Recent Projects
Removal and Mitigation of Pollution from the Use of Pesticides: Prevention, Recycling and Resource Management
ACRONIM: RECYCLE
Refence project: 872607
Started date: 1/02/2020
Duration: 48 months
ABSTRACT
The flux of pesticides from agricultural areas to surface waters is wasting a resource which is becoming scarce and is in conflict with the principles of a circular economy. Enhanced loading of surface water with pesticides is the main cause for eutrophication and is one of the key challenges in meeting the objectives of the EU Water Framework Directive. RECYCLE targets both problems and develops new methods and approaches to trap pesticide components in drained agricultural areas and in the sediments of eutrophic streams ad to reuse them for agricultural purposes.
RECYCLE is a coordinated research program grounded on strong collaboration and implemented through secondments between teams encompassing academic and private sectors, both within and outside the EU. All secondments and training activities are designed to maximize advancement of knowledge and career development as well as promoting the enhancement of the participating experienced and early career researchers and professionals.
Project: Improvement of the prediction capacity for the Salar de Atacama
Start date: 10th juny 2020
Duració: 18 months
Funding: 99.000€
Researchers: Xavier Sanchez, Daniel Fernandez i Jesus Carrera
Abstract
The project deals with the development of a reactive transport model in the Salar de Atacama that allows to foresee the evolution of the lithium chemical law and of the cations of interest in the productive zone. It includes the development of the conceptual model, the adaptation of an existing numerical code to minimize numerical dispersion, and the implementation of the code to the area of productive interest
Project experiments
An experiment is being carried out in the Hydrology laboratory of the UPC to recreate a test of water on the refractive index and pH of different brines. This will help us to recreate the conditions in a karstic aquifer.
In order to see the instruments to be used, you can visit the following links:
Project: MARSoluT ITN
https://www.marsolut-itn.eu/
Project start date: 1rst March 2019
Project duration: 48 months
Funding scheme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie Innovative Training Network (ITN)
Project number: 814066
UPC Researchers: Daniel Fernandez Garcia y Xavier Sanchez Vila
UPC Students: Vera Behle and Rodrigo Perez
MARSoluT - Managed Aquifer Recharge Solutions Training Network - is a four-year Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Innovative Training Network (ITN) funded by the European Commission.
MARSoluT intends to tackle specific technical challenges in the operation of Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) sites on a scientific basis, specifically:
- chemical, biological and hydraulic processes resulting in clogging and reduction of infiltration rates,
- hydrogeochemical processes affecting the water quality, with special focus on micropollutants,
- performance monitoring and modelling, including reactive transport models to predict the fate of pathogens and emerging pollutants
- implications of the processes mentioned above on the technical design of MAR projects in the frame of regional flow models and water management plans.
MARSoluT intends, at the same time, to train a significant number (12) of Early Stage Researchers (ESRs) to become experts in the application of MAR in the frame of an Integrated Water Resources Management. We envisage these ESRs to become highly qualified multipliers for the effective promotion and implementation of MAR concepts in Europe and worldwide.
MARSoluT brings together 19 Beneficiaries and Partners Organisations, of which 9 come from academia and 10 from the non-academic sector, including SMEs but also large companies from the water sector, indicating the high potential of the research approaches for commercial, full-scale application. MARSoluT ESRs will therefore be exposed to inspiring research environments and at the same time to partners interested in technology development and the exploitation of results.
We are convinced that a MAR project focussing not only on research but also on dedicated training - as intended by MARSoluT - can contribute significantly to increasing the market potential and access of MAR concepts in the water sector, raising European competitiveness in this important part of integrated water resources management.
Project: NITREM: NITrogen REMoval from waste rock
https://eitrawmaterials.eu/project/nitrem/
Project duration: 1 January 2018 – 31 March 2021
Objective
The ultimate source of most of the nitrogen cycling at a mine site is the ammonium nitrate-based explosives used in the excavation of the mine. Waste rock, a by-product from the excavation of non-metalliferous rock in mining activities, often contains adsorbed nitrogen compounds (ammonium and nitrate) that are residues from the detonation of the explosives. Once the waste rock is deposited on the ground surface, the percolation of rain and snowmelt through the deposit will leach the nitrogen compounds, potentially impacting local recipients.
The solution (technology)
NITREM establishes a service for the passive removal of nitrogen from waste rock leachate with a bioreactor technology, in conjunction with the consideration of long-term waste rock management. Compared with alternative removal methods, the bioreactor can treat low and variable nitrogen loadings while expending little energy.
Technology development has been driven by EU’s Water Framework Directive and will enable the industry to meet current and future discharge requirements. The outcome is a low cost and low maintenance technology that is ready for market introduction and customer testing.
In addition to base metal mining, the up-scaled technology is expected to have a significant impact on the rock quarrying sector, where there are similar issues with nitrogen discharges. It is our ambition that the bioreactor system will become BAT in the European raw materials sector for the removal of nitrate from waste rock drainage.
Partnership
- Uppsala University, Sweden (Lead partner)
- Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Spain. Researcher Jesus Carrera
- AL Miljökonsult AB, Sweden
- Boliden Mineral AB, Sweden
- Cederwall arkitekter AB, Sweden
- LTU Business AB, Sweden
- Luossavaara-Kiirunavaara AB (LKAB), Sweden
- Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Sweden
- WSP Sverige AB, Sweden
For more information, please visit the official website of the project.
Project: ZoDrEx
http://www.geothermica.eu/projects/zodrex/
ZoDrEx tiene como objetivo demostrar las tecnologías de perforación, terminación y producción aumentando los éxitos técnicos y económicos de los proyectos geotérmicos. ZoDrEx demostrará que:
- La perforación por percusión puede funcionar a una gran desviación en roca cristalina y conducir a una reducción sustancial de costos.
- El aislamiento zonal es clave para la estimulación de EGS y es posible una selección eficiente de tecnología. ZoDrEx contribuirá al desarrollo de productos robustos de aislamiento zonal.
- A través de la automatización, una mejor protección contra la corrosión y monitoreo, la operación de la planta EGS se puede optimizar mientras se garantiza la seguridad de los trabajadores y el medio ambiente. 10 socios de DK, F, DE, E y CH, incluidos 5 líderes de la industria, 3 organizaciones de ingeniería y 2 organizaciones de investigación académica se reúnen dentro de ZoDrEx para ofrecer la ingeniería de bajo riesgo requerida y soluciones innovadoras para acceder a recursos geotérmicos profundos.
| Institution/enterprise |
Country |
| Geo-Energie Suisse AG |
Switzerland |
| RWTH Aachen |
Germany |
| H. ANGER'S SÖHNE Bohr- und Brunnenbauges. mbH |
Germany |
| SIRIUS-ES |
Germany |
| GZB - International Geothermal Centre |
Germany |
| ES-Géothermie |
France |
| CETIM-CERMAT |
France |
| CSIC Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas |
Spain |
| Welltec |
Denmark |
| ETH Zurich |
Switzerland |
| |
Geothermica financing | Total cost | Own financing |
| ZoDrEx - Total financing |
2.860.282 |
4.890.706 |
2.030.424 |
| Institution/enterprise |
Country |
| Geo-Energie Suisse AG |
Switzerland |
| RWTH Aachen |
Germany |
| H. ANGER'S SÖHNE Bohr- und Brunnenbauges. mbH |
Germany |
| SIRIUS-ES |
Germany |
| GZB - International Geothermal Centre |
Germany |
| ES-Géothermie |
France |
| CETIM-CERMAT |
France |
| CSIC Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas |
Spain |
| Welltec |
Denmark |
| ETH Zurich |
Switzerland |
| |
Geothermica financing | Total cost | Own financing |
| ZoDrEx - Total financing |
2.860.282 |
4.890.706 |
2.030.424 |
European training Network for In situ imaGing of dynaMic processes in heterogeneous subsurfAce environments
http://cordis.europa.eu/project/rcn/205566_en.html
Furthering the Knowledge Base For Reducing the Environmental Footprint of Shale Gas Development (FracRisk)
- Financiación: UE
- Periodo: Junio 2015- Diciembre 2018
- Importe: 263.000€
- Investigador: Jesus Carrera Ramirez
http://www.fracrisk.eu/
FREE and open source software tools for WATer resource management (FREEWAT)
- Funding by: UE. Grant Agrement nº: 64224
- Period: Abril 2015- Octubre 2018
- Amount: 70.000 Euros
- Principal Reserarcher responsable: Enric Vazquez Suñe
Newsletters:
Number 2
Groundwater Risk Management for Growth and Development
- Funding by: UE
- Period: Marzo 2015-Marzo 2019
- Amount: 300.000 Euros
- Principal Researcher: Albert Folch Sancho (IP responsable-UPC)
- Principal Researcher responsable Co-IP de todo el proyecto (2.400.000€)
Helping society in third and developing countries
DESCRIPTION
Africa’s groundwater systems are a critical but poorly understood socio-ecological system. Central to accelerating and sustaining Africa’s development is improved understanding of groundwater risks and institutional responses to competing growth and development goals is needed. Explosive urban growth, irrigated agricultural expansion, industrial pollution, untapped mineral wealth, rural neglect and environmental risks converge to increase the complexity and urgency of groundwater governance across Africa.The research will focus on tackling the following questions:
- How can risks to groundwater quality and quantity for drinking water security be identified and reduced?
- How can groundwater governance be designed to balance growth and development?
- What are the most significant and uncertain future scenarios affecting sustainable groundwater use for the poor?
The study will focus on the Kwale County area of South East Kenya where the poverty rate is high (7th most deprived out of 47 Counties in Kenya) and there is intensive use of groundwater for urban water supply, sugar cane irrigation and mining. Tackling the three questions above will involve detailed data collection, including the use of innovative ‘Smart Handpumps’ developed by University of Oxford that measure handpump use. The research brings together rigorous analysis and modelling of environmental, social, economic and governance systems and processes. A risk management tool will be developed and then tested. While sensitive to context of Kwale, the Groundwater Risk Management Tool will be designed to be flexible so that it can be scaled-up across Kenya and can be adapted to other countries and contexts.
RELATED PROJECTS
Africa: Groundwater Risk Management for Growth and Development (Gro for Good). In collaboration with the University of Oxford and several Kenyan institutions this projects wants to develop Groundwater Risk Management Tool that will help government and groundwater users balance the demands of human development and better health, economic growth and groundwater sustainability so that the poorest benefit
Latin America: In collaboration with the Instituto Privado de Investigación Sobre Cambio Climático several actions have been proposed for the sustainability of water resources in the Pacific Coast of Guatemala where sugar cane and banana production are economically very relevant but also important users of groundwater resources.
Asia: low temperatures s in many subarctic regions limit access to water resources. In this context, the effect of snow, ice and the permafrost on groundwater recharge and availability has been studied in Mongolia (Upper Tuul river basin)
The newsletter of the project Gro for Good (https://upgro.org/consortium/gro-for-good/) has been published (February 2017):
Newsletter_February
https://elpais.com/elpais/2018/07/03/planeta_futuro/1530632022_962959.html
https://upgro.org/2018/11/23/improving-groundwater-management-and-welfare-in-kenya/
Unlocking Africa’s Groundwater Potential (without subtitles) https://youtu.be/kp1KekPA6ug
Mixing in Heterogeneous Media Across Spatial and Temporal Scales: From Local Non-Equilibrium to Anomalous Chemical Transport and Dynamic Uncertainty
- Funding by: UE
- Period: Noviembre de 2013 – Diciembre 2018
- Amount: 1,5M Euros
- Principal Researcher: Marco Dentz
MARSOL
- Funding by: UE
- Period: Enero 2014- Enero 2017
- Amount: 574.897 Euros
- Principal Researcher: Xavier Sanchez Vila
ABSTRACT
Main Objectives
The main objective of MARSOL is to demonstrate that MAR is a sound, safe and sustainable strategy that can be applied with great confidence. With this, MARSOL aims to stimulate the use of reclaimed water and other alternative water sources in MAR and to optimize WRM through storage of excess water to be recovered in times of shortage or by influencing gradients. Widespread application of MAR can help address water security problems to stimulate economic development, improve public health and well-being, and maintain ecological functions and biodiversity. The use of MAR technologies can substitute the need for other, more energy-intensive water supply options, such as seawater desalination. MARSOL's main output will be a powerful knowledge base of existing field applications of MAR technologies for addressing different societal challenges related to water availability. The effectiveness, efficiency and sustainability of existing MAR technologies will be demonstrated, including operation, maintenance and monitoring procedures. Examples include different water sources, ranging from treated waste water to desalinated seawater and various technical solutions e.g. infiltration ponds, injection wells, river bed scarification, and hydraulic barriers against seawater intrusion. The pros and cons of each technology will be assessed systematically, and compared to alternative solutions. Economic costs and benefits of MAR options for the various economic sectors will be quantified. Causes of public concern or acceptance of MAR will be examined and proven ways to enhance public acceptability (e.g. through education and transfer of knowledge, evaluation of best practices) identified. Governance frameworks (laws, policies, institutions, etc.) that enhance the prospects of successful implementation of MAR will be proposed. Finally, guidelines will be developed for MAR site selection, technical realization, monitoring strategies, and modelling approaches to offer stakeholders a comprehensive, state of the art and proven toolbox for MAR implementation. The main objectives of MARSOL can therefore be summarizes as:
• Demonstrate at 8 field sites that MAR is a sound, safe and sustainable strategy to increase the availability of freshwater under conditions of water scarcity.
• Improve the state of the art of MAR applications to enable low cost high efficiency MAR solutions that will create market opportunities for European Industry and SMEs (MAR to market).
• Promote the advantages of MAR by tailored training and dissemination programs to enable and accelerate market penetration.
• Deliver a key technology to face the challenge of increasing water scarcity in southern Europe, the Mediterranean and other regions of the world.
1.1.4 Demonstration Sites
Eight demonstration sites geographically distributed around the Mediterranean (Fig. 1.1) have been selected for the demonstration of different MAR objectives and technologies, and using different water sources:
Different MAR objectives:
• Replenishing of over-exploited aquifers (Lavrion, Arenales, Llobregat, Brenta)
• Combating sea-water intrusion (Lavrion, Malta South)
• Increasing the ecological and chemical status of aquifers (Campina de Faro, Llobregat, Brenta)
• Soil-Aquifer Treatment (SAT) (Lavrion, Arenales)
• Seasonal storage and aquifer storage recovery of surplus fresh waters (Menashe) FP7-ENV-2013-WATER-INNO-DEMO MARSOL Proposal Part B Page 5 of 92
Different recharge techniques:
• Infiltration basins (Lavrion, Campina de Faro, Arenales, Llobregat, Menashe)
• Forested infiltration area (Brenta)
• River bank filtration (Serchio)
• Wells (Campina de Faro, Malta South)
• Others (artificial wetlands, ditches, drainage pipes) (Arenales)
Different recharge water sources:
• Surface waters (Campina de Faro, Arenales, Brenta, Serchio)
• Treated effluents (Lavrion, Arenales, Malta South)
• Desalinated water (Menashe)
Fig. 1.1: Location of MARSOL's DEMO sites
DELIVERABLES (http://www.marsol.eu/)
D16_1
D16_2
D16_3
D16_4
D6_1
D6_2
Title: High resolution monitoring, real time visualization and reliable modeling of highly controlled, intermediate and up-scalable size pilot injection tests of underground storage of C02 (TRUST)
- Funding by: Unión Europea
- Reference: Grant Agreement Nº 309067
- Amount total: 518,115Euros
- Duration: 01-11-2012 / 01-11-2016
- Principal Researcher: Jesús Carrera
ABSTRACT
TRUST aims at conducting CO2 injection experiments at scales large enough so that the output can be extrapolated at industrial scales. It relies on four sites: the heavily instrumented sites of Heletz (Israel, main site) and Hontomin (Spain), access Miranga (Brazil) and the emerging site in the Baltic Sea region. The objectives are to: carry out CO2 injection with different strategies, displaying characteristics representative of the large scale storage and with injection volumes that will produce extrapolable reservoir responses; Develop, use and implement characterization and MMV technologies for maximized safety and minimized risks, including real time visualization of the CO2 containment and detection of possible failures; Develop optimal injection strategies that maintain realistic figures of injectivity, and capacity while simultaneously optimizing the use of energy; Detect and mitigate CO2 leakage at an abandoned well; Produce comprehensive datasets for model verification and validation; Improve the predictive capacity and performance of computational models, as well as their capability to handle uncertainty and thermo-hydro-mechanical and chemical phenomena at different scales (at the scale of the experiments) and upscaling (extrapolation to industrial scale) simulations; Address critical non-scientific issues of public acceptance, community participation, communication, dissemination, liabilities and prepare templates for the preparation and application of injection licenses and communication with regulators; Establish on-site facilities for analysis of monitoring and measurement, providing training and capacity building; Address the risk assessment in a meaningful way; Prepare a platform for the exploitation of project findings and for knowledge and information sharing with planned, large scale, CCS projects. Allow open access to sites, and seek cooperation with large scale CO2 injection projects both at the European and International levels.
Decade 2010
Title: PANACEA
- Funding by: UE
- Period: Enero 2012- Enero 2015
- Amount: 3685771 Euros
- Principal Researcher: Jesús Carrera
Title: MUSTANG
- Funding by: UE
- Period: Marzo 2009- Junio 2012
- Amount: 338000 Euros
- Principal Researcher: Jesús Carrera
Title: CO2-MATE
- Funding by: UE. Contract number 253678
- Amount: 223537,90€
- Duration: 2010-2012
- Principal Researcher: Jesus Carrera
Title: MUIGECCOS
- Funding by: UE- Contract number 251710
- Amount: 127.127€
- Duration: 2010-2012
- Principal Researcher: Jesus Carrera
Title: Proyecto WATCH
- Funding by: Unión Europea
- Period: 2009-2013
- Amount: 309.400 €
- Principal Researcher: Jesús Carrera
1. Project summary
The Integrated Project (WATCH) which will bring together the hydrological, water resources and climate communities to analyse, quantify and predict the components of the current and future global water cycles and related water resources states, evaluate their uncertainties and clarify the overall vulnerability of global water resources related to the main societal and economic sectors. WATCH project will:
- analyse and describe the current global water cycle, especially causal chains leading to observable changes in extremes (droughts and floods)
- evaluate how the global water cycle and its extremes respond to future drivers of global change (including greenhouse gas release and land cover change)
- evaluate feedbacks in the coupled system as they affect the global water cycle
- evaluate the uncertainties in the predictions of coupled climate-hydrological- land-use models using a combination of model ensembles and observations
- develop an enhanced (modelling) framework to assess the future vulnerability of water as a resource, and in relation to water/climate related vulnerabilities and risks of the major water related sectors, such as agriculture, nature and utilities (energy, industry and drinking water sector)
- provide comprehensive quantitative and qualitative assessments and predictions of the vulnerability of the water resources and water-/climate-related vulnerabilities and risks for the 21st century
- collaborate intensively with the key leading research groups on water cycle and water resources in USA and Japan
- collaborate intensively in dissemination of its scientific results with major research programmes worldwide (WCRP, IGBP)
- collaborate intensively in dissemination of its practical and applied results with major water resources and water management platforms and professional organisations worldwide (WWC, IWA) and at a scale of 5 selected river basins in Europe Project objective(s)
2. Project objective(s)
Background
The Global Water Cycle is an integral part of the Earth System. It plays a central role in global atmospheric circulations, controlling the global energy cycle (through latent heat) as well as the carbon, nutrient and sediment cycles. Components of the water cycle are strongly interconnected – thus, for example, the tropical rain systems drive the mid-latitude circulations and North Eur-Asian snow cover modulates the South Asian monsoon. Superimposed on the mean circulations of energy and water are the inter-annual cycles – such as El Niño/La Niña and NAO (North Atlantic Oscillation) – which cause simultaneous fluctuations across much of the globe.
Globally, the supply of freshwater far exceeds human requirements. However, by the end of the 21st century, these requirements begin to approach the total available water. Of course, regionally the water demand – for agriculture, and domestic and industrial use – already exceeds supply (Vörösmarty et al., 2000). This will certainly get worse with increasing population and societies’ changing water demands, a situation exacerbated by the need to maintain river flows for ecological and human services.
Increasing CO2 levels and temperature are intensifying the global hydrological cycle, with an overall net increase of rainfall, runoff and evapotranspiration, and will increasingly do so (Huntington, 2006). Increasing CO2 levels are also likely to reduce evaporation and there is some evidence that recent increases in river flows globally are due to this effect (Gedney et al., 2006). Regionally there will be winners and losers. Although the predictions of future rainfall are fairly uncertain, there are indications, for example, that the Mediterranean region will see reductions of rainfall and some equatorial regions, such as India and the Sahel, will see increases (see Figure 2.1). The seasonality will also change, causing new, and sometimes unexpected, vulnerabilities.
The intensification of the hydrological cycle is likely to mean an increase in extremes – floods and droughts (Arnell et al., 2001). There are suggestions that inter-annual variability will increase – with an intensification of the El Ninõ and NAO cycles – leading to more droughts and large-scale flooding events. These cycles are global phenomena which will impact different regions simultaneously (although often in different ways).
Feedbacks between the climate and hydrology will occur (Claussen, 2004). The snow/climate feedback is well known and described. However, feedbacks between CO2 increases, vegetation, soil moisture and climate are less well understood and are not well described in most climate and hydrological models.
There are thus many uncertainties in our understanding of the current water cycle and how it will develop in the future.
Fig. 2.1 Mean percentage change in rainfall predicted by an ensemble of climate models for, 2021–2050 compared to 1961–1990, SRES A2 (Cubasch et al., 2001).
PUBLICACIONES
SAPRIZA-AZURI, G., JODAR, J., NAVARRO, V., SLOOTEN, L.J., CARRERA, J., Gupta,H., 2015. Impacts of rainfall spatial variability on hydrogeological response, Water Resourses Research DOI: 10.1002/2014WR016168
