Sistema flexible y modular de contenedores REFRESH.\u00a0 El proyecto original REFRESH3 ha tenido como objetivo el desarrollo de una soluci\u00f3n con un coste efectivo y energ\u00e9ticamente eficiente para el transporte mar\u00edtimo de agua dulce, que consiste en un sistema modular de contenedores flexibles flotantes interconectados y remolcados por un remolcador. El enfoque de REFRESH muestra un impacto medioambiental m\u00e1s bajo con respecto a otras tecnolog\u00edas de abastecimiento de agua dulce, como las plantas desalinizadoras, y posee una clara ventaja de relaci\u00f3n efectividad-coste con respecto a buques cisterna alternativos.<\/p>\n
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Futuris producer Denis Loctier introduces us to an innovative and inexpensive method of transporting fresh water to areas of drought or disaster, such as earthquakes: \u201cFresh water is abundant in some areas of our planet, and scarce in others. Of course we can transport fresh water by sea, but that\u2019s expensive. Can we make it affordable? Here in Spain, engineers from a European research project are getting ready to test their solution.\u201d<\/p>\n
After two days of filling with fresh water an immense floating container is ready for its first journey on the open sea. It\u2019s solid enough to walk on, but also flexible, so the waves lapp around and over it.<\/p>\n
Samuele Ambrosetti is an Industrial innovation engineer with D\u2019Appolonia: \u201cThis is a waterbag, a flexible container to transport drinking water by sea. It\u2019s made of a highly resistant and watertight textile material. Its modules are joined together with a zipper which is very strong and waterproof.\u201d<\/p>\n
The zippers make it easy to combine individual segments to make the bag as large or as small as necessary.<\/p>\n
Gianfranco Germani the general manager at Ziplast explains:
\n\u201cThe seam is specially designed to make this bag fully modular. It consists of two layers of material sealed like a sandwich inside the textile surface of the waterbag. In the middle of the zipper there is a polyurethane membrane which guaranties a waterproof seal.\u201d<\/p>\n
The prototype contains 2000 cubic metres of fresh water \u2013 that is 2000 tons of weight. The engineers need to make sure that the zippers do not burst when this heavy bag is towed at full speed on the rolling sea.<\/p>\n
Jaroslav Demuth a fiber optics engineer at Safibra tales up the story:\u00a0\u201cSo, here is the fiberoptic sensor inside. The sensors follow the tanks, so we can see the deformation of the tanks, and if there are some big waves or the speed is too high we must inform the captain.\u201d<\/p>\n
How can this technology be of use?<\/p>\n
Josep Lluis Curto a polymer chemist and XXL<\/span>–REFRESH<\/span> project coordinator \u201cIt was developed mainly to transport water from zones where it\u2019s abundant to relatively close areas that experience a short-term need of fresh water, such as a massive influx of tourists in the summer season for example. It can also allow to provide response in emergency situations.\u201d<\/p>\n The test is a success the waterbag holds up well behind the tugboat. It naturally floats on the surface, since it\u2019s filled with fresh water which is lighter than the salty seawater.<\/p>\n Jaroslav Demuth again:\u201cWe see some signals, some waves. When the captain speeds up the boat we can see there\u2019s higher stress on the tank, but still it\u2019s within the limits.\u201d<\/p>\n The engineers estimate that this method is twice as cheap as water tanker deliveries and all that with a lower environmental impact.<\/p>\n And unlike tankers, the waterbag can be simply unzipped after returning to dock then folded and stored in a container.<\/p>\n Gianfranco Germani continues:
\n\u201cOur next intention is to increase the waterbag capacity tenfold or twentyfold, and to make it sail autonomously, navigating by satellites.\u201d<\/p>\n