Sixth framework programme

1.4Plan for using and disseminating knowledge

The project has defined a specific work package (WP9) to manage activities and tasks related to the dissemination of results and knowledge acquired in the project. A variety of activities will be employed including;

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  establishment of an common internet platform in conjunction with the AMEDEUS project to enable a common entry port to both projects
  
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  participate together with AMEDEUS to establish and maintain a public internet-based discussion and information database of information related to MBR applications
  
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  organization of international and national workshop and specialty conferences on the topics covered in the projects. Some of these events will be organized and held jointly with the AMEDEUS project. Presentation of results and findings of the project will also be conducted within on-going seminar/conference series, i.e. EUROMembrane, NAMS, ICOM, IWA specialty group conferences, MBR colloquium (hosted by RWTH), annual MBR workshop (hosted by CU) etc.
  
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  a common symposium by AMEDEUS and EUROMBRA will be organized at the completion of the project period to sum up the results and findings from the project efforts
  
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  publications in international/national referred journals, newsletters and magazines targeting practitioners within the scope of the project.
  
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  scientific reports for be published within the EU commissions information systems, i.e. CORDIS
  

12 out of the 18 partners in EUROMBRA are university and research organizations. A large bulk of the tasks to be undertaken in the project will be conducted as post-doc research work, within PhD studies and MSc thesis work. The respective documents related to this work are public and will be available to the general public and accessible through the university libraries. The work will also be presented at national and international scientific conferences.

1.5Raising public participation and awareness

There are no specific activities targeting public participation and awareness. However, some minor indirect efforts are foreseen through the distribution of annual rapports and information material produced by some of the project partners (SMEs and end-users) and through university recruitment and public relations campaigns.

Workplan– for whole duration of the project

1.6Introduction - general description and milestones

The main innovation of this project is the development of membrane bioreactor processes to meet future demands in municipal waster treatment through new advances in fundamental understanding of the processes, development of new technology and establishment of design and operating manuals for the respective treatment options. This will be based on current international research, and adjusted by competent end-users in our consortium, who represent the diversity of Europe. Additional regional input will be provided by consortium partners in Australia and in South Africa.

Table 4 Work Package overview

Work package:	Work package title:	WP leader
WP1	Project scoping	CU
WP2	Membrane module	RWTH
WP3	Aeration and membrane operation	INSA
WP4	Process configuration	EAWAG
WP5	Feedwater characterization and MBR monitoring	IBET
WP6	Cleaning protocols	Polymem
WP7	Concentrate / sludge handling and management	UNITN
WP8	MBR case studies	TUDelft
WP9	Presentation and dissemination of results	NTNU
WP10	Overall and scientific coordination	NTNU

Objectives presented in section 2 will be met through the delivery of 10 work packages listed in Table 4 and depicted in Figure 2. A large degree of inter-linkage of the WPs arises in the programme, and a key novel facet of the proposal is the maintenance of cross-comparability of data generated from activities within the different centres through the use of:

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  identical techniques for analysis of key constituents, such as extracellular polymeric substances
  
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  identical protocols for key operational parameters, such as physical and chemical cleaning
  
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  normalisation of key operational parameters ultimately impacting on cost
  

Examples of the latter are provided in the first work package, which is dedicated to data collation and cost modelling and, crucially, will identify base conditions for MBR operation. WPs 2-7 focus on specific individual aspects of the MBR technology whilst WP 8 provides the link between the process facet-specific WPs and operation at full-scale through case studies. WP 8 thus specifically considers the likely real advantages offered by findings made within WPs 2-7 through an evaluation of pilot and full-scale plant that can be considered comparable on the basis of such parameters as feedwater composition, treatment scheme and general duty.

WPs 9-10 concern dissemination and management. The activity described in WP9 is primarily the generation and management of information and knowledge generated by the project. This will also include clustering activities with the AMEDEUS project. Overall project management, as described in WP10, is the management of the project components and responsibility for communication with the Commission as needed. The technical management of the individual work packages is incorporated within the activities of each work package.
The project will be initiated with activity within WP1 and a joint “kick-off” meeting of all partners to highlight and define detailed working plans for the respective activities to be conducted by each partner. Due to the nature of the tasks and the closely linked relationships between WPs 2-7 these tasks will to a large degree be conducted in parallel. Interdependence on outcomes and results, need for exchange of information etc. have been coordinated as well as possible with respect to milestones. Minor adjustments of plans will be necessary and identified during the regular project meetings and reporting phases.