42
technology + innovation awards 2008
Environmental Technology
Nottingham University
Microwave processing of oil-contaminated
drill cuttings
The project has adopted an innovative, multidisciplinary
approach to enable a paradigm shift in waste and
environmental management in the oil industry. It is focused
on offshore drilling, where microwave heating technology
is being developed as a highly energy-efficient technique
to deliver a zero-landfill solution to a global waste disposal
problem.
The project started in 2002 with the hypothesis that
microwaves may be suitable for the treatment of drilling
wastes — oil-contaminated drill cuttings arising from
exploration and extraction operations, which are
increasingly subject to UK environmental regulations.
This hypothesis was validated by small-scale tests, but
to make progress it was clear that a multidisciplinary
approach was needed because many of the challenges
lay at the interfaces of process engineering,
electromagnetics and materials transport.
This formed the basis of a three-year project
supported by DEFRA and the industrial partners. The
project moved from bench to industrial demonstration in
a very short period.
The research was informed at all times by the
industrial partners to ensure that the key commercial
requirements were paramount in the development
process, which is particularly important for offshore
operation in harsh environments.
Phase three of the project started in 2008 and a
shore-based system for industrial use is now being
developed for location in mid-2009.
Discussions over commercialisation have begun with
several of the world’s leading oilfield operating
companies.
British Technical Films
Department of Zoology, Oxford University
A bird’s-eye view of the world: miniaturised video
cameras for deployment on wild birds
Studying wild animals in their natural environments often
presents major challenges to field biologists. Many species
are shy and avoid humans, while others live in habitats
where direct observation is difficult or impossible.
Perhaps one of the most intriguing possibilities of
modern telemetry technology is the fitting of wild animals
with miniaturised video cameras which can produce
direct observations of behaviour, together with detailed
information on respective ecological, physiological and
social contexts.
The team developed particularly small camera units,
less than 14g, with integrated VHF radio-tags for
positional tracking that enabled live video footage to be
captured from wild New Caledonian crows, yielding the
first detailed documentation of the natural foraging
ecology of this remarkable species.
The ambitious goals of this project could only be
achieved through close collaboration between
experienced field biologists and professional engineers.
The scientific research team, consisting of Dr Christian
Rutz and Lucas Bluff, contributed extensive experience in
studying wild birds, including the use of VHF radio-
telemetry to investigate their movements. Jonathan
Watts, a special-effects wildlife cameraman, had worked
on several major TV projects for BBC1. For the
documentary Animal Camera he had constructed
lightweight video cameras for use on tame hawks and
eagles. These cameras and custom-built receivers and
antennas formed the basis of the collaboration. Ron
Joyce, a microelectronics engineer, produced timer chips
which proved critical for successful data collection from
wild birds.
SciSite
Keele University
Non-destructive rust detection
SciSite, a Keele University spin-out, uses a unique
non-contact, non-destructive method of directly detecting
CATEGORY SPONSOR
the presence of rust on steel. Other methods currently
used are either destructive, such as removing the
tarmac from concrete road structures, or only provide
an indication that corrosion may be occurring. This is
time consuming and costly and results in extensive
roadworks.
The SciSite Corrosion Probe determines definitively and
exactly where there is rust without the need to penetrate
the covering material, saving significant time and cost.
The technique is protected by a granted patent in 11
countries. The potential market is huge. The market
related for surveys to concrete repair in the UK alone is
conservatively estimated at £10m, and globally in the
billions.
SciSite has commercial relationships with Concrete
Repair Surveys to develop the equipment into more
applications, generating new avenues for future
revenues.
The company is also collaborating with construction
group Laing O’Rourke on other uses of the technology
for monitoring in different structural applications.
This relationship has resulted in the generation of
jointly-owned IP which will be co-developed into what is
expected to be a vast market application.
the EnGIneeR 15–28 SEPTEMBER 2008
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