Industry Europe – Issue 27.1

Page 22

NEWS

TECHNOLOGYSPOTLIGHT

Advances in technology across industry

ATR and Sweden’s Gas imaging makes quantum BRA perform first leap with a single pixel ATR biofuel flight N

AN

ATR 72-600 of the Swedish carrier BRA (former Braathens Regional) took off from Stockholm-Bromma in February to Umeå fueled at 45% with fossil-free used cooking oil, marking the first biofuel-powered flight of an ATR aircraft. Thanks to its lighter structure, optimised speed and engines designed for short routes, ATR’s aircraft already demonstrates the best environmental performance in its segment. Nonetheless, ATR continues to invest in virtuous technologies and contributes to European research and development efforts to take advances in environmental performance even further. ATR encourages the use of alternative fuels and offers support to customers and local governments in developing a comprehensive business plan, from fuel selection to routing, certification and availability for seamless airline operations. Christian Clemens, chief executive officer of BRA, declared: “Sweden is currently debating a new tax on aviation. It will have a minimal impact on emissions, and will unfortunately slow down the pace in which we can continue to make aviation more sustainable. The ATR 72-600, especially if powered by biofuel, is the optimal transportation on many of our routes and features the highest standards of environmental care.” Christian Scherer, chief executive officer of ATR, declared: “Today’s challenge is to get a large-scale production of biofuels at affordable costs while avoiding a negative impact on the environment. Swedish airlines like BRA can take advantage of the massive expansion of its forests, along with the operation of fuel-efficient turboprops, to reach the ambitious goal of halving their CO2 emissions by 2025.” Visit: www.atr-aircraft.com 20 Industry Europe

ew technology which could offer the oil and gas industry a cheaper way to visualise methane gas is taking one step closer to becoming commercially available. In a paper published in the journal Optics Express, researchers from the University of Glasgow’s School of Physics and Astronomy and Scottish photonics company M Squared Lasers describe how they have used a technique called single-pixel imaging to create real-time video images of methane gas in a typical atmospheric setting. While gas imaging technology has been commercially available for some time, current systems are expensive, bulky and power-hungry. Single-pixel imaging uses just one light-sensitive pixel to build digital images instead of using conventional multi-pixel sensor arrays, which can be prohibitively expensive for infrared imaging. This allows the researchers to build a much smaller, cheaper gas detection system. The scene in front of the sensor is illuminated using a sequence of infrared patterns created using a laser tuned to 1.65μm, the absorption wavelength of methane, and display

technology commonly found in digital data projectors. Using sophisticated sampling techniques to correlate the projected patterns and the gas, the researchers can create a real-time, colour coded image of the gas overlaid on an image of the scene using a conventional colour camera. Dr Graham Gibson, lead author of the paper, said: “Working with M Squared Lasers, with the support of QuantIC, has been of immense benefit to the project. M Squared’s advanced laser systems allowed us to effectively ‘tune in’ to the wavelength of methane gas, and opens up the possibility of using the system to detect other types of gases in the future.” Visit: www.glasgow.ac.uk

Asia’s first hybrid electric ferry heralds cleaner sea travel

T

he Taiwanese harbour city of Kaohsiung has launched a new hybrid electric ferry, which could revolutionise marine passenger transport across the region by curbing greenhouse and diesel emissions. Kaohsiung recently re-launched the popular Cijian Island passenger ferry, retrofitted with a Visedo electric propulsion system, replacing the original diesel engine. It heralds Asia’s first hybrid electric ferry and, if successful, the Kaohsiung City Government plans to retrofit the rest of its diesel fleet to help reduce pollution levels around Taiwan’s largest harbour. Visedo OY, a leading Finnish manufacturer of electric drivetrains for marine vessels, commercial vehicles and heavy duty applications, worked alongside Taiwan’s Ship and Ocean Industries R&D Center, also known as SOIC, to complete the retrofit. Visedo CEO Kimmo Rauma said: “Given the geography, ferries are a vital mode of public transport across East and Southeast Asia but they are also the most energy intensive per

kilometre travelled. Until now, diesel ferries have been a dirty but necessary part of life around harbours like Kaohsiung. In Hong Kong for example, passenger ferries make up the majority of licensed vessels in Victoria Harbour, where it’s estimated air pollution kills about 3200 people every year. “Visedo has developed a cost-effective and efficient alternative, so rather than waiting until a vessel’s service life ends, harbour cities can swap noisy, dirty and expensive diesel for silent electric powertrains that are more efficient, can halve fuel costs and emit no fumes or oil pollution.” Visit: www.visedo.com


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Articles inside

Excellence in motion SPINEA

7min
pages 184-190

Intelligent, futuristic energy solutions

4min
pages 180-183

Pioneering new skin-care technology Beiersdorf

4min
pages 172-175

Innovative eco-friendly refrigeration EPTA Group

4min
pages 176-179

Trusted partner SAM - SHIPBUILDING

4min
pages 169-171

On track for expansion Bonatrans

4min
pages 160-163

Fully on track České dráhy

7min
pages 164-168

A sustainable outlook Metsä Tissue

5min
pages 154-157

Innovation at its core Sonoco Alcore

5min
pages 158-159

A strong process Tata Group

5min
pages 151-153

Trusted partner ZPA Pecky

5min
pages 148-150

From strength to strength PJSC ‘Zaporizhstal’

4min
pages 144-147

Sheet metal specialist ŠVEC A SPOL

4min
pages 142-143

Leader in industrial locking systems RST Roztocze

4min
pages 134-137

Always close to customers Fontana Group

4min
pages 128-129

Driving heavy-duty precision forward

4min
pages 138-141

Metal tube processing experts BLM Group

5min
pages 130-133

Digging for success Komatsu Italia Manufacturing

6min
pages 122-127

Transforming airport logistics efficiency

4min
pages 118-121

Driving intralogistics to new heights

6min
pages 114-117

Two centuries of success Tereos TTD

6min
pages 108-113

Unique flavours with a solid tradition

4min
pages 99-103

Trusted partner IDO Hutný projekt

4min
pages 92-95

Taste of purity Stock Polska

4min
pages 104-107

Profile of sustainability Alphacan

4min
pages 96-98

Supreme thermal efficiency Alumil

4min
pages 88-91

Essence of pharmaceuticals FARMAK

4min
pages 80-82

Clear advantage Casa Noastra

5min
pages 83-87

New beginnings Nitrogénművek Zrt

4min
pages 76-79

Fast flowing innovation Tristone Flowtech Group

4min
pages 68-71

Connecting chemistry Brenntag

4min
pages 72-75

Rising success SOR Libchavy

5min
pages 59-63

Smart range Frauenthal Automotive

3min
pages 64-67

Honouring excellence Bosch

4min
pages 54-58

The sound of progess ASK Industries

4min
pages 50-53

Resounding success GN ReSound

5min
pages 46-49

World’s first fitness-tracking technology Jabra

4min
pages 41-45

Smart connections Wirepas

2min
page 35

Flying high Asco

4min
pages 36-40

Increasing sensor intelligence SICK

2min
pages 32-33

Cool precision Sheng Kwei

2min
page 34

Hannover Messe has it all A preview of this year’s show

11min
pages 26-31

Technology spotlight Advances in technology

4min
page 22

Linking up Combining strengths

7min
pages 18-19

Wavelength Mobility opens paths to efficiency

6min
pages 14-15

Notice board New products and processes

3min
page 23

Is software eating the world? The revolutionary

9min
pages 8-10

Focus on France Ian Sparks reports from Paris

4min
page 25

Winning business New orders and contracts

7min
pages 16-17

Moving on Relocations and expansions

4min
page 20
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