Twente Medical Systems International (Netherlands)

In-line inspection of offshore pipelines is increasingly becoming a challenging task for several reasons: Pipelines are difficult to pig by design, e.g., because of increasing water depth or when new pipelines are connected to existing systems. Pipelines that were not designed to be pigged now require inspection. Aging pipelines have become more difficult to pig, e.g., because of wax build up or depleting production and consequently low flows. Inspecting offshore pipelines is often more demanding than inspecting onshore pipelines, e.g., because of logistics, accessibility, and cost. Also, external reference measurements and local repairs are challenging or impossible. Consequently, measurement performance, first run success, risk mitigation, and operational impact are key factors to be considered when selecting an inspection solution. In this chapter, such a challenge is discussed. The successful inspection of a key Shell pipeline in the North Sea which could not be inspected with conventional tools and procedures.

Robotics-enabled technologies for assistive and rehabilitative applications have gained an increasing attention, both in academic and industrial research settings, as a promising solution for human sensory-motor system recovery. However, many constraints remain that limit their effective employment in everyday-life, mainly related to cost, usability and users’ acceptance. The Softpro project proposes to completely reverse such paradigm, starting from the analysis of the needs from patients and the careful investigation of the sensory-motor human behaviour, capitalizing on the framework of synergistic control and soft robotics. The final goal is to study and design simple, effective and affordable soft synergy-based robotic technologies for the upper limb, such as new prostheses, exoskeletons, and assistive devices which can be useful and accessible to a wide audience of users. To pursue such an ambitious objective, SoftPro has put together research groups who laid the neuroscientific and technological fundamentals underpinning the project approach, a net of international collaborations and numerous and qualified industrial partners, which is expected to produce a strong impact on both research and innovation.

In this chapter we examine the potential use of remote health monitoring using Body Area Networks (BANs) to support individuals who are working or pursuing recreational activities in extreme environments.

The UASB reactor (35 degrees C) was quite efficient for removal of bulk COD (52-74%) from the raw and diluted cultivation medium from the first separation process of baker's yeasts (the average organic loading rates varied in the range 3.7-16 g COD/I/d). The aerobic-anoxic biofilter (19-23 degrees C) can be used for removal of remaining BOD and ammonia from anaerobic effluents; however, it had insufficient COD to fulfil the denitrification requirements. To balance COD/N ratio, some bypass of raw wastewater (approximately 10%) should be added to the biofilter feed. The application of iron (III)-, aluminium- or calcium-induced coagulation for post-treatment of aerobic effluents can fulfil the limits for discharge to sewerage (even for colour mainly exerted by hardly biodegradable melanoidins), however, the required amounts of coagulants were relatively high.

This paper deals with the anaerobic treatment of wastewater from the potato processing industry. It is shown that treatment of this type of wastewater in UASB reactors has successfully been applied at many companies. Apart from the Biothane® UASB technology a new anaerobic technology is presented: the Biobed® EGSB technology. Presented is the first application of this technology in the potato processing industry and also a comparison is made between this technology and the Biothane® UASB technology.