Pera Technology - Case Study Booklet - volume 1

Pera Technology is one of Europe’s most
successful organisations, with a 65 year
history of helping small, medium and
large companies grow and compete more
effectively in global markets.
We offer a comprehensive range of in-house
technology competences and commercial
experience, helping to de-risk the process of
commercial innovation.
1. Using your smartphone, photograph the QR code on the left to find out more about how
Pera Technology has helped companies take new products and processes to market.
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2. No smartphone? No worries. Just visit www.peratechnology.com to find out more.

Inside this pack
ADOXPOL
Aquacell
AquaConserver
Ben-Det
BioShelter
CleanAir
Clean-Ex
DISBOND
FORNAX
ISA-Pack
ISO Track
Low-Heat
Medi-Voice
MicroDry
MicroFuel
MicroGrass
OPTIPORT
PlaGasMic
Sanware
Shop Instant Shoe
START
Stiffex
Surface Gen
ToreNado
TyreCheck
Ultravisc

We take great pride in our work and the
involvement we have in helping companies
take new products to market every year.
To showcase the pioneering work of our
team we have picked a selection of our
recent projects to highlight the success of our
technology developments and the commercial
impact these will bring for our clients.
Paul Tranter
Chief Executive, Pera Technology

ADOXPOL
Pera Technology worked with a consortium of 10 organisations to develop a new
technology for pre-cleansing organically loaded waste water… the innovation being no
chemicals are used.
Waste water improved by innovative treatment – without chemicals
Total Project Value: €1.6m
Clean water preserves the diversity of life, aids
commerce and is vital to our environment.
Yet while many previous efforts to improve
the treatment of waste water have led to
big improvements in the quality of fresh
water and estuaries, hazardous substances
within industrial wastewater remains a
huge problem. By accessing funding through
the Sixth Framework Programme, the
consortium of 10 organisations has developed
a revolutionary chemical-free waste water
treatment technology.
Named ADOXPOL, the project was co-
ordinated by Normex, a leading high tech
SME in the field of treatment of water and
waste water located in Alesund, Norway.
Here’s how it works.
The consortium researched and developed a
cost effective and sustainable industrial waste
water cleaning system by using an innovative
ozone oxidation and flotation technique.
The system includes a filter unit specially
designed for effective separation of coarse
particles, innovative ozone injection and a
mixing unit for effective contact between
water and ozone.This maximises the
oxidation process, which is crucial to cleaning.
The team also developed a novel reaction
chamber which offered enhanced separation
of flocs. Even then, the innovation has not
ended.The ADOXPOL team also developed
a process control unit (PCU) to monitor and
control critical parameters.
The project has already established successful
conclusions with highly encouraging results
in trials.The initial demonstration and
commercialisation activities with effluents
from paper mills have shown that the
ADOXPOL technology separates suspended
pollutants efficiently.
More recent development projects have
focused on the application of the technology
in the food processing sector. A new reactor
design has been validated at the Olesnice
Abattoir in Brno, in the Czech Republic, where
effluent from the abattoir has been subjected
to flotation in the new chambers.
The ADOXPOL technology has proven itself
capable of providing a solution that enables
the European industry to meet stringent
legislative requirements in a newly cost
effective manner. Moreover, it will contribute
to reduction of the pressure on European
natural resources with maximum water
reuse, improvement of the quality of life
and competitiveness of the European
manufacturing industry.The technology is
now being commercialised by Normex.

“We are very pleased
with the project;
the quality of our
consortium meant
we ended up with a
great product.”
Stig Johansen
Managing Director, Normex AS

Aquacell
Microbial Fuel Cells (MFCs) use electrochemically active microbes to convert chemical
bond energy into electrical energy. The Aquacell project uses MFC technology to
efficiently create energy through the treatment of industrial waste water.
Generating energy from industrial waste water
The Aquacell project is developing an
innovative technology that is targeting
improved waste water treatment. Backed
by funding worth €1.5m secured by Pera
Technology through the EU FP7 programme,
the Aquacell project is focusing on the use
of Microbial Fuel Cells (MFCs) in a ground
breaking new process.
Converting wastewater into electrical energy
MFCs are bioelectrochemical cells that convert
the inherent energy of organic molecule
chemical bonds into electrical energy.They
do so through catalytic reactions of micro-
organisms under anaerobic conditions.
The Aquacell project is using MFCs to provide
two major benefits. First, and at large scale,
Aquacell MFCs reduce effluent COD levels and
generate electricity or hydrogen energy.
Secondly, at smaller scale, Aquacell MFCs
offer a cost effective alternative to aerobic
treatment of medium COD strength
waste waters.
How Aquacell MFCs work
Aquacell MFCs combine photocatalytic
advanced oxidation and MFC technology.
This enables high strength waste water
to be cleaned through the oxidation of
complex molecules.This in turn enhances
biodegradability and accelerates metabolism
by MFC micro-organisms.The result is
a controlled and targeted oxidation of
hazardous non-degradable micro-pollutants.
Complementary process
The European-wide project consortium
of SMEs, managed by PeraTechnology, is
successfully introducing processes that are
complementary to existing aerobic and
anaerobic wastewater treatment technologies.
Advantages include:
• Efficient and direct electricity generation
• Minimal sludge formation
• Operation at low temperature and substrate
concentration
• Modular fuel cell design enabling operation
at small scale
• Customisation to specific end-user
requirements
The Aquacell project has created significant
operational cost savings through self-
powering system sustainability, enhanced
treatment efficiency and flexible sector-
specific operation. It is targeting £40m
business growth within three years for the
consortium SMEs.

“The technology produced
is a breakthrough in waste
water treatment. The
team at Pera Technology
were extremely helpful in
identifying and developing
this game changing
solution which has
already resulted in a
patent application.”
Chris Purslow
Managing Director, atg UV Technology

AquaConserver
The AquaConserver project is focused on improving how we use and conserve water.
It enables the easy and efficient recycling of domestic water for re-use throughout the
home, saving up to 35% of total household water.
A low cost, retro-fitted water recycling system
The need for water solutions is clear.
Across the European Union, water is an
increasingly scarce resource. Restrictions on
water use are now commonplace in many
countries. As an example, in 2006 there was
less water per capita in the South-East of
England than in the desert states of Syria
and Sudan. With warmer climate models
predicted for Europe and decreases in
groundwater and river flow rates, the need
for new ways of saving and re-using water
is heightened.
Increasing consumption
There is a huge financial cost too. Drought
has an economic impact on tourism, energy
production and agriculture industries. They
have already cost the European economy
€100 billion over the past 30 years. Without
a new approach, consumption by the
public, industry and agriculture is likely to
increase by at least 16% to 2030.
EU FP7 funded
The AquaConserver project is a
pan-European scheme which is aiming to
relieve the pressure on our water supply
infrastructure. With €1.4m of funding
secured, the AquaConserver project brings
together the diverse expertise of partners
from eight European countries.
Saving up to 50% of water
The AquaConserver project is focused
on the development of a low cost water
recycling system which re-uses shower
and bath water. This will save up to 50%
of personal washing water usage and over
50% of the heating energy used. It will
enable the re-use of filtered grey water
from bathing and showering for toilet
flushing. This will save up to 35% of overall
household water use.
Training and employment
The AquaConserver project also has
employment benefits too. It gives Europe’s
leading SME Plumbing Associations an
opportunity to bring a new demand-led
offering to customers. Requiring high levels
of expertise and training to install correctly
and efficiently, the AquaConserver solution
will create training and employment
opportunities across Europe.

“Pera Technology has
been invaluable in
leading and managing
this project. Without
their knowledge of EU
funded programmes,
the AquaConserver
project would not
have been delivered so
effectively to date.”
Chris Gee
Technical Director, Aqualisa Products Ltd

BEN-DET
In helping develop an innovative, real-time and miniaturised benzene gas detector,
Pera Technology is helping Cambridge-based Ion Science save lives and convert their
own annual turnover from a current £6m to an estimated £10m in three years.
Ion Science saves lives with new benzene gas detector
Each year, as many as 10,000 people
throughout Europe are killed or poisoned by
benzene emissions. It’s a serious problem,
especially when you consider that figure is for
the workplace alone.The traditional method
of controlling benzene emissions depends on
accurate detection and recording.
At present, this is undertaken using
the pumped sampling method on a
sorbent cartridge, followed by gas
chromatographic determination.
The big problem with this method is time.
The time it takes for the cartridge samples to
be collected.The time it takes for the samples
to be transported for analysis.
The time it takes to analyse the samples by
gas chromatography and mass spectrometry.
All in all, this costly and lengthy process can
only ever provide a snap-shot in time, with
a dangerously long delay between sample
collection and the availability of results.
For this reason, Ion Science, an international
manufacturer of technologically advanced
gas detection, leak detection and corrosion
monitoring equipment, contacted Pera
Technology to help develop a better solution.
PeraTechnology was delighted to help. First,
we secured a two year European Commission
funded product development programme
worth over €1.6m. With the project funding
in place, PeraTechnology then assisted in
the development of an exciting new hand-
held product.
The development of a miniature
photoionisation detector, called MiniPID,
was critical in enabling the creation of
the new handheld recording device.The
benefit of having a handheld device is clear,
enabling detection and recording at the
site of emission, resulting in much faster
and more accurate analysis of the harmful
gases involved, and enabling a much quicker
response time to potential contamination.
Duncan Johns of Ion Science certainly
sees the advantages of PeraTechnology’s
involvement in the BEN-DET project,
forecasting a leap from £6m turnover to
£10m in three years, a gain of 20% a year in
annual turnover.

“I’m pleased to have
been involved in the
development of this
exciting technology.
It is a major advance
in harmful gas
detection and will
significantly benefit
this organisation
commercially.”
Duncan Johns
Ion Science Ltd

Bioshelter
Rabbits and deer nibbling away at young trees and plants. Pine weevils destroying tree
saplings in as little as 30 minutes. There’s no doubt about it, growing plants and trees
is not without its difficulties. Yet whilst traditional plastic sleeves provide protection,
they are also harmful to the environment.
Introducing the world’s first 100% biodegradable tree shelter
Total Project Value: €900,000
Which is why an innovative new concept
from Pera Technology is finding favour with
lots of different organisations.
Natural enemies to young trees and plants
cause up to £8 million a year of damage
in the UK alone. The usual solution is to
protect the tender plant with a plastic
sleeve or shelter for the first few years of
its life.
However, when no longer needed, these
shelters must be physically removed
– millions each year are burned or go
into landfill sites. Millions more remain
in situ, ugly reminders of their non-
biodegradability. A biodegradable solution
would of course be ideal.
The big problem is that most biodegradable
materials break down in months, not in the
years required for tree and plant shelters.
Welsh horticultural and forestry specialist
Biocycle saw both the opportunity and the
problem, and approached Pera Technology
for their materials and manufacturing
expertise for a practical solution. Pera
Technology accessed €900,000 of EU
Framework funding for the project, which
enabled the development of a sustainable
maize-based biopolymer which the team
called BioM8rix™.
This innovative material was used to
develop two different styles of tree shelter,
BioTube™ and Bugbar™. Both of which
are biodegradable over years and entirely
environmentally friendly.
Thanks to Pera Technology’s key innovation,
and the introduction of specific weaknesses
that control the breakdown rate, the shelter
protects the delicate young plant as it grows
before breaking away and fully degrading
into the ground after a few years.

With a number of large markets available
through the National Trust, the Forestry
Commission, the Woodland Trust and The
Highways Agency – not to mention the
packaging and motor vehicle industries –
the two products already have a full order
book, with every indication that sales will
continue
to grow.
“BioCycle continues to
develop environmental
solutions for the
horticultural and
forestry industries, and
with Pera Technology’s
help we have become
recognised innovators in
biodegradable products.”
David Lloyd Jones
Managing Director, Biocycle

CleanAir
Smoke from solid fuels such as coal and wood reduces air quality and contributes to
respiratory disease. This is particularly so in urban areas. The problem can be traced to
particles of soot lodging in the lungs.
Innovative, real time air cleaning technology
To improve air quality, a consortium of
SMEs and research partners, funded by
the European Commission through their
Framework Programme for RD, has
developed an ‘end of pipe’solution.
The CleanAir project has successfully
produced a cost-effective air-cleaning unit
for fixing on domestic chimney tops. This
efficiently removes particulate matter
arising from the burning of solid fuels.
Pera Technology conducted critical
electronics research on the CleanAir unit,
which is a compact device that can be fitted
to chimneys of different designs using an
adjustable base-plate.
The main body of the unit consists of six
reaction chambers and a power supply.
“We had been working along these lines for
several years,” says Arne Thomas Haaland
of Applied Plasma Physics (Norway). “The
unit required two major innovations,”
explains Haaland. “One was a dust removal
system with a specified efficiency of over
90%, and the other was a miniaturised
high-voltage power supply inside the unit.”
Field and laboratory testing of prototypes
proved that the technology outperforms
all other known technologies for reduction
of particulate emissions from combustion
of solid fuels at a significantly lower cost.
During testing, particles were collected
upstream and downstream.
The results showed that the unit removed
particles from the air with a separation
efficiency between 85 and 99% of particles
in the potentially deadly particle size range
from 0,04 to 8,7 μm (www.app.no).
The participating SMEs have benefited from
knowledge transfer and the establishment
of business networks that can be used in
the future.

The potential market for CleanAir is
huge and there are indications that
such technology will soon be in demand
throughout Europe. As well as improving air
quality and reducing disease, the CleanAir
unit also helps to make wood and other
biofuels more sustainable, and positions
them as more attractive alternatives
to non-renewable fossil fuels. APP are
currently waiting on much-needed
EU legislation on end-of-pipe emissions
that will enable the CleanAir unit to have
massive market potential, cementing their
future growth and sustainability.
“The whole product
development process
undertaken on the
CleanAir project has
been a technical and
practical success – with
the correct legislation
in place, the market
potential will be huge.”
Jan Drotningsvik
COO, Applied Plasma Physics

Clean-EX
The fouling of heat exchangers is a chronic operating problem in that it reduces
heat transfer and energy recovery, resulting in annual industry-wide losses of $4.5bn.
The Clean-Ex project is providing the energy sector with a novel on-line cleaning
system to mitigate these losses.
On-line cleaning of heat exchangers saves the energy sector millions
Heat exchangers used in the oil, gas,
electricity, power and chemical process
industries become clogged very quickly.
This fouling reduces heat transfer and
energy recovery to such an extent that
8% of industrial operating costs can be
attributed to heat exchange fouling.
Enormous costs
The costs are enormous, amounting to
some $4.5bn a year. As heat exchangers
currently need to be taken off line for
cleaning, downtime increases leading to
increased costs and reduced efficiencies.
On-line cleaning
Armed with €3,990,200 of funding secured
through the EU Seventh Framework
Programme (FP7), Pera Technology
is leading the Clean-Ex project to an
innovative solution to this costly problem.
For the first time, the project is introducing
an on-line cleaning system that is capable
of operating under high temperature,
low velocity conditions with chemically
reactive fluids.
The solution
The solution is based on innovative
injection technology where projectiles
are pushed through heat exchanger tubes
continuously whilst in operation, ensuring
foulant build up is dramatically reduced.
These projectiles are captured and cleaned
before being returned into the front end of
the system.
Foulant characterisation
Research is concentrating on characterising
the foulant deposition mechanism,
structure and rate, as well as projectile
tribology. The project is also gaining a
detailed understanding of heat exchanger
fluid flow and its control.
10% saving
The proposed solution will provide the
industry with significant energy savings
of over 10% and reduce the CO2
foot print
across a wide range of industrial sectors.

“The consortium
put together by Pera
Technology matched
the requirements of
the project objectives.
We are now looking
forward to benefitting
from the commercial
impact of this
technology developed.”
Martin Byford
Tube Tech International Ltd

DISBOND
For centuries, shipping companies the world over have been plagued by a problem
that has, quite literally refused to go away. Until now that is.
Stripping away high costs and danger to introduce hull cleaning breakthrough
Backed by €500,000 in funding through
the European Commission’s Framework
Programme, Norwegian marine coating
specialist Jak J Alveberg partnered with
Pera Technology to come up with a
groundbreaking solution to the age-old
difficulties of hull cleaning.
The need for innovation was clear.
Traditional methods of cleaning hulls of
rust, mill-scale and ageing layers of paint
were fraught with dangers, high costs and
long timescales. While each needs to be
removed on a regular basis to enhance the
fuel efficiency and long-term robustness of
the vessel, the process of stripping away is
extremely difficult.
Removing these contaminants by using
traditional blasting techniques can cause
severe health problems, such as those
associated with acute silicosis.
It is also problematic to remove rust, mill-
scale and paint layers without damaging
the steel surface underneath.
By using Framework Programme funding
and support to develop a novel sensing
and induction heating system, this project
efficiently and accurately removes only
the contaminants and none of the steel
substrate, by breaking the bond between
the paint and steel using induction heating.
The system – named DISBOND – senses
when the paint is ready to come away from
the steel substrate and gives real time
feedback to the power unit, ensuring that it
only puts in enough power, and hence heat,
to remove the unwanted material. It strips
away what is on top of the steel without
damaging the steel beneath.
Importantly, the DISBOND process helps
remove the element of danger from marine
coatings removal. Before DISBOND, there
were as many as 700 deaths a year in the
EU alone from acute silicosis caused by
silica blasting as a paint stripping method.
As this new process doesn’t use any silica,
this danger is reduced to zero. Following
the DISBOND project, Jak J Alveberg spun
out a new company to take this new
approach to market. RPR Technologies
is now the leader in this field, with an
annual turnover of over €4m. It is making
an impact in the marine coatings market
worth €3.4bn and has contracts with major
shipping companies around the world,
including one of the largest, M/T Sahara
in Singapore.

“As a result of
Framework Programme
funding and support, we
are the world leader in
our field with contracts
with the major shipping
companies, including
one of the largest in
Singapore.”
Bjorn Erik Alveberg
Managing Director, RPR Technologies

FORNAX
Croissants. Delicious, certainly. Healthy, probably not. The high saturated fat content
of croissants makes them an unhealthy option for health conscious breakfasters. To
address this dilemma, Pera Technology has shared its expertise within the FORNAX
consortium, established specifically to develop a new low fat alternative croissant.
Reducing the use of saturated fat in the production of croissants by a healthy 50%
To produce the new low fat croissant,
Fornax developed a new extrusion die
and fat dosing system. This enables the
dough to be produced with rapeseed oil, a
healthier alternative to butter, which is the
traditional high fat ingredient in croissants.
Pera Technology proposed this process
through its expertise in plastics. The
technology first originated in the plastics
processing industry and was applied to the
food production industry for the croissant.
Low fat rapeseed oil
Here’s how it works. The dosing system
encapsulates rapeseed oil into a dough
tube which is then entered onto a conveyor
system and layered onto the dough.
To achieve the required consistency of
thickness in the 27 different layers, the
FORNAX project developed multi-layered
roller systems. An early problem was
caused through the use of rapeseed oil,
which is messy and gets everywhere.
To overcome this, the FORNAX project
developed an innovative dough to oil recipe
for each of the layers, and found a novel
method of processing the rapeseed oil
which made it more manageable.
The perfect tasting croissant
So what about flavour? Interestingly, as
well as being a low fat alternative to butter,
the use of rapeseed oil opened up a host of
possibilities. The oil could be flavoured in a
variety of different ways to find the perfect
tasting croissant.
And what about the results? The desired
50% reduction in saturated fat has been
achieved. The proof of the croissant is in
the eating of course. Two consumer tasting
trials in the north and south of the UK will
lead to release onto the market or fine
tuning ahead of commercialisation.

“We have created a
flexible and versatile
system and it has been a
pleasure to work on the
project. The consortium
is happy with the results
and I’m looking forward
to seeing the end product
get to market.”
Peter Fowell
Project Manager, FORNAX

ISA-PackEvery year, 90 million tonnes of food is thrown away in the EU alone. Backed by a €3.9m
grant from the EU, the ISA-PACK project is aiming to reduce this food wastage by up to75%.
Fully sustainable packaging that will extend food shelf life by over 50%
The global packaging market is estimated
to be worth over €400bn. It has an annual
growth rate of over 4%. Food packaging
represents more than 70% of the market
worth around €280bn.
Packaging is big business. Remember, as
well as containing the food, the packaging
protects it from contamination, enables
communication with the consumer and,
importantly, preserves the food to enhance its
shelf life, quality and safety.
Extended shelf life
The objective of the ISA-PACK project is to
increase shelf life and reduce food waste
via more effective packaging.The European
consortium is developing fully flexible,
sustainable and intelligent materials that
will more effectively package fresh food
produce. For food producers and retailers, the
innovation will result in dramatically extended
shelf life, improved quality, enhanced safety
and reduced food and packaging waste.
Two innovative materials
The ISA-PACK project anticipates improving
shelf life by as much as 50%. It will do so by
developing two novel biopolymer materials to
fulfil the needs of two different food groups.
• Stretchwrapfilm.Thisisusedwidelyby
supermarketsforthein-storepackagingof
ahugearrayoffoods.Theseincludemeats,
poultry,fish,fruit,vegetables,cheese,deliand
others. ThenovelISA-PACKPHBco-polymer
stretchfilmswillbesuitableforthepackaging
ofmost foodproducewhereconventionalPVC
stretchfilmsarecurrentlyused.
• Gas barrier sheets and films. These are
suitable for the manufacture of modified
atmosphere packaging ‘MAP’, including
vacuum packaging. MAP is a popular
packaging system for fresh and cooked
produce as it enables an extension in food
shelf life.The novel ISA-PACK PHB co-
polymer MAP materials will be suitable for
the packaging of most food produce where
conventional MAP packaging is used.
The market for such packaging is vast.
There exists strong commercial and political
drivers for the use of sustainable, active
and intelligent packaging. Manufacturers
and retailers demand improved quality and
extended shelf life to improved profitability.
Consumers and retailers demand greater
information and assurance of food safety
and quality. Political groups and consumers
demand reduced food and packaging waste
and lower environmental impact throughout
the food and packaging value chain. ISA-PACK
is on target to deliver on all these fronts.

“For retailers, ISA-
Pack has the potential
to extend shelf life and
reduce the wastage
of fresh foods. This
could have a significant
impact on supply chains
– extending shelf life is
a major leap forward in
fresh food packaging.”
Marie Cook
Pera Technology

ISO Track
With less than 2% of containers x-rayed or checked at ports, containers can harbour
multiple threats. Terrorism, illegal human cargo and large scale theft present a Europe-
wide problem. The ISO Track project is proposing an innovative solution.
Detecting intruders, improving security and accurately tracking container locations
90% of all cargo moves in ISO containers.
250 million are shipped annually.
Employing over 100,000 personnel, the
maritime transport industry is huge.
However, ISO containers cause European
transport companies equally big problems.
Transport operators face theft of goods,
illegal immigration, transport of dangerous
goods and drug and contraband
smuggling. Potential terrorism is perhaps
the greatest danger.
Composite door
Current tracking devices require external
antennas and are prone to damage
or vandalism. The ISO Track project is
developing a novel composite door for ISO
containers. This incorporates sensing and
communications equipment to detect if an
intruder tries to break in.
Sensing electronics
The tracking and sensing electronics –
that will detect door openings, chemical
explosives, radioactive devices and
stowaways – would be encapsulated in the
door, thus greatly improving security and
reducing losses.
Tracked accurately
The device also enables the container to
be tracked accurately wherever it is and
then completes the electronic purchase
cycle once it arrives at its destination. It
also utilises Zigbee so that one container
can communicate with the entire batch
of containers in transit via a mesh
communications network.
Reduced insurance costs
The three year ISO Track project
encompasses a consortium of 14 partners,
backed by €2.7m of funding secured by
Pera Technology through the EU Seventh
Framework Programme (FP7). It specifically
targets reductions in goods theft and
misuse of the ISO maritime shipping
container transport system.
This is motivated by the need to reduce
cargo insurance costs and improve port
and transport security to a level more
closely comparable to airport security.
The consortium has estimated that over
a ten year period insurance savings alone
would amount to approximately €38bn
across Europe.

“From the outset Pera
Technology has given
our project fantastic
support and helped
us through the grant
application process. Pera
Technology introduced
us to the consortium, the
RD/technical partners
and trade associations
without whom our grant
application would have
fallen at the first hurdle.”
Dougie Bryce
Stellar View

Low-Heat
Hereford-based plastic moulding company AK Industries worked with Pera Technology
to create a new and innovative product to recover energy from domestic waste water.
Energy recovery from domestic waste water
With low-grade heat discharged into
sewers as an everyday by-product of
a variety of domestic appliances such
as washing machines, dishwashers
and shower units, at least 90% of the
energy spent heating the water for these
appliances, was in effect being washed
down the plug hole.
The company worked with the consortium
to recover low grade heat (in the 25-80°C
range) from domestic waste water and
re-invest this heat back into the home’s hot
water system.
AK Industries developed a retro-fit low
grade heat exchanger for use in the
domestic sector. They called this Low-Heat,
an exciting new device which produced an
energy recovery level of up to 50% (2kWh).
The effect
The heat from waste water could now be
used to supplement domestic boilers to
heat clean water.
The big benefit of AK Industries’Low-
Heat innovation was not only to domestic
water users (who could now expect lower
utility bills) but also to the energy supply
companies. On the surface, customers
needing to buy less energy from the
suppliers appears to be bad for profits.
However, the Low-Heat device
actually presented a new opportunity
for the energy companies, in this case
Eon and EDF. By installing the Low-
Heat device into customers’ homes at a
discounted rate, the energy suppliers
were able to lock customers into a fixed
term supply agreement.
At the same time, energy suppliers were
able to meet their government-set targets
to reduce carbon emissions and the
amount of energy people use.

Introducing an innovation that was good
news for the energy suppliers and energy
consumers, AK Industries transformed itself
from a struggling SME into a key partner in
one of the world’s most lucrative industries.
“The Low-Heat system
represents a massive
leap beyond state-of-
the-art, which is
able to recover up to
40% of the heat
energy available.”
Darren Woodcock
Pera Technology

Medi-Voice
When Pera Technology were approached for support in developing talking book
technology, the initial idea generation process produced a novel innovation which
solved a completely different challenge – an audio device with ‘talking technology’
to help patients take their medicines as prescribed.
Talking pill packs increase medication safety and compliance
Getting patients to take medicines properly
is a major issue for health professionals.
People take the wrong drug, at the wrong
time, in the wrong quantities. Often the
drugs aren’t taken at all.
Similarly designed pills and packaging, use
of small type in information leaflets and
fiddly bottles cause all sorts of problems
for the elderly, partially sighted or illiterate.
194,500 deaths a year in the EU are due to
incorrect dosage and non-compliance of
prescribed medication.
Non-compliance is estimated to cost the
European Union €125bn annually, of which
€2.25bn is paid by Europe’s struggling
SME pharmacist community. A solution is
needed to ensure that all patients take the
right medicine at the right time.
Having been approached by engineering
firm Audio International, it‘s a solution Pera
Technology is delighted to have helped
bring to fruition. To do so, Pera Technology
brought together a consortium of nine
organisations to conduct the two and a half
year project.
With EU Framework funding to the value
of just under €1.3m, the consortium
developed a wallet-style pack incorporating
a solid-state audio device that provides
users with audio medication reminders and
dosage information.
Fittingly, it is called Medi-Voice.
The product prompts the patient to take
the prescribed drugs in the correct quantity
at the correct time through a recorded
voice system.
Spoken instructions and a user friendly
interface enable blind/partially sighted
patients to use it. Electronics in the tablet
wallet enable dosing confirmation to be
communicated to the user and also records
usage information for later analysis by the
patient’s GP or pharmacist.

Successful trials with the Royal National
Institute for the Blind (RNIB) have led to
the MEDI-VOICE device being taken up
and licenced by a major pharmaceutical
company who will be exploring uses
including as packaging for pharmaceuticals,
via national or private health services, to
insurers and direct to consumers through
supermarkets and retailers.
“I’m pleased to have
been involved in the
development of this
exciting technology,
which is a major
step forward in
medication compliance,
and I’m continuing
to benefit from Pera
Technology’s assistance
as we work towards
realising the tangible
business benefits.”
Brad Turkington
Audio International Inc

MicroDry
With the flooding of homes set to increase as a result of climate change, more than
50 million European citizens are living in flood risk areas. The MicroDry project aims to
reduce the drying time of flooded buildings by as much as 60%, paving the way for a
much easier recovery period.
Rapid drying of flooded buildings by as much as 60%
Water damage isn’t just a story of human
distress; it also has a huge cost. Payouts
following flood damage account for over
60% of buildings insurance claims across
the EU, with approximately €6.8bn spent
on alternative accommodation alone.
Other costs include equipment hire and
service company labour cost. The current
long drying out times required for flooded
buildings extends these costs, resulting in
elevated insurance premiums.
Faster drying
The MicroDry project, led by Pera
Technology, is introducing an innovative
solution to this age old problem. By using
€1.4m of EU FP7 funding, the consortium is
developing a novel method to rapidly dry a
room compared to conventional means.
The MicroDry project is targeting a 60%
reduction in drying times.
Microwave unit
How does it work? The MicroDry project
is based on an intelligently controlled
automated microwave drying unit. This
raises the moisture temperature within
walls, floors and ceilings of a room or
structure. Moisture evaporates faster, and
the building is ready to be re-occupied much
faster than current technologies allow.
A safe system
The MicroDry system is a safe microwave
technology operating on mains electricity.
Because safety is paramount, a series of
measures are employed to ensure safe
installation, microwave energy containment
and monitoring during operation.
This includes the communication of drying
status to a remote operator, providing
essential information when the building is
dry and safe to occupy.
Broad application
Of course, water damage to buildings
is not only caused by flooding. Water
damage can also include leaks and faulty
domestic appliances, with damage to
buildings ranging in severity from minor
effects to serious structural damage.
The MicroDry system is simple, safe and
portable, enabling it to be used in a variety
of applications to resolve a broad range of
flood damage problems.

“Pera Technology was
an integral part of the
MicroDry project. From
the very beginning,
experts were at hand
to provide support
during the process and
delivered excellent
results, including a
prototype that was fully
field tested in Iceland
and the UK.”
Alejandro Flores
MicroDry Co-ordinator,
ERZIA Technologies S.L.

MicroFuel
A pan-European consortium is focusing on how forest waste can supply renewable and
sustainable eco-fuel. Developed in Norway and led by Pera Technology, this innovative
project uses microwave technology to create a carbon neutral fuel.
A renewable, innovative and sustainable eco-fuel
The idea of creating renewable energy from
the sun, wind and waves is familiar to most.
Now the world of sustainably produced fuel
has an exciting new entrant.
Thanks to the MicroFuel project, forestry
waste is being turned into bio-fuel.
Pyrolysis
Through the use of a microwave process, all
kinds of forestry residue and wood waste
can be converted by flash pyrolysis into
renewable bio-oil and bio-char, which has
a much higher density than the original
biomass. The MicroFuel reactor consists of a
turntable in which woodchips are exposed
to the microwaves. This causes the flash
pyrolysis, leaving light carbonised bio-char
chips, with the resulting gases condensed
to harvest bio-oil.
Carbon negative
Because the raw material does not rot and
produce methane (a greenhouse gas), using
the bio-oil as a fuel makes the process
carbon neutral. If the bio-char is used in
forests and farms to promote soil growth
and absorb carbon dioxide, the whole
process actually becomes carbon negative.
EC funded
While the flash pyrolysis is a really fast
process, taking around a second, the
project has taken three years to arrive at
this breakthrough. Funded by the EC’s
Framework programme, the MicroFuel
Project involves four European forestry
associates, plus four companies and research
groups from Norway, Italy and the UK,
including project leaders Pera Technology.
Portable
Producing tens of litres of combustible
fuel from woodchips, a crude test of the
oil confirmed that it does actually burn.
Further demonstrations of the technology
to companies and forestry organisations
interested in developing the prototype are
being well received. Further development
includes plans to produce several portable
versions, fitted into standard 40 foot
shipping containers. These containers
could be transported deep into Europe’s
forests to process forestry waste. The plan
is then for this bio-fuel to be produced on a
commercial scale for forest owners
to sell.
More details of the MicroFuel project can
be found at www.micro-fuel.eu.

“The project has
attracted considerable
interest in Norway,
including a visit from
Norway’s Environment
Minister Erik Solheim
in March 2012.”
Tom Salusbury
Project Manager,
Eesti Innovatsiooni Instituut

MicroGrass
Biofuels are seen as an answer to diminishing natural fuel resources. They are
sustainable and renewable, decrease greenhouse gas emissions and even enhance
energy security. Now the Micrograss project is targeting an innovative new biofuel.
Producing ethanol by converting biomass into sugars
Biofuels such as bioethanol and biodiesel
are considered by many to be an effective
response to climate concerns, energy
shortages and rising oil prices. Blending
bio-ethanol with petrol or diesel creates a
sustainable and renewable biofuel that has
both environmental and economic benefits.
Ethanol production
Armed with a €1.4m grant from the EU
FP7 programme, the Micrograss project is
making great strides in creating biofuel
from biomass. They are ultimately aiming
to provide an efficient, fast and energy-
free technology to break down cellulosic
biomass into sugars for the production of
ethanol, the major constituent of biofuel.
Microwave plasma
The team is developing a multipurpose
prototype for the reaction of various types
of cellulosic biomass by using microwave
plasma. The consortium is also exploring
how to achieve this on a continuous or
batched basis, and by combining microwave
plasma and chemical enzyme hydrolysis.
Fast and efficient
This technology will break down the
cellulose molecule structures and allow an
efficient and rapid release of the sugars for
the fermentation reaction. Currently, yields
are 90% efficient, and much faster than
traditional processes at less than half a day.
Less energy used
In addition, by using microwave plasma,
the Micrograss project will use up to 10
times less energy, chemicals, infrastructure
accessories and solvents. This makes the
conversion of cellulosic biomass into bio-
ethanol a much more economical procedure.
Meeting key needs
The Micrograss project’s innovations meet
a key technological need in the European
SME bio-fuel sector and provide SME
farmers with a commercial use for what
is at present poor and non-profitable
soil. The technology will allow the EU to
satisfy the growing demand for bio-fuels
without conflicting with food production.
At the same time, it will give the farming
community a product which can be grown
in poor soil, generating additional income
for them.

“Being part of the Pera
Technology process
has opened up new
opportunities for all
involved. The success of
this collaboration has
also led to the award of
new project PlaGasMic
planning to start in
July 2012.”
Professor Ahmed Al-Shamma’a
Director of BEST Research Institute,
Liverpool John Moores University

OPTIPORT
Designed to increase the competitiveness of European sea ports by enhancing
safety and increasing traffic throughput, the OPTIPORT project not only delivered a
commercially successful product and impressive resultant sales, it has also proven to
be a fine example of how effectively Pera Technology can secure funding and project
manage a diversity of European consortium partners.
A safer and more accurate portable traffic optimisation system for EU ports
OPTIPORT is a portable unit combining GPS
receivers and motion sensors. It shows a
vessel’s position, speed and predicted UKC
(Under Keel Clearance).This solves a very real
problem for many EU ports. Without accurate
UKC calculations, it has been deemed unsafe
for many ships to enter the port.The risk of
running aground is simply too great.
By improving the UKC calculation accuracy
from 50cm to 10cm, OPTIPORT improves the
competitiveness of EU ports by expanding
the operational time each side of high tide,
increasing port throughput by up to 10%.
This can generate as much as €3bn a year
whilst improving the competitiveness of the
communities represented by the OPTIPORT
consortium members…not to mention saving
money for port and ship owners.
The Pera Technology-managed OPTIPORT
project combined European Commission
Framework Programme funding (which
was secured by Pera Technology) with the
expertise of a pan-European consortium of
SMEs from six member states, representing
marine equipment, navigation systems,
aluminium extrusion, plastic extrusion and
motion sensor sectors.
Within months of the project conclusion,
16 OPTIPORT units had been sold at
around €25,000 each. This provided a very
early indication of the likely success of
the OPTIPORT product, with provisional
analysis of the market for OPTIPORT being
15,000 units in Europe and 20,000 units
in North America alone, the potential
sales of €375m in Europe and €500m in
North America point to a highly successful
commercial exploitation opportunity.
The €25,000 price tag for the OPTIPORT
unit is well within the spend profile of
the average ship pilot agency and port
authority – and is competitive with other
navigation applications which offer a
lesser performance.
The benefits of the OPTIPORT project
don’t end there either. Consortium
partners Marimatech, Terpesa and
Radiokomunikace Spol S.R.O. are continuing
to work together in exploring follow-on
business opportunities.

“OPTIPORT is an
opportunity that
would simply not have
been possible without
Pera Technology,
the valuable European
framework and
the companies
it supports.”
Erik Brinch-Nielsen
Managing Director, Marimatech A/S

PlaGasMic
With funding and leadership delivered by PeraTechnology, the PlaGasMic project is
developing a novel microwave plasma reactor prototype that will convert manure into fuel
and recover water for use across the farming community.
Innovative programme, focused on converting manure into fuel
There exists an urgent, pan-European
need for an environmentally-friendly way
to dispose of animal manure. There are
economic, competitive and legislative
burdens on the livestock farming
community that has resulted in a great
desire to find a new way of disposing of
manure in clean and healthy way.
Complying with directives
Backed by funding worth €1.5m secured
by Pera Technology through the EU FP7
programme, the PlaGasMic project is
creating an effective means for the
disposal of manure. Primarily, it will allow
farmers to comply with vital EU Nitrate and
Water Framework Directives.
At the same time, this novel technology
will generate an income for farmers by
producing syngas from waste. Syngas
can be used to create fuel, and to provide
the EU with a valuable, renewable and
sustainable energy source.
Microwave plasma reactor
The PlaGasMic project is designing, building
and demonstrating a microwave plasma
reactor integrated with electro-coagulation
technology to convert different types of
manure into syngas for use as a fuel.
Producing clean water
In addition to the syngas and fuel end-
product, the PlaGasMic technology will
also generate a valuable by-product. This is
the 0.7 to 0.95 litres of effluent per litre of
manure (the exact amount depends on the
moisture content of the manure).
This effluent will be subjected to electro-
coagulation and filtration to recover clean
water from waste. This can then be used
throughout the farm for all purposes.
Through the addition of nitrate and
phosphate salts, the recovered water can
also be used in fertiliser for crops. The water
recovery rate is high. Current estimates
stand at 525 litres per year per cow to 712
litres per year per pig.
Multiple benefits
The implementation of this technology
will give the farming community an
opportunity to:
• Increase their revenues by
producing energy
• Create fertilisers and recover water
from manure
• Comply with legislation on nitrate and
phosphate balance

“The funding
application for the
EU’s Framework
Programme is complex.
Pera Technology
provided a high level of
support and guidance,
resulting in the project
receiving €1.5m in
grant funding. We feel
the potential benefits
from this project could
be enormous for the
farming industry.”
James McGrath
CEO, Ashleigh Farms Ltd

Sanware
A collaborative partnership formed by Pera Technology to develop and manufacture an
attractive yet high performance new material for heavy-duty sanitaryware has turned
a European Commission-funded RD project into an order book of £1.2m.
New concept in high performance, non-utilitarian sanitaryware
With the movement away from stainless
steel sanitaryware in prisons – where steel
sinks and toilets are increasingly seen
as being too utilitarian in appearance
– Chesterfield-based stainless steel
manufacturer Franke Sissons faced falling
sales in the prison sector.
They needed a new material.
A material which would match the
performance of steel, but which would also
have a warmer, stone-like appearance. This
required a sea change in approach.
Founded in 1784, Franke Sissons were
one of the first companies in the world to
manufacture a sink from stainless steel.
Now one of Europe’s largest manufacturers
of stainless steel sanitaryware for UK and
world markets, Franke Sissons employ over
130 people in the UK.
Having been approached by Franke Sissons,
Pera Technology addressed the challenge of
producing a new material by developing a
concept where ultra high strength and
impact resistant composite materials could
be combined with attractive yet durable
ceramic filled solid surface polymers. This
would create a unique product format
which would meet the objectives of
the prison sector, amongst many other
potential markets.
Pera Technology secured over €600,000
of funding for Franke Sissons through
Programme, before forming a
collaborative partnership with high-end
kitchen sink manufacturer Scotland’s
Carron Phoenix, who would contribute
the ‘solid surface’ technology and France’s
Matrasur, who would provide the resin and
spraying technology.
The project team also addressed the
stringent specifications on fire, abrasion
and chemical resistance. The resulting
product was named Impera™, which has
now been developed into five unique styles
of sanitaryware which are ideally suited to
commercial and institutional environments.
Indeed, Impera™ products have been
sold into prisons, police cells, magistrates
courts, motorway services, stadia,
public toilets, leisure centres, offices and
commercial buildings – including a flagship
€420,000 project at Egg’s corporate offices
in Derby. Since launch, Pera Technology has
helped Franke Sissons add over £1.2m to its
order book.

“Companies in
our sector need to
constantly improve
their product offerings
to compete. Working
with Pera Technology
provided the catalyst
for us to extend the
functionality and appeal
of our product range.”
Jared Heathcote
Business Development Manager,
Franke Sissons

Shop Instant Shoe
Shoe fashions take their toll – foot deformation a cause of pain and cost to health
services. Now the Shop Instant Shoe project is combining high fashion with memory
shape materials to provide the perfect fit, every time.
Enabling instant personalised fitting of shoes
Hammer toes, claw toes, in-growing
toe nails, metatarsalgia. The list of foot
deformations caused by ill-fitting shoes is
long. The most common condition alone –
Hallux Valgus – affects one in five women.
Accurate fitting
The problem is that fashionable footwear
demands a more accurate fitting to ensure
comfort, but morphometry differences
between women’s feet makes it hard to
provide a functioning fit in a personalised
way. Now the Shop Instant Shoe project is
making strides in solving the conundrum.
Fashionable footwear
Having secured funding through the EU
Seventh Framework Programme, Pera
Technology has led the pan-European Shop
Instant Shoe project to initial trials in shoe
stores across Europe.
By developing a novel, ergonomic,
customisable and fashionable footwear
upper, together with an instant and
personalised shoe-fitting service in store,
the Shop Instant Shoe project is meeting
both needs: shoes that look great, and
which fit perfectly.
Biomechanical analysis
Here’s how it works. Following
biomechanical analysis of the shoe and foot
relationship, the Shop Instant Shoe project
has developed a shape memory leather
composite (SMLC). This can be shaped to
match an individual’s foot dimensions, and
is used in the manufacture of a wide range
of shoe styles and colours.
Shaping process
Then the process is simple. The customer
selects a shoe she likes. The shop
assistant then measures her feet using a
measurement tool specifically developed
for the project. The shoe will then be
introduced into the shaping system
and is reshaped according to her foot’s
dimensions. After the shaping process,
the customer will decide whether to buy.
If she does, great, a sale is made. If she
doesn’t, no worries, the shop assistant will
reintroduce the footwear into the shaping
system. This returns the footwear to its
original shape, ready to be re-shaped again
for the next customer.
This technology is now being trialled in
Spain and will be rolled-out across Europe
over the next five years.

“Pera Technology
provided significant
input to the technology
development required
for this project. We are
now looking forward to
trialling this technology in
Spain, with a view to roll-
out across Europe in the
coming years.”
Dilruk Yahathugoda
Project Manager, Pera Technology

START
The START project is developing a dry cleaning unit that can be retro-fitted to
machinery and logistical software, to reduce transport costs and improve recycling
effectiveness within the farming industry.
Retro-fitted dry-cleaning unit for agricultural film waste
Agricultural films are vital to modern
farming practices and without them
high levels of food production could not
be achieved. However, Europe generates
720,000 tonnes of used film, 265,000
tonnes of which are difficult to recycle due
to soilage content.
The films themselves are highly engineered
materials and represent a high value
material that should be recycled at the
end of life. Across the EU, is it currently
estimated that only 22% of agricultural
films are recycled, due to contamination
from soil, mud, stones, silage, pesticides
and agricultural nutrients, which are
contaminants to the recycling process.
This leads to a lost opportunity for the
agricultural and reprocessing sectors, with
up to 80% of used film contaminated, also
resulting in shipping large quantities of
farmer’s fields around Europe.
The START project is overcoming these
issues and developing a novel approach to
cleaning films, enabling a higher percentage
of waste materials to be recycled. This is
happening through:
• The development of a waste
management technology that allows
farmers to achieve their recycling goals
and enables the waste management
and reprocessing companies to make
agricultural waste film recycling
commercially viable.
• The development of an innovative dry-
cleaning technology to manufacture a
transportable film cleaning unit that can
be used to remove contaminated material
from used film before transportation.
• The development of an inter-related
logistical software to optimise the waste
collection process and further minimise
transport costs, energy usage and
environmental impact. The technology will
achieve significantly lower environmental
impacts compared to current methods of
recycling and waste disposal.
These include:
• Improved air quality for breathing
• Reduced soil pollution
• Global warming
• Depletion of fossil fuel resources
• 86% reduction in tonne-kilometres
• Elimination of transport in shipping soil
back to land.

“The farming
community consumes
the equivalent of
720,000 tonnes of new
thin films every year,
generating 265,000
tonnes of waste. Across
the EU, is it currently
estimated that only
22% of agricultural
films are recycled.”
Peter Fowell
Project Manager, Pera Technology

Stiffex
While innovation in home energy-efficiency products is desirable from an
environmental perspective, it also has terrific commercial potential – as proven by the
Stiffex project, a collaborative partnership formed and managed by Pera Technology.
Opening a new window of opportunity in stiffened plastic extrusions
Total Project Value: €1m
Improving insulation and energy efficiency
in homes not only reduces the cost of
heating, it also goes a long way to reducing
our carbon footprint. An obvious place to
look to improve the thermal effectiveness
of a home is in its windows.
For many years, double-glazed plastic
glazing frames have helped retain heat,
repel the cold and improve energy
efficiency within the home. Plastic frames,
however, have a very particular weakness.
In order to make the plastic frame strong
enough to safely support the glass, metal
inserts have traditionally been used inside
the frame. While it certainly adds strength,
the metal also reduces the frame’s thermal
insulation properties. In short, the metal
makes the plastic window frame less
effective in saving energy.
So how to get rid of the metal?
Italian SME and extrusion specialist Rossi
Stamp asked Pera Technology for help.
Pera Technology secured funding for
research and development through the
European Commission’s Framework
Programme, and created a pan-European
consortium called the Stiffex project.
The project addressed the problem by
creating a new hybrid thermoplastic
pultrusion/co-extrusion process which
improves the stiffness of traditional
extrusions by over 500%. This eliminates
the need for metal inserts.
The Stiffex technology has applications
in many markets. In addition to windows,
doors, roller blinds and shutters, it can be
used in other building products where low
thermal conduction and the elimination
of corrosion is desirable. Fences and
refrigerators are further applications.
By combining the expertise of Rossi Stamp,
Aurelia Plastics, Pointer, Ensinger, Gradus
and Reifenhauser the €1m project has
helped each company achieve considerable
commercial rewards.
Already, France’s major window
manufacturing group Bouvet Lorillard
has taken the first licence to use the Stiffex
technology. Guiliano Rossi, Managing
Director of Rossi Stamp, says, ‘We are now
in the second phase of market development
as we enter the uPVC double glazing
market, which could see turnover
increase by at least a further 50% in the
next couple of years.’

“Thanks to funding
secured by Pera
Technology and the
collaborative partnership
they established, Rossi
Stamp is exploiting
the stiffened extrusion
technology in the
roller shutter market,
where we have already
increased our turnover
by over 30%.”
Guiliano Rossi
Managing Director, Rossi Stamp

Surface Gen
As well as securing funding, Pera Technology facilitates the transfer of expertise
across Europe for the benefit of business. A good example is this highly successful
initiative which is currently producing big savings in tooling production time, whilst
substantially reducing carcinogenic cutting fluids and previously wasted materials.
A new generation of tooling pinpoints reduced waste and shorter timescales
Traditional tooling methods have three
distinct problems.
First, they take ages to make. Second,
they waste a huge amount of material
due to the use of solid steel blocks. Third,
and worst of all, is the large amount of
carcinogenic cutting fluids used in the
machining process.
East Midlands SME Surface Generation
Ltd saw a way to make the whole tooling
process safer, more cost-effective and
much less wasteful. €640,000 of funding
secured by Pera Technology through
Programme provided the opportunity to
develop their innovation.
Over the next two years, the team
redefined the tooling interface used to
make moulds. A major step forward from
the previous method, which used the entire
mould insert, Subtractive Pin Tooling (SPT)
technology uses a moveable bed of square
pins which are moved into a near net
position and then machined to create the
mould tool face…faster, more flexibly, and
with greater safety.
Indeed, the amount of dangerous cutting
fluid required was reduced by at least 50%.
The major benefits, however, are in reduced
waste, shortened timescales and lower
costs. The new method consumes no more
than 5% of the material of an equivalent
subtractively produced tool per unit
volume, while the operator is able to re-use
90% of the previous mould material when
creating new tools.
As well as lower waste, the total tooling
time has been reduced by up to 40%.
The result is much lower costs for tool
manufacture, with reductions of 68% on
the norm.
Surface Generation is now successfully
penetrating the Aerospace Composite
tooling market, which is worth
approximately €1bn. As well as marketing
SPT technology in both Europe and the
US, the hardware is currently being used
by a large US company to develop a new
infantry helmet for the Armed Forces.

“The success of this
breakthrough in tooling
can be traced directly to
Pera Technology who
secured the funding
for research and
development, as well as
managing the project
team so effectively.”
Ben Halford
Managing Director, Surface Generation Ltd

ToreNado
As traditional methods of oil and water separation are fraught with problems,
the ToreNado project is making waves by exploring an exciting new solution.
Pera Technology is leading the project.
Efficient method of separating oil and water in space-limited sea platforms
Following its extraction from the sea bed,
oil needs to be separated from sea water.
Traditional processes are slow and require
several time-consuming stages. They rely
on heavy equipment which requires a lot of
space on limited-area sea platforms.
The large volume of oil contaminated
water, stored in readiness of treatment,
also take up valuable capacity. Adding to
the problem is that traditional cyclone
methods mean production has to be
stopped in order to treat the water.
Saving space and time
With space at a premium on sea platforms,
the ToreNado project is developing a
treatment system that allows a fast
throughput of oil and water using a single
device. It will achieve the environmental
safe limits of 30pppm in one step, through
a device that takes up very little space.
Another positive outcome will be disposal
of the treated water directly back to the
sea, freeing up capacity currently taken up
by large water storage tanks.
Enhanced insight
With funding of over €500,000 secured by
Pera Technology, the ToreNado project is
focusing on improving the entire oil and
water separation process. The geometry
of the device named ToreSep® has been
successfully investigated using CFD
modelling. This provides a much enhanced
insight into how the separation of two
liquids can be achieved in the system.
The modelling was performed in
conjunction with a ‘live’ setup that allowed
validation of the physical properties of the
model to the real system to take place.
Permanent employment
As well as gaining a full understanding
of the key geometries of the ToreSep
device, the project has resulted in people
development. Permanent employment has
been offered to the graduate staff who had
been assigned to the project.
There has also been significant
development of knowledge from the
project including proven methodology from
the analytical testing covering a range of
methods for oil and gas analysis and test
rig for mixing.

“The project allowed a
two-fold understanding
of the system, firstly,
the mechanism
of separation and
secondly, the geometry
changes that could be
made to potentially
improve the system.”
Mick Parmar
Pera Technology

TyreCheck
Pera Technology enabled a consortium of six companies to develop a completely new
way of measuring tyre pressure and tread depth in the commercial vehicle sector –
saving money, improving safety and increasing regulatory compliance.
A novel new approach to checking and maintaining tyre safety
In the world of commercial fleet vehicles,
checking tyre tread depth and air pressure
is a more sophisticated process than
you might imagine. This is good news
for Derbyshire-based SME Treadcheck
Ltd who, thanks to project management
and European Commission Framework
Programme funding secured and
delivered by Pera Technology, enjoyed
an opportunity to introduce a market-
changing innovation they couldn’t have
begun to develop by themselves.
Traditionally, drivers might conduct their
own visual inspection, whilst more detailed
checks by specialist inspectors may be
conducted every month or so.
The problem is that the drivers’ checks can
be inaccurate, and the inspectors’ checks
too infrequent …not to mention very
expensive. Hand-held measuring devices
might promise new levels of accuracy, but
they all depend on someone doing the job
properly in the first place, a factor which
cannot always be relied upon.
There is good commercial reason for getting
air pressure correct. A tyre under-inflated
by 10psi can increase fuel consumption
by 2.5%, while 20% under-inflation will
shorten a tyre’s life by as much as 25%.
Under-inflated tyres can also overheat,
leading to blowouts. A consortium of six
companies – the Tyrecheck project team –
saw a way to improve the frequency and
accuracy of tyre checks.
The method developed involves driving
the vehicle over a mat. This delivers eddy
currents which are picked up by the steel
case within the tyre, producing an accurate
measure of tread depth. Calibrated against
the original reading taken when the tyre
was new, it is easy to get an updated and
highly accurate reading for each tyre every
time the vehicle is driven over the mat.
The system also measures and records
tyre air pressure, producing data taken
from each individual pressure gauge
within the tyre. All of this data can then be
transferred via the internet into a central
data monitoring point, saving time and
money for tyre owners and helping keep
drivers safe.

“As a result of funding
and support delivered
by Pera Technology, we
are seeing incredible
levels of interest in
take up from the major
market players in the
tyre leasing market, and
believe we have created
a completely new
opportunity for the
tyre industry.”
Geoff Haswell
Managing Director, Treadcheck Ltd

Ultravisc
Development of a new technology to compensate for impurities and variations in the
physical properties of recycled feedstock. Ultravisc will allow the production of higher
grade products from recycled materials, and will reduce costs for plastics recyclers and
processors, thus increasing European competitiveness.
Helping UK pipe manufacturer improve quality and reduce waste
Using recycled material to produce
drainage pipes is a great idea. Until now,
the problem has been that processing
recycled material is undermined by its poor
quality, leading to high levels of waste.
UK manufacturer Cherry Pipes produces
thermoplastic drainage pipes using recycled
feedstock. However, due to inter-batch
differences in recycled material there is
often a significant variation in its melt flow
characteristics. During production, this can
mean that up to 10% of the extruded pipe
has to be scrapped. Cherry Pipes turned to
Pera Technology to help put an end to this
unwanted waste.
Controlling the viscosity of the material
Using ultrasonics and a real-time closed-
loop control, the Ultravisc system is able to
control the viscosity of recycled polymers
during the extrusion process. It achieves
this by continuously monitoring the
process conditions and applying ultrasonic
energy to the polymer melt as and when
it is required. The main benefits are the
production of a more consistent product
that can be produced at a higher rate.
Reducing waste and downtime
The potential benefits to Cherry Pipes are;
an improvement in quality of products,
reduced waste, and down-time. It also
lowers production costs and increases
throughput productivity resulting in
greater profitability.
Creating real cost savings
So how well has it worked? Initial results
are extremely encouraging. The Ultravisc
Project has demonstrated that ultrasonics
can increase throughput and control
viscosity more rapidly than standard
methods. In particular, the project has
culminated in generating potential
cost savings of up to €225 per tonne
through energy savings and reduction in
material waste.
The Ultravisc Project received
funding from the European Commission’s
Seventh Framework Programme (FP7).

“The project has made
significant steps in
the use of control and
ultrasonics to improve
the extrusion of
recycled materials into
a range of products.
Cherry Pipes are now
well placed to lead the
commercialisation
of this exciting
technology.”
Jonathan Powell
Project Manager, Ultravisc

A leading new product
development contractor
Nottingham Road
Melton Mowbray
Leicestershire LE13 0PB
United Kingdom
Phone: +44 (0)1664 501501
Email: enquiries@peratechnology.com
www.peratechnology.com

Our project partners
AKIndustriesLtd
A.D.I.Valor
ACONDAQ
Adept PolymersLtd
ADSGroup
AhlstromGruooenAps
Aimplas–InstitutoTecnologicodelPlastico
AngewandteSystemTechnikGmbH
AngloRecycling
AppliedMaterialsTechnology
AppliedPlasmaPhysicsAS
AqualisaProducts
AshleighFarms
AsioSpol.SR.O.
AsociaciónEmpresarialDeInvestigacionCentro
TecnologicoDelCalzadoyDelPlasticoDeLaRegion
AsociaciónEspañoladeEmpresasdeIngeniería
AssociazioneNazionaleRiciclatorie
AstrataEurope
ATGUVTechnology
Autoconnect Limited
BKKeramikUndTonwarenGmbH
BakehouseLtd
BartecAutoIdLtd
BiocycleLtd
BiofuelsWalesLtd
Biopac
BraunFormenbauGmbH
BritishBeerandPubAssociation
BuchemBV
BulgarianNationalForwardersAssociation
C.G.S.diColucciaMicheleC.sas
C.P.CommunityPublishingLtd
CampdenBri
CentreDeRecercaIInvestigacioDeCatalunyaS.A.
CentroEuropeoSviluppoApplicazioniPlasticheSrl
Consortile
ChambreD’agricultureDuLoiret
CherryPipesLtd
Clecat
ConfederacióndeOrganisacionesdeSelvicultores
deEspana
ConfédérationEuropéennedesPropriétairesForestry’s
ContainershipsLtdOy
ConvexElectricalLtd
CRSEngeneeringLtd
CSOTechnikLtd
D’appoloniaS.P.A.
DaraSistemasElectronicosS.L.
DavidLloydContractorsLtd
DipolarAB
DKIPlast
DominoPrintingSciences
DynexDemiconductorLtd
ElectricidadIndustrialSalvioBusquetsSa
ElkedeTechnologyAndDesignCentreSa
ElkingtonBrothersLimited
EMAd.o.o
EMEA
EnaspolA.S.
ENIA
EnsingerItaliaSrl
EPLCompositeSolutions
ErziaTechnologies
EstonianPrivateForest Union
EuroIndexB.V
FaromedH.Ges.M.B.H
FkurKunststoffGmbH
FrankeSissons
FraunhoferGesellschaft ZurFoerderungDer
AngewandtenForschungE.V.
FundacionTecnaliaResearchInnovation
G.S.D.S.r.l
GiffexLtd
GPMaterials
GradusLtd
GramAndJuhlA/S
HammelmannMaschinenfabrikGmbH
HaswellMouldingTechnologiesLtd
HemcoreLimited
HightechEngineeringSrl
HRSSpiratubesl
HVWooding
Hydro-Eco-Invest Sp.ZO.O
IGPSRL
IndustriasNiocoSL
InnovationCentreIceland
InstitutodeBiologiaExperimentalETecnologic
InstitutoTecnologicoDelEmbalaje
IntegratedSystemTechnologies
Intelscan
Intrex
IrishFarmFilmsProducersGroupLimited
It MobileOy
JakJAlvebergA.S.
K.LundAS
KeroniteInternational
LantmannenUnibakeUKLtd
LicomSystemsGmbH
LiverpoolJohnMooresUniversity
Lloyd’sRegister
LogrotexSA
LotusCars
MagyarEpuletgepeszekSzovetsege
MantzarisAe-Eurofilm
Matrasur
MegavoiceIrelandLtd
MekvaA.B.
Merpro
MetallisationLtd.
MicroomegaSp.Z.O.O
Microplast AS
ModelAg,PcThurpapier
MtcPolskaSp.Z.O.ONavdataOy
MueggeElectronicGmbH
NaproPharmaAS
NationalInstituteofTechnology
NaviconAs
NimesisTechnology
NormexAs
Nor-TekTeknologisenterAS(aPeraTechnologycompany)
NovaminaCenterInovativnihTechnologija
NovartisPharmaAg
OmniformSa
OrbanMicrowave
PlastikaKritisIndustrialTradingCo.S.A.
PlastitehaseA.S
PolinterSA
PolskaKorporacjaTechnikiSanitarnej
Port AutonomeDeNantesSaint Nazaire
PracticalCompoundsLtd
PrevieroN.Srl
ProcontrolSrl
Product ReleaseEurope
PrzedsiebiorstwoWikom–Seal
PymetalCantabria
QueensUniversityofBelfast
RainbowUK
RcdRadiokomunikaceSpolS.R.O
ReifenhauserGmbHCo
Robert PrettieandCoLtd
RossiStamp
RoyalNationalInstituteofTheBlind
S.I.C.Entwicklungs-UndVertriebsGmbH
Sairem
SairpComposites
SalsnesFilterAS
SarantelLimited
SarlFloriadesDeL’arnon
ScandinavianBiofuelCompanyAS
Schroder-Plast A/S
SEREPS
ShellInternationalBv
SilvestriTrasslochiS.R.L.
SolwayRecycling
SpeedexLtd
SpencerSynthetic
SraInstruments
StatifloInternationalLtd
StiftelsenTeknologiskInstitutt
StogdaShipDesignEngineeringSpZ.O.O.
Supralift
TechnicalWeldingServicesLtd
TechnosamSrl
TecnicasReunidas
TeknologiskInstitutt AS
Telsonic
TermoplasticosPeral,S.A.
TheEnvironmentalandSustainableConstruction
Association
TheNorwegianForest Owner’sFederation
ThePallet Company
TheUniversityofBirmingham
TheUniversityofNottingham
TheYorkshireTractionCompanyLtd
Thermocomp
ThermyaSA
TMDTechnologiesLimited
TotalSigmaMeasurementsLtd
TransporteYLogisticaItene
TTS(Shipping)
TurkishSocietyofHVACSanitaryEngineers
UKTelemarketingServicesLimited
UniaFarmaceutow-WlascicieliAptek
UVaSolLtd
UvoxMicrowavesAB
VipemHackert GmbH
VTTTechnicalResearchCenterofFinland
VukovExtraAS
WovenPPRecycling
ZocaContainerSecurityBv
A leading new product
development contractor

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