructure needs domestically and packaging recovery systems. Interna-tional markets will trend towards cleaner high-value streams through source separa-tion and new technologies and force local reprocessing of contaminated streams. Ultimately, resource scarcity and prices will force packaging to be designed to be made again, because resources will be too expensive for one-time use. This will require systems thinking by governments and industry. Industry consolidation and much closer integration of recovery, recycling and packaging companies and government mandated systems will be needed. ACOR will continue to lead the recycling industry and advise govern-ments on these transformations.

http://www.ecoexpoasia.com/ex/04


Beyond best practice for infrastructure designTenix has been awarded Australia’s first ever Infrastructure Sustainability (IS) Design rating, achieving an ‘Excellent’ rating level for the design of two sewage treatment plants (STPs) at Cannonvale and Proserpine in North Queensland.

Australia spent more than $60 billion creating infrastructure in 2011/12. This included investment in roads, ports, railways, bridges, telecommu-

nications, water and wastewater, electricity generation, electricity transmission and distribution, and gas pipelines. The IS rat-ing scheme, developed and administered by the Infrastructure Sustainability Council of Australia (ISCA), is a comprehensive scheme for evaluating the sustainability of the design, construction and operation of infrastructure in Australia, setting a beyond best-practice benchmark for sus-tainability in infrastructure. The IS rating was achieved by Tenix for the design of Proserpine and Cannonvale STPs, which

the company is also constructing and will operate and maintain on behalf of the Whitsunday Regional Council.

In using the IS rating tool for the project, Tenix was able to confirm that its treatment plant designs are beyond best practice. The designs achieved the highest possible score in the IS rating tool’s Materials and Innovation categories.

Equally, the IS rating process for the STPs allowed and encouraged Tenix to step up and identify and implement best-practice and innovative sustainability solutions in other areas to deliver long-term environmental, social and economic benefits for the Whitsunday region. Tenix used a compact membrane bioreactor (MBR) design for the Cannonvale plant,

Simon MacKenzie, Tenix Senior Project Man-ager, supervises construction.

World Heritage Great Barrier Reef.

June/July 2013 - Sustainability Matters 9www.SustainabilityMatters.net.au

Council infrastructure

and a sequence-batch reactor (SBR) at Proserpine, instead of the larger, more complex designs proposed by the client. This resulted in systems that require less building materials and have a smaller site footprint compared to the original designs. Both Tenix-designed plants will produce high-quality effluent using as little energy as possible, setting an industry benchmark in the process.

As a result, the Tenix designs will achieve estimated annual electricity con-sumption savings and reduced carbon emissions of 305 MWh and 272 tonnes respectively compared to typical plant designs. This equates to annual savings of $75,000 in ongoing operational costs.

The design also uses fewer construction materials and incorporates re-use. For ex-ample, a cut:fill balance in the earthworks design minimises the import and export of material from each site, saving money and reducing waste charges and the as-sociated emissions generated by transport. The design also avoided using asphalt for roads, instead using ‘green’ concrete supplied from a batch plant next to the Cannonvale STP. The green concrete used for the project substitutes up to 30% of cement component with fly ash from a nearby power station.

The materials specified in the initial design provided to Tenix and the council

would have accounted for the equiva-lent of 5094 tonnes of CO2 emissions. In contrast, Tenix’s design will only gen-erate 3264 tonnes of CO2e for materials (including the re-use of materials) - a 36% reduction (1830 tonnes) in emissions. As a result of expected operational energy consumption reductions and lower mate-rials use, the ‘Excellent’ IS design rating will see a total of 15,400 tonnes of CO2e saved across the construction and opera-tion of the plants.

As a regional first, the council and Tenix developed a plan to identify and assess the risks posed by climate change to the design and operation of the upgraded Cannonvale and Proserpine plants. The analysis was based on climate projec-tions sourced from CSIRO, the Bureau of Meteorology and external consultant modelling. Climate change-related hazards were identified, assessed and risk-mapped for various components of the plants and associated sewage collection and discharge networks over three time periods (present day, 2030 and 2070).

A number of very high risks were identified in relation to five components of the plants, including flood impacts (2030 and 2070 years), access to site, heatwave impacts on materials and cyclonic impacts on electrical controls. The risks and adapta-tion measures - excluding low risks - have

been added to the project risk register and will be taken into account when preparing and implementing the site operations and maintenance plans for each of the plants.

A Local Participation Plan was also developed to ensure that at least 70% of the project’s procurement budget is spent within Queensland, and as much as possible of this in the local Whitsunday Region. To date, the plan has already been exceeded, with 50% of the project procure-ment expenditure spent in the Whitsunday region and a further 30% spent in south-east Queensland. Spend outside of Queensland has generally been for specialised equip-ment not available locally.

A number of other sustainability ini-tiatives were also developed, including a Green IT plan (resulting in annual savings of 10.7 MWh and avoiding emission of 9.5 tonnes of CO2e) and fuel-efficient vehicles to save fuel and reduce carbon emissions.

Site-based initiatives have included us-ing recycled water for hydrostatic testing of the tanks (resulting in the saving of 2 ML of potable water - nearly the volume of an Olympic-sized swimming pool) and the installation and use of rainwater tanks for amenities and landscape irrigation.

There has also been a significant focus on ‘zero harm’ safety drivers across all project phases. To date, there have been no lost-time injuries recorded on site. In addition, a culture of reporting near-misses has been engendered as a basis for developing safety strategies to avoid possible injuries.

Tenix and Whitsunday Regional Council have shown leadership in demonstrating how sustainability of critical infrastructure can reap benefits to the local community and the environment - including, in this instance, the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and the 74 Whitsunday Islands that fringe the coastline.

The IS rating scheme is focused on changing industry behaviour and making sustainability a priority in the planning, delivery and operation of infrastructure. Designing and delivering more sustain-able infrastructure provides benefits to asset owners, users and society over the long life of infrastructure, including lower environmental impact, enhanced social outcomes, better asset performance and commercial advantages.

Tenix Pty Limited

Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/T904Cannonvale Sewage Treatment Plant under construction in the Whitsunday region.

As a regional first, the Council and Tenix developed a plan to identify

and assess the risks posed by climate change to the design and

operation of the upgraded Cannonvale and Proserpine plants. The

analysis was based on climate projections sourced from CSIRO, the

Bureau of Meteorology and external consultant modelling.


Port Augusta’s power station north of Adelaide was first commissioned in 1954. The Electricity Trust of South Aus-tralia (ETSA) constructed the

station specifically with boilers capable of burning coal mined from the nearby Leigh Creek. The station is currently owned by Alinta Energy.

When Alinta recently decided to install a desalination plant for the power station operation, the tender was awarded to Aqueous Solutions. However, the tender required a very high recovery rate of 94%.

Desalination is important in power stations for the production of steam for spinning turbines, condenser cooling and general plant maintenance. Lack of suitable water can quickly lead to delays and power loss.

The Port Augusta system capacity was to be capable of producing 1,200,000 litres per day. Grundfos pumps were chosen for this challenging assignment.

The containerised desalination plant installed by Aqueous Solutions needed to be an automatic, programmable operation with remote monitoring systems, multimedia filtration, integrated cartridge filtration and antiscalant dosing.

Also needed was a four-stage system designed with system pumps using variable speed drives (VSD) for maximum efficiency and upgrading of the cleaning-in-place (CIP) system including multiflush and backwash procedures.

Importantly for Aqueous Solutions:•The dosing pumps had to be reliable;• Full alarm monitoring capabilities

were required;• Spare parts had to be readily avail-

able;• Equipment had to be accurate to

conserve chemical use.Grundfos DDA Smart Digital pumps

were suggested as they offered not only reliability but state-of-the-art drive technology through the use of a powerful and economical variable-speed stepper motor.

The pumps have two output relays that can be used for external alarm monitoring. The in-built, easy-to-read LCD screens on

case study

Reliability is the key for Port Augusta Power Station

Pumps used in the project ranged from the main system

pump to a concentrator pump, cleaning and flush pumps,

antiscalant, acid and sodium metabisulfite (SMBS)

dosing pumps.

the pumps feature backlit visual indication by way of traffic light colours - green is good, yellow is warning due to alarm and red is stopped.

Grundfos spares, such as those for the DDA Smart Digital pumps, are available in a range of service kits that the company carries in stock. For preventative maintenance, the pump not only has a warning message to advise when it is time to fit a new service kit; it even gives the part number of the kit.

The pumps have a turndown ratio of up to 3000:1 while maintaining high accuracy and continuous full stroke length, ensuring smooth dosing with automatic flow control monitoring on the FCM model used in this application. Pumps used in the project ranged from the main system pump to a concentrator pump, cleaning and flush pumps, antiscalant, acid and sodium metabisulfite (SMBS) dosing pumps.

Aqueous Solutions’ Matthew Harrison says the Grundfos pumps are performing as expected.

“They are our standard supplier,” he said.

“We have some units with pumps that have gone over 60,000 hours on some tough bore water.

“We also used the full alarm monitoring capabilities of the DDA pumps. This was crucial because failure of the dosing pumps would have a huge impact on a high recovery desalination plant such as this.

“Reliability is everything.”While Aqueous Solutions continues to

use Grundfos equipment, Alinta Energy has also confirmed that all Grundfos pumps in the desalination plant are performing according to their published pressure and flow curves.

Alinta’s Special Engineer Mechanical, Brett Edwards, says his company was more than happy to have Grundfos pumps incorporated in the project because of their small footprint, suitable materials, good efficiency and reasonable pricing.

“Grundfos also provides reasonable supply times,” he added.

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What do Valvoline, Eilbeck Cranes, Southern Steel and 3M have in common? They have all recently upgraded their power-hungry 400 W high-bay lights to energy-efficient EELCO fittings. Apart from an immediate improvement in illumination levels, all four companies can also take advantage of significant government rebates now available for approved energy-efficient upgrades.

Australian-made EELCO high bays are claimed to consume as little as 30% of the energy used by their standard metal halide and mercury vapour counterparts. The result is a considerable reduction in electricity running costs often completely recouping installation costs in as little as 12 months. Combine this with ongoing maintenance cost savings, the product provides a viable way for Australian industry to reduce both its carbon footprint and it operating costs.

With more than 30 high- and low-bay product variants, ELLCO custom designs each retrofit project to ensure a ‘one for one’ replacement of existing lights will maximise energy savings and, importantly, maintain Australian Standards AS1680 compliant lighting levels.

For Valvoline, the upgrade of metal halide high bays throughout its Wetherill Park NSW Consumer Lubr icants Production facility in November 2012 has resulted in annual savings of $12,800 and 64 tonnes of CO2.

case studiesindex

Reliability is the key for Port Augusta Power Station 10

Facilities making savings with energy-efficient lighting 12

Transforming waste energy into sustainable processes 14

NY Jets score touchdown with solar 14

Automation and power products for Gold Coast desalination plant 18

Water utility using sewage sludge to create energy 22

Grape waste powering an energy-efficient future 22

Partnering with local councils to fill the gap on waste education 23

Sorting equipment increases recycling capacity 24

Remote town gets water treatment solution 24

Facilities making savings with energy-efficient lighting

Thanks to the inclusion of an automated daylight harvesting system, made possible by the ‘instant ON’ function of the 48 series luminaires, the high-bay lighting upgrade at Eilbeck Cranes’ Ingleburn, NSW, manufacturing facility in January 2013 is estimated to save the company more than $20,000 and 45 tonnes of CO2 annually.

Mercury vapour low bays throughout the external despatch area at 3M’s Pemulway, NSW, distribution centre were upgraded in December 2012, resulting in a reported annual savings of $7800 and 36 tonnes of CO2.

EELCO CEO Mat Fear says: “Linear fluorescent technology used in our 48 series luminaires offers superior performance and longevity compared to emerging technologies such as LED and induction. LED has its place in residential and low-roof commercial environments but the high summer temperatures at roof level in most Australian industrial facilities mean that these imports are just not viable long term in high-bay applications. Standardised T5 replacement lamps for EELCO luminaires are readily available and relatively inexpensive, resulting in a lighting system that remains viable well into the future.”

EELCO - Energy Efficient Lighting Company


research & developmentindex

$4 million boost to solar cell research 27

Waste a resource worth recovering 28

Environmental bridge over troubled waters 28

http://www.grundfos.com


Around half of the primary energy consumed in industrial processes is currently wasted. Even steel produced by recycling scrap metal in electric-arc furnaces, for instance, requires approximately 370 kWh per metric tonne. In this type of furnace an electric arc is struck between several electrodes. The resulting heat causes the steel to melt before emitting a mixture of gases at up to 1700°C - a huge waste that might otherwise be used in the process or to generate electric power.

Predictions suggest that around 50% of costs from operating a mine, for example, will come from energy use, making it even more of an incentive for industries to reduce energy consumption as well as manage its waste more cleverly.

When considering energy efficiency, one often thinks of energy-saving technologies for lighting, heating and air conditioning, for example. But energy efficiency is so much more than this - it’s about reducing consumption while at the same time making the most of waste energy by using it in other parts of the process (eg, to preheat combustion air or serve another thermal load) or by condensing it to generate electricity.

Research has shown that up to 20% of the energy needed for melting scrap metal could be recovered from waste heat. That would reduce CO2 emissions per metric tonne of steel by about 40 kg. Current systems emit about 270 kg of CO2, 220 kg of which results from power generation. This means that CO2 emissions from a typical 120-tonne furnace could be reduced by more than 30,000 tonnes annually. While it makes sense to recover waste heat, most industrial waste heat is still not captured for re-use and unfortunately, around half of the primary energy consumed in industrial processes and energy generation currently goes to waste. Part of the problem is that there are still hardly any economically practical and technically mature processes available for waste heat below 300°C.

But in a thermal management study, Siemens has identified a process called Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) technology - particularly suitable for recovering waste heat from furnaces in the glass industry, diesel or gasoline engines, gas flaring at refineries as well as gas turbines in compressor stations. The non-polluting organic medium used in this process ensures optimal efficiency for low waste-heat temperatures and low power. In a trial at Moscow State University, the ORC technology produced about 800,000 kWh of extra electricity per year with an efficiency of about 20% and a payback within three years.

In addition to producing electricity, waste heat can also be used to clean and demineralise water through an evaporation and condensation process. This not only generates new freshwater for re-use but at the same time reduces the amount of wastewater that might otherwise go to sewage. Paper mills, soft drink bottling plants and other industries where wastewater cannot be readily disposed via a sewage treatment plant could potentially benefit from this type of technology.

Siemens Ltd


case studies

NY Jets score touchdown with solar

Transforming waste energy into sustainable processes

The New York Jets has a 690 kW PV array from Yingli Solar located on the vast, unobstructed roof of the team’s main training facility outside Newark, New Jersey - an ideal location for solar energy.

The Jets’ decision to install a solar project underscores the team’s commitment to a cleaner and better future for their community. The collaboration between sports and renewable energy makes a lot of sense given the sustainability-focused mission statements behind the two companies.

“The New York Jets are excited to be at the forefront of incorporating solar energy into the NFL. When we decided to add solar energy to the Atlantic Health Training Center, going green was the catalyst. This project is the first of many green initiatives on behalf of the team, and we are proud to be green in colour and also in deed,” said Thal Sheely, the New York Jets’ Executive Vice President of Finance and Stadium Development.

The team will purchase power generated by the project over a 20-year term, reducing their carbon footprint and reliance on traditional forms of energy. Designed to generate over 750,000 kWh of electricity for the building each year, the project will reduce CO2 emissions by 540 tonnes each year, which is equivalent to taking over 100 cars off the road. The team will also save tens of thousands of dollars each year in electricity expenses.

“We chose the right partners and are thrilled about what this installation will do for our organisation, our community and, hopefully, for inspiring the entire league,” said Sheely.

Yingli Green Energy Australia Pty Ltd


*Ed Sugay is Head of Energy Efficiency, Siemens Ltd. Before heading Siemens’ Energy Efficiency portfolio in Australia, Ed was Siemens’ Global Director of Energy & Environmental Solutions for Asia Pacific. Ed brings 20 years’ experience in energy generation and energy efficiency, as well as an MBA from the University of California.

*Ed Sugay

http://www.tic.toshiba.com.au


Energy efficiency for MGB manufacturer

S U L O A u s t r a l i a is known for the manufacture of mobile garbage bins (MGBs) and operates one of the largest plastic injection moulding plants in Australia. I ts facility is one of the most highly a u t o m a t e d l a r g e tonnage inject ion moulding plants in the country. It produces 9 0 0 , 0 0 0 w h e e l i e bins a year and has delivered in excess of 10 million units into the Australian market.

The energy audit, subsidised by the Office of Environment & Heritage, was conducted by Schneider Electric to identify where and how energy was be-ing used across the MGB manufacturing plant. An energy audit is the first phase of the energy-efficiency life cycle and is key in determining the energy-saving opportunities for businesses and recom-mended actions that can be implemented moving forward.

After a 15-week in-depth audit, which was conducted in early 2012, there were a number of key findings that were reported back to the SULO team, high-lighting where energy was being used across the plant. Interestingly, across the facility just four machines in the plant were consuming 80% of the site’s power. These four machines were all critical to the production of the products and ongoing operation.

On completion of the audit, there were 16 energy-saving opportunities presented back to SULO, highlighting ways in which the organisation could improve efficiencies in multiple areas across the plant. These 16 opportunities had the potential for SULO to reduce annual electricity costs by 15% across the entire plant, equating to over $200,000 per annum. Additionally, over 1300 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions could be saved, reducing SULO’s carbon footprint.

The energy-saving opportunities in-cluded additions to plant machinery, lighting upgrades, power factor correction and variable speed drives for pumps and other equipment. These included basic fixes such as insulation blankets over hot parts of the machines through to larger jobs such as automation of the regrind room.

With a significant portion of the manufacturing costs of a wheelie bin attributed to power consumption, SULO

has become a very energy-aware or-ganisation. The manufacturing market is becoming even more competitive and there are continued increases in energy and raw material prices. With SULO’s energy bills exceeding $1 million per annum, it was vital that the organisa-tion began to consider ways in which operational costs could be reduced in order to remain competitive.

With recent funding being used to improve water use across the plant, SULO has made a long-term commit-ment to running an efficient operation. The company is determined to find ways in which the plant could run even more effectively. As such, SULO made the decision to undertake a NSW Government-funded Energy Saver audit.

These 16 opportunities had the

potential for SULO to

reduce annual electricity

costs by 15% across the

entire plant, equating to

over $200,000 per annum.

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Additionally, the analysis from the audit has helped identify and supply key energy figures which can easily be presented in monthly management meetings, allowing energy usage to be continuously tracked and monitored for changes.

“Energy management and efficiency has risen to the top of the agenda for many organisations and it is a critical business consideration for SULO. As well as ensur-ing we produce and supply high quality products to all our customers, we strive to ensure we remain efficient in the way we operate,” said Thorsten Voss, Director Manufacturing, SULO Australia.

“The energy audit conducted by Schnei-der Electric provided us with the necessary insight and advice on our energy usage, highlighting where energy was being used and how potential savings could be made. Following the audit, we were provided with a comprehensive list of 16 potential energy-saving projects that could be imple-mented across the plant, some of which we have already implemented. This is just the beginning of our continued efforts to become more energy efficient, and we are

reassured with the knowledge that we have the help and advice from the Schneider Electric team at hand.”

When organisations, plants or facilities have poor power quality, it means there is more pressure being put on the utilities network. Improving power quality has now become more important than ever; there-fore, SULO installed and commissioned two Schneider Electric power factor cor-rection units in October 2012. These units have improved the power factor from 0.80 to 0.96 and will result in ongoing energy cost savings.

Insulation blankets have been installed on the injection moulding machines and the Office of Environment & Heritage has selected this project for a measurement and verification trial to ensure that estimated savings are achieved.

A number of other energy-saving projects have been budgeted for in the future and are pending further design refinements.

Schneider Electric (Aust) Pty Ltd


Energy efficiency

Automation and power products for Gold Coast desalination plantThe Gold Coast desalination project, owned by the government statutory authority Seqwater, was the first large-scale desalination facility on Australia’s eastern seaboard. The plant, constructed by the Gold Coast Desalination Alliance (Veolia Water, John Holland, SKM, Cardno and the facility owner), produced the first desalinated water in November 2008. It has the capacity to provide drinking water to 650,000 people in South East Queensland, one of Australia’s worst drought-affected regions.

The Gold Coast desalination plant uses a process called reverse osmosis, where pressurised intake water is forced through a semipermeable membrane. The membrane filters block the salt, leaving concentrated brine on one side of the membrane and drinking water on the other. ABB supplied a wide range of automation and power products and systems for the Gold Coast desalination plant which ensure that the plant is operated at a high level of efficiency and reliability.

ABB supplied the following variable speed drives with a total power of 40.3 MW for various processes in the desalination plant:

•ACS800 low-voltage drives in the power range between 1.1 and 710 kW to control intake, booster, filter backwash and potable water pumps;

•ACS 1000 medium-voltage drives in the power range of 1120 and 4800 kW to control high-pressure and energy recovery booster pumps.

ABB supplied the following induction motors with a total power of 28.8 MW:

•M3BP low-voltage motors rated at 550 kW;•HXR high-voltage motors rated at 800 kW;•AMA high-voltage motors rated at 1.1 MW;•AMI630 high-voltage motors rated at 4.8 MW.

ABB supplied the following transformers:•11 kV vacuum-casted (VCC) dry type variable speed drive

supply transformers rated at 1.5 and 6 MVA, phase-shifted for 24-pulse operation;

•11 kV VCC dry type distribution transformers, rated at 1, 2.5, 3.5 and 4 MVA.

ABB supplied the following equipment to meet the power factor requirements and improve the power quality of the installation:

•Metal-enclosed capacitor banks (MECB), each rated to deliver 4 MVAR at 11 kV. Each of the four MVAR banks has two steps of 2 MVAR each. The capacitors are provided with detuning reactors to protect them from possible harmonic overloading.

•PQFS active harmonic filters, rated at 415 V, 120 A.For motor protection and control, ABB supplied low-voltage soft

starters PSTB 370 and 470 for booster pumps rated at 355 kW and 450 kW/690 V, including integrated bypass contactors, flexible bus communication and torque control for less mechanical wear.

ABB Australia Pty Ltd


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NDY sustainability c o n s u l t a n t K e m a l G u n g o r * ( P h D ) examines the factors affecting air change ef fect iveness and outlines solutions to assist in achieving c o m p l i a n c e w i t h G r e e n S t a r requirements.

Air change effectiveness contributes to Green Star

Green Star rated buildings are increasingly considered and demanded by both building developers and tenants. One of the Green Star rating cat-

egories is IEQ-2: Air Change Effectiveness. In simple terms, air change effectiveness (ACE) describes an air distribution sys-tem’s ability to deliver ventilation air to a building, zone or space.

Two Green Star points are awarded if ventilation systems are designed in accord-ance with ASHRAE 129-1997. During the design stage, this is demonstrated through computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modelling of the air-conditioning system.

In order to achieve improved ACE, and comply with GBCA requirements, air distribution systems are required to deliver the supply air to the breathing zone. Air movement within this space directly affects occupancy comfort, in-door air quality and ACE. Displacement flow and entrainment flow are the two distinct flow patterns commonly used to characterise air movements in buildings.

Displacement flow is characterised with the movement of air within a space like a piston motion in Figure 1. In an ideal displacement flow, the room air does not mix.

A typical entrainment flow is shown in Figure 2. Ceiling-based air supply and

return air grilles generally exhibit an en-trainment flow. Displacement flow has a higher potential to achieve a better ACE value than the entrainment flow. Poorly designed, installed or operated systems can exhibit short-circuiting, especially ceiling-based systems in heating mode.

To achieve maximum energy efficiency, high thermal comfort and optimum indoor air quality and ACE, the details of the flow pattern must be established during the design phase of a building.

Variables affecting flow patternsThe basis for air movement in buildings, both internally and externally, is tem-perature and pressure differences. ACE is dependent on the airflow pattern, and in a building environment, flow pattern and air change effectiveness are dependent on a number of variables.

Even small changes in these parameters can have a pronounced effect on the as-sessment outcome.

Anticipating the impact of any change is not always possible. Field measurement is the only objective method to determine the effect of change on the flow pattern and ACE in built environments. During the design stage, however, CFD simula-tion is successfully used to identify flow patterns for the building.

To achieve maximum energy

efficiency, high thermal comfort and

optimum indoor air quality

and ACE, the details of

the flow pattern must be

established during the design phase

of a building.

The triple 5 star Green Star-rated 115 Batman Street, Melbourne utilises a passive chilled beam system.


Building ventilation

*Kemal Gungor (PhD), M.AIRAH, is a sustainability consultant at Norman Disney & Young’s Melbourne office. His expertise in heat transfer, thermodynamic analysis, design and computer modelling of thermal systems (energy modelling, facade analysis) is in high demand. He is also a specialist in computational fluid dynamics analysis. His skills are being utilised by NDY to develop and implement ecologically sustainable design solutions throughout the building industry.

Selection of the HVAC system can have a profound effect on ACE results. Following is an overview of the ACE performance potential of the most com-mon ventilation systems.

CAV+ chilled beamChilled beam systems (active and passive) offer energy-saving advantages and are available in a variety of configurations, from rectilinear slots to 600 mm squares and rectangles. There are also varieties of both passive and active chilled beams that incorporate other elements - such as lights, sprinklers, speakers, space oc-cupancy sensors and smoke detectors - in a multiservice beam configuration. All chilled beam arrangements have a common feature: they create additional vertical air movements.

This additional vertical air movement provides improved air mixture within the space compared to a VAV system. CAV+ chilled beam systems usually achieve compliance with the GBCA air change effectiveness requirements.

Displacement ventilation (UFAD)Displacement ventilation is based on the principle that cooled air is supplied with low momentum in the lower part of the room. The cold air displaces the contami-nated air from the occupied zone upwards in the room. Buoyancy forces (temperature differences) control the air movement in the room as the free convection around heat sources - including occupants, equip-ment and lightning - creates vertical air movements in the room. In the same way, a cold window or a cold wall will result in a downward convective flow.

An integral characteristic of displace-ment ventilation is the formation of stratified layers of air. This characteristic provides a significant advantage in order to achieve GBCA air change effectiveness compliance. It is expected that many of the underfloor distribution systems would achieve compliance with GBCA air change effectiveness requirements.

Variable air volume systemsIn variable air volume (VAV) systems, changes in the room heat load are met by controlling the volume of air supply to the room without changing the supply temperature until the minimum permissi-ble air supply is reached. Seasonal control of the supply air temperature takes place as a function of the outdoor temperature. A VAV system can operate over a range of airflow rates which will have subsequent effects on the flow pattern within the room. GBCA air change effectiveness assessment requires that all the simulation would be performed at the lowest turndown ratios.

Finding the correct solutionEach building has its own unique char-acteristics which will influence ACE outcomes. The following general design considerations provide a broad framework for evaluating ACE outcomes:

•Increasing the supply of fresh air may not necessarily improve the ACE.

• Ventilation systems that can prefer-entially deliver the air to the breath-ing zone would achieve better ACE. Personal ventilation systems, task air ventilation, displacement ventilation and underfloor ventilation will gener-ally provide best ACE results.

• Chilled beam systems create additional vertical air circulation which improves ACE and, in most cases, complies with GBCA ACE requirements.

• The use of return air light slots signifi-cantly impairs the achievement of a good air change effectiveness outcome when the supply air terminals are also located at ceiling level.

• The use of discrete return air grilles provides a better solution compared to perforated ceiling/air handling luminaires, and this can be further improved by regulating the return airflow through each with a balancing damper.

• Location of return air grilles have greater impact on ACE than the number of return air grilles.

Norman Disney & YoungContact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/U013

This article first appeared in the NDY Lifecycle magazine. For a copy of the comprehensive study analysis by Kemal, visit tinyurl.com/G2ACE.

Figure 1: Displacement flow with-in a space.

Figure 2: Entrainment flow within a room (ASHRAE). NDY used CFD modelling for the ANZ HQ project in Melbourne Docklands.


Grape waste powering an energy-efficient futureAustralian Tartaric Products (ATP) processes waste from the winemaking process, including grape marc, grape lees and sludge, to make a completely natural product from material typically bound for landfill. The company also extracts and converts residual alcohol into potable and low-grade ethanol. ATP is located in rural Colignan, around 50 km south of Mildura in Victoria. With no access to natural gas, the company relies on trucked-in LPG to ensure its boiler runs 24/7.

In addition, the company needed a way to reduce costs and continue producing high-quality tartaric acid to compete with synthetic Chinese imports. Thanks to a $1.71 million grant from the Australian Government’s Clean Technology Food and Foundries Investment Program - following a $1.8 million grant from the Victorian Government’s Regional Infrastructure Development Fund in 2010 - ATP is moving more quickly to address its energy and competition challenges by building a $7.5 million renewable energy plant.

The project is expected to reduce the company’s site-wide carbon emissions intensity by 75% and reduce energy costs by as much as 73%. This represents a reduction in annual energy costs of around $2.4 million.

These results will be achieved by installing a biomass boiler to burn the spent grape marc. The boiler will create the steam required to produce tartaric acid and decrease the company’s use of LPG by 70%. In addition, the company is installing Organic Rankine Cycle technology to sit alongside the new boiler. This will take

surplus steam produced by the boiler and help generate around 63% of the electricity required for ATP’s operations. It is being supplied by Australian company gT Energy Technologies.

AusIndustry


Water utility using sewage sludge to create energyYarra Valley Water is developing an innovative waste-to-energy facility in the northern suburbs of Melbourne which will convert organic waste destined for landfills into energy - reducing energy costs, waste to landfill and greenhouse gas emissions.

The ambitious project is part of the utility’s approach to operating its facilities within the carrying capacity of nature, delivering better outcomes for the environment and customers.Yarra Valley Water has selected Aquatec-Maxcon, an Australian company specialising in industrial wastewater treatment, as its partner to develop the facility.

“We are designing the waste-to-energy facility to sit next to one of our existing sewage treatment plants,” says Tony Kelly, Managing Director at Yarra Valley Water.

“The project will generate enough biogas to run the facility and the existing sewage treatment plant by co-digesting sewage sludge with organic waste trucked to the site.

“It’s a great solution for re-using organic waste that would otherwise go to landfill. Instead of treating our sludge as waste, we’re treating it as a product with value that can be re-used to create and capture methane gas resulting in significant environmental and cost benefits.”

At the waste-to-energy facility, sewage sludge left over from the treatment plant process would be co-digested with imported organic waste in an anaerobic digester (sealed vessel) where it is converted into methane or ‘biogas’ in the absence of oxygen. This

process captures the methane before it hits the environment and turns it into renewable energy, preventing greenhouse gas emissions.

“The facility will help us meet our environmental obligations to reduce the quantity of nutrients being discharged into Port Phillip Bay, while creating a sewage treatment plant site that is energy self-sufficient,” Kelly says.

Benne t t Horens te in , Manage r of Environmental Services at East Bay Municipal Utility District in California, visited Yarra Valley Water in 2010/11 to review and assess areas related to sewage treatment plants, including renewable energy generation. “I am thrilled that Yarra Valley Water is launching this waste-to-energy facility, providing enormous value to its customers and the environment. Leading the local industry with such a bold initiative demonstrates an impressive stewardship of environmental resources and will hopefully get other businesses thinking and acting,”

says Horenstein. Adam Lovell, Executive Director of Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA), agrees, writing in a 1 March WSAA blog: “As an industry we need to accelerate our use of the energy we can capture from sewage processing … East Bay Municipal Utility District’s success demonstrates it can be done. Yarra Valley Water in Melbourne has pressed the go button on a similar scheme, and I’m looking forward to their success.”

Yarra Valley Water decided to use anaerobic digestion technology based on a business feasibility decision-making framework, which included a detailed site selection process to determine the most appropriate site for the first facility.

The feasibility study also identified numerous opportunities for recovery and re-use of organic waste.

Yarra Valley Water


case studies

An example of a waste-to-energy facility, similar to that proposed by Yarra Valley Water, in Piddlehinton in Dorset, England.


case studies

SLR Consulting Australia Pty Ltdwww.slrconsulting.com | [email protected] | 1300 434 443

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Partnering with local councils to fill the gap on waste educationOne of the greatest challenges we face in conserving our environment is the issue of sustainable waste management. SITA Australia (SITA) has responded to this challenge by becoming a leader in resource recovery in Australia. SITA has achieved this not only by developing operations across all levels of the sustainable, resource recovery value chain, but also by developing a comprehensive waste education program and curriculum.

In 2012, SITA Australia introduced the WastED Time program to provide waste education to primary schools. The program has been designed by qualified educators to meet the needs of schools sustainability education programs with a series of high-energy, hands-on workshops. These workshops focus on particular aspects of waste management, from the basics of using the council bin system and what happens to waste, to the mysteries of recycling and the importance of composting.

The program consists of six independent workshops. Each workshop has a particular message and focuses on a major aspect of waste, such as the role of packaging in our daily lives and the way microorganisms help to recycle organic matter. SITA also conducts

intensive, hands-on audits of the schools’ waste needs. All the workshops are tailored to specific age groups and experienced presenters are able to incorporate important messages such as reducing littering or introducing worm-farming into the school to reduce food waste.

SITA’s Community Engagement and Education Officer Ngaire Breen says: “These education programs are a great way to increase students’ understanding of the importance of responsible waste management, including composting of organic matter. The programs have also been very effective in helping to improve recycling rates.”

SITA Australia has successfully partnered with six councils in the Sydney metropolitan area to provide waste education as a free part of the services offered. It has been successfully run in over 30 schools for more than 5000 students since the program commenced in 2012. SITA looks forward to continuing to provide these education programs to students in Sydney well into the future.

SITA Australia


http://www.slrconsulting.com


Remote town gets water treatment solution

case studies

Sorting equipment increases recycling capacitySince 2004, Brantner Walters has operated an automated recyclable materials sorting plant in Wölbling, Austria. In May 2012, a pre-sorting facility was put into operation at the facility in order to effectively respond to growing throughput and increasing requirements for product quality.

The original facility incorporated two UniSort PX, two UniSort CX and one UniSort C when it was first commissioned. The facility’s typical products were clear PET, green PET, blue PET and PE.

The basic idea behind the pre-sorting facility was to increase the capacity of the existing plant components by ensuring that only a portion of the flow of the bottle fraction to be sorted would be conveyed to the appropriate section of the plant. To accomplish this, Brantner made use of the fact that approximately 50% of the PET bottles are clear. The latest generation of UniSort equipment was used to effectively separate the clear fraction of the bottles from the input material. The UniSort colour recognition system was combined with a HSP NIR camera for the first time. Both cameras view the same point, which simplifies the evaluation and thus reduces the amount of bottles incorrectly ejected (due to rolling objects).

The technology from RTT Steinert functions completely without the need for any obtrusive rotating mirrors or other moving optical elements. Furthermore, the latest generation of the NIR camera utilises an image sensor that enables the simultaneous imaging of all of the objects within the field of view (with the same high spectral resolution of less than 3 mm). This eliminates any losses of objects due to observing points only within individual areas. The spatial

resolution of the HSP NIR camera is <5 x 5 mm; a sampling rate of more than 300 Hz means that it can detect even very small objects.

The first stage of the pre-sorting facility consists of two UniSort PC 2000 R machines. These sort the bottles by type of plastic and simultaneously by colour. The high-value clear bottle fraction is sorted positively in order to achieve maximum purity. The fraction

that has passed through this stage is then sorted by type of plastic in the pre-existing plant section.

The UniSort C 1400 is used in a second stage. This is purely a colour-sorting stage using transmitted light. The fraction that has passed through the first stage (clear PET bottles) is once again sorted here. Due to a spatial resolution of better than 1 x 1 mm, the finest nuances of colour can be reliably detected and removed. The transmitted light camera is even capable of distinguishing weakly coloured (light blue) PET bottles from clear bottles.

Coloured bottles are ejected and further processed together with the product from the first stage. The use of the latest UniSort machines ensures both very high purity and minimal over-sorting. As 50% of the PET input is already gated out in the pre-sorting facility, the pre-existing facility with its NIR colour sorting stages can continue operating without modification. Sensor solutions from the Steinert UniSort family are capable of recycling 95% of the materials in the raw materials industry. The UniSort sensor sorting systems with inductive recognition, colour and X-ray sorting systems make it possible to achieve a material purity of 98%.

Steinert Australia Pty Ltd


The town of Taralga - situated 140km south-west of Sydney - recently invested in an advanced water treatment system from Xylem using GE ZeeWeed membrane technology. The compact size and durability of the water treatment plant, its flexibility to increase its output and its ability to treat cold water with a turbidity of 80 NTU were some of the factors taken into account by the city officials in selecting Xylem’s offer.

“As well as the strong technical solution that Xylem is delivering for our water treatment challenges,” says Luke Maloney, Manager Operations, Upper Lachlan Shire Council, “we are reassured by the fact that Xylem can help us to maintain the system and ensure that it consistently operates at peak performance.” As the main raw water source for the new Taralga water treatment plant is a river, key challenges for the

solution were algae and high variations in incoming turbidity. In addition, since the water temperature in the region drops to 5°C during winter, the plant had to be designed with the ability to treat cold water at a similar rate to the temperatures experienced during the warmer months.

The GE ZeeWeed advanced ultrafiltration membranes used at the Taralga plant are

pressure-driven barriers that suspend solids, bacteria, viruses and other pathogens from water or wastewater, producing water with very high purity and low-silt density. The membranes can treat surface water, ground water and biologically treated municipal effluent. Nearly 2500 plants worldwide use this technology to produce superior quality drinking water and to meet or exceed stringent wastewater treatment and water re-use standards.

The membranes ensure a constant low turbidity of less than 0.3 NTU irrespective of any turbidity peaks in the raw water entering the system. The solution also ensures accurate Protozoa reduction of more than three log while final chlorination delivers residual disinfection.

Xylem Water Solutions Australia Limited


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Same day turn-around (on lower-quantity orders) is common.

Last year Bürkert shipped around 600 panels, and this year with AirLINE Quick it could easily be thousands. Call us, and get your valve banks served up on a plate, or mounted in a cabinet, ready to go.

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Funky food from fruit by-productsStephanie Goseine

Food processing of cereal and fruits creates a large amount of by-products. The London, UK-based Institution of Mechanical Engineers recently estimated

that anywhere between 35 and 50% - or 1.2 to 2 billion tonnes - of all food produced is wasted worldwide; a fraction of which is due to by-products in food processing.

To remedy this situation, some sci-entists saw an opportunity to develop eco-efficient, innovative and sustainable processes to create new food or feed prod-ucts from such leftovers. These include healthy, ‘ready-to-eat’ fruit pastes, juices and crunchy citrus-flavoured, vanillin-enriched snacks.

This approach is the focus of an EU-funded research consortium dubbed the NAMASTE project, working in col-laboration with Indian partners. “We [have], so far, developed and assessed procedures [to obtain] some bioactive molecules and ingredients and … for [evaluating] quality … in the formula-tion of new food products,” says Fabio Fava, the project’s EU scientific coordina-tor. He is also a professor of industrial and environmental biotechnology at the University of Bologna, Italy. The project

focuses in particular on wheat bran and citrus by-products, in Europe. In India, it targets rice bran, mango and pomegranate by-products.

The project has already yielded some concrete results. The Indian coordinating institution, the North East Institute of Science and Technology in Jorhat, Assam province, for example, has formulated 15 types of carp and ornamental fish feed. Other partners in India have also developed jams, biscuits and a health drink, with snack rolls also on the menu in the near future. In parallel, European colleagues have produced highest-purity vanillin from agro-industrial by-products of bran processing containing ferulic acid. Others investigate how wheat bran could be turned into extruded and breakfast snacks. Using the by-products of citrus-based processing, EU scientists are also investigating the possibility of creating fruit-based beverages.

For some experts, the question remains whether, from an environmental perspec-tive, this is the best way to give value to food processing by-products. “This question can be answered according to the cascading principle, where the best option is that which harnesses maxi-mum value from the by-products,” says

There is no definite conclusion as

to whether exploiting cereal and

fruit by-products makes

more environmental

sense than using them

as renewable energy or

soil fertilisers. Fava defends the

claim to sustainability, though.

R e - u s i n g t h e b y -products of fruit and cereal processing could help promote the sustainability of the food industry, as long as its overall e n v i r o n m e n t a l fingerprint is clearly evaluated.


research &development

Frances Fortuin, senior project manager at the Dutch consultancy Food Valley NL, located in Wageningen.

There is no definite conclusion as to whether exploiting cereal and fruit by-products makes more environmental sense than using them as renewable energy or soil fertilisers. Fava defends the claim to sustainability, though. “The conver-sion of our by-products into ingredients and then into food products can allow us to produce higher-value compounds [compared] to energy or fertiliser,” he says, “and to return part of the material coming from ... food-processing … [back] to the same pipeline.”

What is more, there is a question mark over whether the project can realistically contribute to the sustainable develop-ment of food processing. Some experts, such as Andrew Westby, the director of the Natural Resources Institute at the University of Greenwich, UK, considers this project to be a positive development, bearing in mind that these by-products would otherwise be discarded. However, “resources such as water and agricultural inputs have been expended in growing the fruits and cereals, and this should not be negated when assessing the sustainability of program.” Sourced through youris.com

A project to push the efficiency of nanoplasmonic solar cell technology has received a $4 million grant under the Science and Industry Endowment Fund (SIEF).

Researchers from Swinburne University of Technology and CSIRO, led by Professor Min Gu, Director of Swinburne’s Centre for Micro-Photonics, will use the funding to take NanoPlas - the patented thin-film solar cell technology developed at the Victoria-Suntech Advanced Solar Facility - from the laboratory to a small-scale pilot project.

The NanoPlas solar cell works by incorporating a thin layer of metallic nanoparticles into conventional thin-film solar cells to effectively scatter light into the cells. This increases the amount of light entering the cells, improving the conversion of light into electricity. The SIEF grant will enable the integration of the NanoPlas solar technology with a thermal management system for cooling of the cells.

“One of the critical challenges the thin-film solar cell faces is low energy conversion efficiency due to the insufficient absorption from the very thin silicon layer,” Professor Gu said. “The new funding will allow us to address this issue.”

Professor Gu said the NanoPlas technology addresses the biggest challenge of thin-film solar cells - cost effectiveness, making building integratable solar cells a more viable technology for the building sector.

Integrating solar cells with buildings is an attractive concept for the building industry because it potentially allows skyscrapers to self power themselves with purely green solar energy.

“We believe the NanoPlas technology can make a difference to Australian solar manufacturers through further research and development to scale up the technology. It could enable skyscrapers to be powered entirely by sunlight, transforming our cities.”

According to Professor Gu, the NanoPlas thin-film technology can be directly integrated into building glass like a tint layer converting normal windows into solar cells. The technology also has the potential to make solar energy more competitive in the household electricity supply market.

CSIRO fluid dynamics expert Dr Yonggang Zhu said the novel thermal management system will significantly improve the cells’ performance in warm climates, including much of Australia.

“It will maximise the solar energy harnessed by the cells while recycling the waste heat energy,” he said. “This system will be easily integrated with the solar cells but could also be used for different applications, such as cooling for currently available solar cells and organic solar cells.”

Four external partners will provide in-kind support for the project:•Stanford University• Suntech R&D Australia• Taifeng Group• Anwell Precision

The research is supported by the Science and Industry Endowment Fund (RP04-024 Solar Cells), which provides grants to science and scientists to assist Australian industry, further the interests of the Australian community and contribute to the achievement of Australian national objectives.

$4 million boost to solar cell research

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research &development

Environmental bridge over troubled waters

A 4.88 million research project at Queen’s University Belfast is aiming to recover valuable materials from the estimated 5.2 tonnes of waste each person in the UK generates each year.

Dr Elaine Groom at Queen’s is General Manager of QUESTOR, an industry-collaborative centre for environmental research. She said: “Europe produces an estimated 5.2 tonnes of waste per person each year. This includes around 600-700 kg per person of domestic waste and 17 kg per person of electrical goods waste. Much of this waste contains valuable resources, so we are missing a huge opportunity by simply disposing of it and sending it to landfill.

“Mobile phones, for example, are a valuable source of gold. Per gram, mobile phones contain more gold than gold ore - the average household has 22 g of gold lying around in old mobiles. Similarly, valuable chemicals can be extracted from food waste and used to make bioplastics; while the extraction of phosphorus - a key ingredient in fertilisers - from food waste is becoming more and more important due to the depletion of natural phosphorus sources and increased mining costs. “Waste is big business, and the recovery

of valuable resources from waste presents huge opportunities for SMEs in Northern Ireland and across Europe. Many, however, face barriers in their efforts to develop new techniques for resource recovery. The best ideas require input and support from many disciplines - industry, entrepreneurs and scientists. ReNEW aims to bring these disciplines together to facilitate partnership working in the development of new technologies that will benefit the environment, the economy and society.

“Waste represents a problem and an opportunity. While many businesses are aware of this, the limited options for processing waste present huge challenges which they cannot overcome by themselves. Through the ReNEW project, QUESTOR and partners will work with companies across Europe to raise awareness of the opportunities in this area and to showcase and further develop new techniques for resource recovery. Ultimately, waste companies will become providers of raw materials, and we at QUESTOR will help them to be at the forefront of that journey.”

ReNEW is part funded by the European Union’s INTERREG IVB North West Europe scheme. Partners

were required to provide 50% matched funding - this was mainly provided from local government agencies or in house.

The QUESTOR centre has also been awarded €3.8 million to lead a four-year project to develop research and training for the European biogas industry. It will develop new technologies for the biogas sector to enable Europe to implement its Energy 2020 strategy and to address the challenges of increasing energy demands and costs.

A breakthrough innovation, designed to purify water through the rapid removal of oily pollutants, could have major environmental benefits in the agriculture and manufacturing industries.

The application, developed at the University of South Australia’s School of Engineering in collaboration with the Mawson Institute, involves the deployment of surface-engineered silica particles which act as oil magnets in water - adsorbing oil yet repelling water.

The use of the technology can enable the removal of motor oil, crude oil, petrol or kerosene in just a few minutes. Professor Peter Majewski, Head of the School of Engineering and leader of the research, outlined the practical benefits of the technology, which could revolutionise the treatment of oil spills in oceans, water reservoirs and rivers. “Oils are among the major pollutants in drinking water reservoirs,” he said. “Contamination may occur through natural spills, cracked pipe lines and runoff of oil from land-based sources. The toxic effects of these pollutants can lead to conditions including narcosis and cancer.

“By applying plasma polymerisation technology to develop surface-engineered silica particles for oil removal, these adsorbents can remove more than 99.9% of the oil from both fresh and sea

waters.“Sprinkling the s i l ica

particles onto an oil spill would result in the oil binding itself to the particles and falling to the ocean floor, where it could then be collected and removed.

“The use of the silica particles in small quantities, such as in filters for farms, could aid water purification in remote and rural

communities. In large quantities, filters for industrial outlets could help in the treatment of wastewater.”

Professor Majewski noted that since the absorbent material is based on silica particles or simple quartz sand, it is easy to use, store and transport. It can also be used in already-existing conventional sand filters. Professor Majewski said the university will be looking to develop the water treatment technology with industry partners through UniSA’s technology commercialisation company ITEK.

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n products & servicesWater treatment technology

Australian Innovative Systems’ (AIS) Ecoline technology can be used to negate the need to transport, store or handle chlorine by sanitising water using fresh water and power alone. It uses the salts and minerals naturally present in water to produce chlorine safely and inline using electrolysis.

Thousands of litres of water can be treated per minute and the amount of chlorine released is controlled by varying the power supply to the anodes which are manufactured by AIS.

The Ecoline technology is being used at Dubai’s Grand Hyatt Resort to treat its 2.5 million-litre lagoon and at Waterbom leisure park in Bali to treat up to 6 million litres of water. In Australia, it is used at Skycity Resort Darwin as well as municipal and university swimming pools.

Australian Innovative Systems (AIS)


LED panel light rangeIlum-a-Lite has announced the Light Eco Elegance LED Panel Light. Suitable for com-mercial and office lighting, the range of LED panel l ights has been designed to replace 2 x 36″ fluorescent lighting troffers.

The elegant light range has been architecturally designed to blend into modern interiors while de-livering good lighting and energy savings. Features include a CRI of >80 Ra as well as improved colour consistency and heat reduction.

Delivering 3200 lumen for the 40 W panel and 2300 lumen for the 30 W panel, the recessed Elegance LED troffer has a T-Bar design so it fits easily into existing ceiling configurations. The light is available in a rectangular and square design recessed and has optional suspension mountings.

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[email protected] - www.austscientific.com.au

HORIBA

Satellite data loggerHalytech has released a low-power solution for remote monitoring and data logging which uses the Iridium satellite network Short Burst Data (SBD) service for automated data delivery.

The microSpider satellite is suitable for applications such as environmental, industrial or infrastructure monitoring where other forms of communication are not possible. To reduce the cost of remote site data acquisition, the company has developed a highly compressed data format which is said to enhance performance and reduce the cost of data delivery using the Iridium SBD service.

The product’s configurable I/O combined with Modbus and SDI-12 compatibility provide good flexibility for use with a broad range of instruments. The satellite includes an onboard web server which allows the user to view and configure all parameters without special software or licences.

Halytech Pty Ltd

Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/R180

National park recycling bin rangeThe National Park Recy-cling Range from Source Separation Systems has been specifically designed to provide the user with flexibility while maintaining best practice waste diver-sion design features and high-quality manufacturing.

Choose the frame, con-struction material, aperture, cover and side panels from a vast range of designs and materials including timber, stone, steel, the company’s custom-designed educa-tional graphics, advertising material or even a full colour photo. Some local councils have even chosen local images, such as historic photos of the areas in which the bins will be placed, which is a good way to promote the regions. In addition, the flexibility of graphics means the range can even earn revenue as additional advertising space within the venue.

The range is designed and manufactured in Aus-tralia for Australian exterior public places; thus it is durable, simple and con-venient to use, and easy to empty and maintain. The bolted system houses 140 or 240 L MGBs which are easily accessible and lockable, making emptying, management and cleaning of the units efficient. The range is finished with an anti-graffiti coating.

Source Separation Systems Pty Ltd


http://www.austscientific.com.au



AC driveRockwell Automation’s compact Allen-Bradley PowerFlex 525 AC drive helps machine builders and end users simplify equip-ment design and operation, and speed-up installation and configuration. The drive features a modular design in power ranges from 0.5-30 hp or 0.4-22 kW at 100-600 V input. Suitable for a range of applications, including conveyors, material handling, compressors, fans and pumps,

the drive provides a variety of motor control op-tions to accommodate open- and closed-loop applications.

To help streamline set-up, users can configure the drive through its human interface module, Rockwell Automation Connected Components Workbench software or Rockwell Software Studio 5000 Logix Designer. The drive offers time-saving application sets - groups of predefined parameters for common drive applications that users can apply as is or customise for a machine. Using a standard USB connection, machine builders can download the completed configurations and share with multiple drives, speeding up commissioning time. Removing the control module from the power module further reduces start-up time because configuration and installation can be done simultaneously. MainsFree pro-gramming through a USB connection removes the need for main power during drive configuration, as well as the need for special adapters to communicate between the drive and the programming tools.

Embedded EtherNet/IP connectivity optimises inte-gration with programmable controllers to deliver more application flexibility. Optional dual-port EtherNet/IP con-nectivity supports device-level ring topology, providing a robust network infrastructure. A SIL2/PLd-certified, embedded safe torque-off feature helps prevent drive restarts after a safety circuit is tripped, protecting personnel and equipment and minimising production losses. The drive’s economiser mode helps optimise motor energy consumption by monitoring an application’s current demand and automatically refining operating parameters accordingly.

The drive requires 50 mm of clearance on the top and bottom when installing into a cabinet and can be mounted zero-stacked both horizontally and vertically. The smaller clearance can help users reduce the panel space required for their application. In addition to the flexible installation, the drive is rated up to 50°C. With an optional fan kit, the drive can withstand temperatures up to 70°C with current derating.

Rockwell Automation Australia


Energy-saving fanThe Combat Energy Saving Fans are designed to improve heating system efficiency by keeping

valuable warm air down at work-ing level and reducing heat losses

through the roof structure.The main benefits of the fans include:

providing savings up to 20% of running costs at optimum air change rate; extending life of heating equip-ment; and gentle and even air distribution due to greater volume of air movement.

The fans are suitable for most commercial and industrial applications and can be equipped with a thermostat or a speed controller, depending on the model.

Hurll Nu-Way Pty Ltd

Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S720

Free drop-off for e-waste

SITA Australia has partnered with the Supply Chain arm of DHL in Australia to reduce the amount of television and computer waste going to landfill and increase the recovery of resources. The program also aims to provide greater recycling options and a free-of-charge solution for the community.

With eight SITA sites part of the program in NSW, SITA will look at providing the service in other areas around Australia. Currently drop-off points are located at Belrose, Chullora, Eastern Creek, Wetherill Park, Lucas Heights, Ryde, Seven Hills and Spring Farm.

The e-waste drop-off points accept a large range of items for recycling, including televisions, computers, laptops, printers and scanners. The items are dismantled and recyclable items such as gold, platinum, silver, copper, aluminium, steel, iron, glass and plastic are recovered. The recovered materials are used for the processing of new products.

The National Television and Computer Recycling Scheme is funded and implemented by the television and computer industry and regulated by the Australian Government under the Product Stewardship Act 2011 and the Product Stewardship (Televisions and Computers) Regulations 2011. The scheme aims to increase the recycling rate for these products to 30% in 2012-13 and 80% by 2021-22.

SITA Australia


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Pumping control systemThe Applied Water Systems Division of Xylem Water Sys-tems Australia has released the latest improvement to the Hydrovar intelligent mi-croprocessor control system.

Pumping applications for ir-rigation water supply, recrea-tional turf, building services or domestic supply needs can achieve improved efficiencies and usually significant electric power savings by the applica-tion of the Hydrovar variable-speed pump controller.

The pump-mounted, varia-ble-speed, microprocessor-based system control-ler has been designed to manage motor speed and match pump performance to a wide range of water industry applications. In independent tests, compared to full speed pumps, Hydrovar has provided energy cost savings of up to 70% by varying the pump performance to match water supply demands.

Now with a unique wall- or panel-mounting system, the Hydrovar system can use the out-put power of the drive to operate a cooling fan, therefore reducing the need for the system to be motor mounted and allowing it to become a stand-alone drive mounted directly to a wall or enclosure.

With the introduction of a wall-mounted fan kit, the system has increased capabilities for more application types and installations. The wall-mount kits are specifically designed to provide the cooling capacity required to ensure longevity of the system.

The modular design system is available as: a Master Drive that is fully featured for single or multiple pump applications; a Single Drive with reduced features for a single pump only applica-tion; or a Basic Drive for use on slave pumps in multipump applications, or soft start in single pump applications.

The system also has a unique simple clip-on design enabling it to be attached to the TEFC electric motor of most common pumps and the wall- or panel-mounted alternative makes it suit-able for submersible pump installations.

It is easily integrated into existing building management systems as everything is included in the one package - microprocessor, controller, sensor, upgraded management software and a backlit LCD control panel.

Each system has an IP55-rated housing and a number of failsafe features including low-pressure shutdown.The clip-on feature allows for simple retrofitting to existing pumping systems.

Xylem Water Systems Australia Pty Ltd


Thermal imagersThe Fluke Ti105 and TiR105 thermal imagers are the latest addition to Fluke’s series of lightweight, rugged and easy-to-use imagers. Both imagers include the company’s IR-Fusion (picture-in-picture) technology, which helps users identify and document problem areas by overlaying a PIP infrared image on a digital image.

The Ti105 helps plant technicians, HVAC/R profes-sionals and electricians maintain and inspect electrical and mechanical equipment and components, which lets them save time and money by finding poten-tial problems before they become costly failures. Technicians can troubleshoot in seconds, reducing the likelihood of unplanned downtime and allowing regular inspections from a safe distance.

The TiR105 lets building inspection and energy audit professionals evaluate and report insulation problems, air leakage, moisture issues or construc-tion defects. This helps them work faster and more efficiently. The device quickly documents visible proof of problems so repairs can be made and then verifies those repairs have been made correctly.

Fluke Australia Pty Ltd

Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/R792

http://www.ccezy.com.au



Multiparameter analyser for water treatmentSwiss manufacturer Sigrist has released the AquaMaster, an integrated, multiparameter modular analyser system that combines a range of water quality measurements for water treatment plants into a single unit. Measurement options include turbidity, pH, conductivity, redox/ORP, dissolved oxygen and temperature, with two additional signals.

The colour touch screen is the central control and display unit, as well as providing the connection to the host control system (PLC or SCADA) through multiple 4-20 mA outputs, Modbus or Profibus. Initial installa-tion can be made with only one parameter. Additional sensors can be added as required.

The product will automatically record water quality data at predetermined intervals for up to 32 days on the internal SD card. This provides water quality data for water treatment plants without a SCADA system or requiring a local backup of the data.

The analyser is delivered fully assembled and ready for water connection.

B-R Controls Pty Ltd


Tube heatersSchwank tube heaters are claimed to reduce energy consumption by up to 50% when compared to traditional heat-ing systems used to warm large spaces.

The core of the Schwank infrared radi-ant tube heater is the Whisper-Jet burner with positive pressure fans that create a very long laminar flame reaching far into the tube. This leads to a more uniform transfer of heat, which has an immediate positive effect on the energy efficiency of the overall system. The tube is heated up to around 650°C and generates comfort-able radiant heat. A further advantage of the burner’s pressure fan lies in the fact that it is not exposed to the hot flue gases and therefore has better longevity than conventional tube heater fans.

Devex Systems

Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S697

http://www.nickelenergy.com.au



Electronic pressure controlThe series EDA Electronic Pressure Control is a versatile com-pact package that can replace a separate gauge, two switches and a transmitter in a system. The package incorporates two SPDT relays that have the on and off points fully adjustable over the range for control or alarm use.

The weatherproof housing is suitable for a range of applications with panel-mount, flush-mount or pipe-mount ability. Features include zero set, adjustable dampening, menu lock-out, peak and valley indication, removable terminal blocks, adjustable time delay and scalable transmitter output.

The display units include: psi, kg/cm2, bar, in Hg, ft wc, kPa, MPa, %FS, in wc, mbar, cm wc, mm Hg, or oz/in2 (choices depend on range). The test mode simulates input over the range without pressuring to easily test switches and transmitter output function. It features failsafe for sensor failure, over pressure, high temperature limit, low temperature limit or keypad short. The user chooses if the relay is de-energised, energised or no action. With the transmitter option, the user chooses an output of 3.6 mA, 22 mA or no action. The unit also has a selectable alternation of set points between the relays for even wear on duplex pump applications.

Dwyer Instruments (Aust) Pty Ltd

Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/M933

Eco tyre

Yokohama Tyre Australia has launched its BluEarth AE01 ‘eco tyre’, made with an orange oil and silica nano blend rubber combination, for small to medium cars. The range promotes fuel efficiency and longer life span.

The combination of eco-friendly orange oil derived from orange peel and inert silica makes the tyres nearly 10% lighter, which in turn lowers the fuel usage by around 8-10%. The lower rolling resistance of the tyres means each vehicle requires less power (and thus less fuel) to drive along.

The orange oil replaces some of the petroleum content formerly in the rubber while also keeping the tyre compound soft and flexible at a micro level, so it grips the road well. It is said to work just as well in cold and wet conditions, where tyre rubber traditionally hardens and starts to lose grip.

Features of the eco tyre include: longer than average tyre life; reduced hydroplaning, leading to increased grip in the wet; on average an extra 50 km of distance on a standard fuel tank; multi-task shoulder grooves for more even wear.

The tyre comes in four types: the BluEarth (AE01) car tyre for fuel-efficient driving; the C.drive2 (AC02) car tyre for extra safety on wet roads; the Geolandar SUV (G055) long-lasting tyre for 4x4s and SUVs; the ADVAN A048 race tyre used in the national V8 Ute Racing Series.

Yokohama Tyre Australia

www.yokohama.com.au

Heavy-duty dry vacuumExair’s 205 L Heavy Duty Dry Vac system is a rugged,

industrial-duty vacuum cleaner that has been engi-neered to rapidly vacuum high volumes of dry

material. Designed for tough industrial environ-ments, the hardened alloy construction resists premature wear. Because the compressed air-powered vacuum has no motors or impellers to clog or wear out, it is suitable for the clean-up

of abrasive materials like steel shot, garnet, metal chips and sand, yet can also be used for

general-purpose applications.It is very quiet at 82 dBA (half the noise of electric

vacs), making it suitable for a wide variety of environments. Surrounding air is kept clean by the 0.1 µ filter bag that traps particles when vacuuming dusty materials. The system comes complete with a 3 m static-resistant hose, 6 m compressed air hose, shutoff valve, pressure gauge, heavy-duty aluminium tools, tool holder, drum dolly and a 205 L drum.

Compressed Air Australia Pty Ltd


http://www.storemasta.com.au


n products & servicesEnergy storage systemsSolar Inception has an-nounced a smart renewable energy storage solution that can capture energy from multiple sources, including solar, wind, hydro, diesel genset and the grid, and then use the stored energy on demand. SolaGRID ESS is a fully integrated and ex-pandable lead acid gel energy storage system suitable for stand-alone (off-grid) or grid-coupled operation. Available in eight models, the product offers from 4.6 to 8 kW power supply capacity in 10 and 20 kWh modular units.

Each system is packaged in an aesthetic, weatherproof enclosure that can withstand extreme climate conditions. Its modular design accom-modates storage for small to large green energy systems and storage capacity can be easily expanded as power needs grow. By simply con-necting a few AC cables, the solution is ready to go.

The off-grid, stand-alone models store energy when renewable power genera-tion is abundant and use the stored energy when the generation is insufficient. The grid-coupled units save power from the grid during off-peak times when the price of power is low, then supply the stockpiled energy at peak demand time when the price of electricity is high. The net result in both instances is to reduce the overall price of electric power while optimising the use of renewable energy.

The systems are built to perform efficiently and con-sistently for prolonged peri-ods. Each system comprises high-quality SMA Sunny Is-land/Sunny Backup inverters and BAE Secura Solar batter-ies and is built in accordance with stringent safety, system design, installation and main-tenance standards, including AS 3000, AS 4509, AS 4086 compliance and NPER/RPEQ/CPEng/CEC certification.

Solar Inception Pty Ltd


High-efficiency motorsToshiba High Efficiency Ultra Series motors are built for high-quality machine manufacturers who value the quality, reliability and benefits of high efficiencies. Available in the standard range of 0.37 to 45 kW (two and four poles), they are compliant with high-efficiency Australia/NZ MEPS (2006) Table B3 standards and suitable for a 380/400/415 V, three-phase supply.

With their high performance and compact sizes, the units are a desir-able choice in electric motors. Their high-efficiency design contributes to overall cost savings for any business. They also come with the company’s product backing and sup-port. The versatility of the motors make them suitable for most industrial applications, such as fans/blowers, packaging machines, printing machines, industrial pumps, grinding machines, wire drawing machines, compressors, feeders, mixers, conveyors, shredders, slicers, planers, crushers, palletisers and more.

Toshiba International Corp Pty Ltd


http://www.sourceseparationsystems.com.au


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Flanged electromagnetic flow sensorThe Series FLMG Flanged Electromagnetic Flow

Sensor is a flanged electromagnetic flowmeter designed for use in 4 to 10″ pipes in municipal or industrial water and wastewater applications.The product has no moving parts and requires

less-frequent maintenance in applications where debris or sand is in the flow. It is designed with

electrodes that discourage fouling and requires little space between the meter and a pipe elbow. Rate and

total indication are standard for both models.The product’s 6 m power cable provides pulse output

for use with a variety of displays and controllers for remote reading, data logging, pulse-to-analog conversion and telemetry appli-

cations. The series also features backup battery power to provide auxiliary power during power failures.

There are several accessories available. The Series BAT Blind Analog Transmitter converts pulse output to 4 to 20 mA analog output. The unit is loop powered, fits on the enclosure of the meter and is field spannable. The Series RTI Rate Total Indicator converts pulse output to 4 to 20 mA analog output with local flow rate and totalisation display. The unit is loop powered, fits on the enclosure of the meter and provides a high/low flow alarm.

The Series PWD Pulse Divider is for use with pacing electronic metering pumps. The unit divides the input frequency to any number from 1 to 9999 with the use of rotary switches to suit a number of metering pump inputs.

Dwyer Instruments (Aust) Pty Ltd


Rectangular shop lighterThe Light Eco 35 W recessed and adjustable shop lighter is an energy-efficient LED solu-tion for traditional rectangular metal-halide shop lighters.

The product is said to pro-vide increased reliability and improved energy-efficient re-duction in heat outputs, with much longer maintenance intervals. It has energy sav-ings of more than 80% and a long life.

The lighter is easy to retrofit and comes with an Australian lead and plug. It is suitable for improving lighting levels and energy consumption in retail, general commercial, hospitality and even domestic environments.

Ilum-a-lite Pty Ltd


http://www.sustainabilitymatters.net.au/social



Lab spectrophotometer with RFID technologyThe DR 6000 lab spec-trophotometer from Hach offers high-speed wave-length scanning across the UV and visible spec-trum and comes with over 250 preprogrammed meth-ods including the most common testing methods used today. With optional accessories allowing for high-volume testing via a carousel sample changer and increased accuracy with a sample delivery system that eliminates optical difference errors, the instrument enables the user to handle their wide-ranging water test-ing needs.

Combining the product with the company’s TNT-plus reagent vials, the user gains additional accuracy with guided step-by-step testing procedures, while making scratched, flawed or dirty glassware a non-issue due to averaging 10 readings and discarding outliers. The instrument also uses RFID technol-ogy, which automatically informs the user if their TNTplus reagents have expired, while detecting coefficient factors to avoid errors which can occur in lot-to-lot variations in the chemistries.

Partnering all of these features with an integrated QA software package al-lows for scheduling, docu-menting and interpreting quality measurements.

Hach Company

Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/Q795

Internal gear pumpHurll Nu-Way has announced the launch of EnviroGear pumps to the Australian market. This mag-drive internal gear pump is designed to eliminate operational concerns found in old-style mechanical seal gear pumps.

The pump’s simple design consists of only seven primary parts: a magnet housing, containment canister, casing, rotor magnet assembly, idler gear, eccentric spindle and head. This greatly reduces maintenance and environmental costs.

The product features between-the-bearing support system tech-nology. It offers high reliability and durability, as well as increased environmental and fluid handling safety. Its single-fluid-chamber seal-less design eliminates leaks. The product is interchangeable with mechanically sealed and packed gear pumps.

Hurll Nu-Way Pty Ltd

Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/Q992

http://www.energyaction.com.au

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Resource centreLegislation, governance, programs and industry links to help guide your sustainability development.

Eco Expo Asia 2013The eighth Eco Expo Asia will take place from 28 to 31 October at the AsiaWorld-Expo in Hong Kong. The theme for Eco Expo Asia 2013 is ‘Towards a Sustainable and Greener City’ and echoes some of the Hong Kong government’s initiatives.Speaking at a networking luncheon related to Eco Expo Asia, The Secretary for the Environment of the HKSAR, Mr KS Wong, said, “The 2013 Policy Address presented earlier by the chief executive placed very high emphasis on the environmental agenda. We want to build a greener community in Hong Kong. The four areas highlighted in the policy address, including air quality, resources sustainability and solid waste management, green building, and nature conservation, are all creating opportunities for the business community to ride on.”Wong encouraged industry players to leverage on the expo, which allows government officials and environmental experts from Hong Kong, Mainland China and around the world to exchange views on sustainable development.Since its inception, the expo has received positive responses from the business sector - not just in Hong Kong but also across the world. “As the business sector, we need to recognise our role in finding a balanced environmental model for Hong Kong and promoting business community action to the development of Hong Kong’s environmental policy,” said Professor John Chai, Chairman of Business Environment Council.“Our theme today is ‘Towards a Sustainable and Greener City’. It underlines the importance of striking a balance between economic development and environmental conservation,” according to HKTDC Deputy Executive Director Benjamin Chau. “We placed great emphasis on raising environmental awareness and demand for green technology locally at the Eco Expo Asia.” Specialised areas for waste management and recycling, energy efficiency and energy, green building services and solutions, and eco-friendly products will be introduced at the event.Organised by HKTDC and Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd, and co-organised by the Environment Bureau of the Government of the HKSAR, the event will be open to trade visitors for the first three days and the public on its final day. Last year, the expo attracted more than 270 exhibitors from 14 countries and regions, welcomed more than 11,500 buyers from 94 countries and regions and more than 2500 public visitors.For further information, visit www.ecoexpoasia.com.

RMIT launches Master of DesignRMIT University has launched a Master of Urban Design to help address the critical issues facing cities

locally and globally. Urban Design at RMIT, which is now open for applications for the July mid-year intake, focuses on establishing innovative techniques for design and practice, advancing the role of design in shaping the future form and performance of cities.The Master of Urban Design program at RMIT provides a studio-based, multidisciplinary environment to engage the issues confronting cities through project-based work. Projects are curated around key sites of urban change locally and globally, engaging with the professional and community networks invested in their future. Intensive studios take place at RMIT’s campuses and locations in Melbourne, Barcelona and Ho Chi Minh City. The two-/four-year (full-/part-time) program aims to nurture designers who are engaged in innovative approaches to their practice.For more information, visit www.rmit.edu.au/urbandesign.

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In my opinion

Jonathan Clement is an internationally recognised Water Treatment Specialist, specialising in drinking water. He was appointed CEO of PWN Technologies in May 2013. As a testament to his leadership in water treatment he was selected to be Chair of the International Water Associat ion’s Global Leading Edge Water Technology Conference and Forum five times between 2003 and 2007.

Game changer for wastewater recycling

The key design feature of the

CeraMac (advanced ceramic

membrane technology) system is

that rather than having ceramic

membrane modules in

individual stainless steel casings,

up to 192 ceramic elements can

now be housed in a single stainless

steel vessel.

There are major challenges in converting wastewater to potable drinking water, the first being public perception - an obstacle Australia has yet to tackle con-

vincingly. Secondly, there is a significant technological challenge in removing high levels of contaminants.

To deal with both challenges, a high-level treatment system is required. The treatment that has been generally accepted to date is a combination of multiple treat-ment technologies. This, in most cases, has included three steps: membrane microfil-tration and reverse osmosis followed by advanced oxidation.This multiple-barrier approach is rather costly compared to the treatment of most surface water, which can be achieved with membrane filtration alone.

An international team of experts led by Victoria University, and funded jointly by the Australian Water Recycling Centre of Excellence and PWN Technologies (PWNT), is currently undertaking research to determine if water recycling can be more affordable and sustainable. The novel approach, being trialled for the first time in Australia at Melbourne’s Eastern Treatment Plant (ETP), is a single-step treatment that uses a resilient and robust ceramic membrane system developed in the Netherlands by PWNT.

Ceramic membranes, which are known to be very sustainable because they can last 20+ years and are not susceptible to fibre breakage, have until now been considered too expensive for the municipal drinking water market. PWNT’s breakthrough has created a new ceramic membrane system that reduces the footprint and material by more than 90% and improves overall efficiency. The key design feature of the CeraMac (advanced ceramic membrane technology) system is that rather than having ceramic membrane modules in individual stainless steel casings, up to 192 ceramic elements can now be housed in a single stainless steel vessel. This reduces the costs of the ceramic membrane system to a level that makes the system cost competitive with polymeric membranes.

Ozone, an oxidant that destroys micro-contaminants, can be applied directly on

the membrane. The ozone has a catalytic reaction on the membrane, which keeps the membrane clean. The end result is that the system can work at a very high rate (flux) with very little water loss.

This unusual combination of effects - microcontaminant destruction with simultaneous enhanced membrane opera-tion - could be the key to more economical water re-use for Australia. Preliminary trial results show that the membrane operation is efficient despite the high organic levels.

In Singapore, an 18-month trial of a fully operational demonstration plant treating surface water has produced not just superior treatment outcomes but also savings of up to 40% on comparable polymeric systems.

In Holland, the ceramic membrane technology treats water from the polluted Rhine to drinking water standard at 30% lower cost than comparable polymeric membranes, producing a lower environ-mental load and consuming considerably less energy. What is at stake in the Aus-tralian trials is the feasibility of ceramic membranes in the context of wastewater recycling. Human and industrial wastes and pharmaceuticals present a tough water treatment challenge, hence the interest of a bevy of international researchers.

The high organic content of the ETP secondary wastewater, which presents a potential fouling issue for polymeric membranes, is one type of wastewater where ceramic membranes are expected to outperform alternative applications. To date, the results show that the membrane operation is efficient despite the high organic levels. The ozone stabilises the operation greatly.

When these research results satisfy Aus-tralia’s regulatory standards for pathogen removal, the technology has the potential to open the door for further investments in re-use by Australian water utilities. An economic assessment of the ETP trial is expected to be completed by mid-2013.

The ETP Project partners are: The Australian Water Recycling Centre of Excellence, Victoria University, PWN Technologies, Black & Veatch, Melbourne Water, South East Water and Water Quality Research Australia.

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SITA AUSTRALIA ISSHAPING THE FUTURE OF RESOURCE RECOVERYFOR THE BENEFIT OF THE ENVIRONMENTAND GENERATIONS OFAUSTRALIANS TO COME

SHAPING THE FUTUREOF RESOURCERECOVERY

ADVANCED RESOURCE RECOVERY TECHNOLOGIES

COLLECTION

TURNING WASTE INTO RESOURCES

http://www.sita.com.au

sustainability matters june/july 2013

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