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Public understanding: Nature's Raincoats

Summary of the impact

Nature's Raincoats is a physical exhibition and a website providing easily accessible information and resources. These entities have had extensive use within the public understanding of superhydrophobic surfaces (extremely repellent to water), including The Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition, Cheltenham Science Festival, The Big Bang Fair, British Science Festival and Techfest (India) — reaching thousands of people in the UK and overseas. As well as impacting on improved public awareness, the research informed website provides a direct route to research expertise for companies within the UK and internationally and extends good practice of working with industry e.g. Rolls Royce.

Submitting Institution

Nottingham Trent University

Unit of Assessment

General Engineering

Summary Impact Type

Societal

Research Subject Area(s)

Chemical Sciences: Macromolecular and Materials Chemistry, Physical Chemistry (incl. Structural)
Engineering: Biomedical Engineering

From source to tap: management of natural organic matter during drinking water production

Summary of the impact

New characterisation tools for natural organic matter (NOM) in drinking water are now used as standard practice within water companies such as Severn Trent Water, United Utilities and Yorkshire Water. The tools inform decisions, and help develop strategic plans on catchment management, source selection, treatment optimisation, and disinfection practice. Water companies experienced difficulties in treating high levels of NOM. Cranfield created a novel characterisation toolkit to measure NOM for its electrical charge and hydrophobicity. Also, new techniques for measuring aggregate properties and emerging disinfection by-products have provided a comprehensive analysis. Two novel treatment technologies are currently marketed. These technologies have raised international interest, resulting in industrial development in Australia.

Submitting Institution

Cranfield University

Unit of Assessment

Aeronautical, Mechanical, Chemical and Manufacturing Engineering

Summary Impact Type

Environmental

Research Subject Area(s)

Chemical Sciences: Analytical Chemistry, Other Chemical Sciences
Engineering: Chemical Engineering

Dissolved air flotation

Summary of the impact

By modelling the formation of micro-bubbles and the flows induced by them, researchers at the University of Cambridge Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics developed a new, low-cost nozzle design that could be retrofitted to existing Dissolved Air Flotation (DAF) systems. This new design dramatically improved the performance of DAF systems, used by the water industry for the production of drinking water. Specifically, this research has enabled a substantial increase in throughput and effectiveness of the flotation process, whilst simultaneously providing a dramatic decrease in the energy requirement.

Submitting Institution

University of Cambridge

Unit of Assessment

Mathematical Sciences

Summary Impact Type

Technological

Research Subject Area(s)

Chemical Sciences: Physical Chemistry (incl. Structural)
Engineering: Chemical Engineering, Resources Engineering and Extractive Metallurgy

Electric Potential Sensor Technology – From Fundamental Physics to Product

Summary of the impact

A ground-breaking range of innovative sensor products — the EPIC Sensors — has been developed and marketed world-wide by Plessey Semiconductors Ltd. The EPIC Sensors allow contact-free measurements of electric phenomena, initially aimed at the health, sports and automotive markets. They operate on the non-invasive, low-cost, generic, award-winning Electric Potential Sensor (EPS) technology invented and developed at Sussex as a spin-off from fundamental low-temperature physics research. Income to the University from licence fees, costs and royalties started during 2012. Sustained industry engagement with key strategic partners in the medical, forensic, security, materials testing and geophysics sectors, including government organisations, industry and academia, is leading to a wider awareness and adoption of this novel technology.

Submitting Institution

University of Sussex

Unit of Assessment

Physics

Summary Impact Type

Technological

Research Subject Area(s)

Engineering: Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Medical and Health Sciences: Neurosciences

Impact of research into non-invasive sensors on industrial applications

Summary of the impact

Sensors and on-line monitoring systems have clear benefits for various sectors including water utilities, food, health, safety and defense. Current approaches include optical, acoustic, mechanical, electrical and bio sensors, however they often suffer from low reliability, sensitivity and accuracy, combined with infrequent measurements and high cost, all of which hinders their industrial application. Hence, to meet the current industrial demand the scientists at the Built Environment and Sustainable Technologies (BEST) Research Institute have developed a new real-time non-invasive sensor platform based on the use of electromagnetic waves. These are being used extensively by United Utilities PLC, Mechan Controls PLC, the UK Defence Science & Technology Laboratory and Animalia in Norway.

Submitting Institution

Liverpool John Moores University

Unit of Assessment

Architecture, Built Environment and Planning

Summary Impact Type

Technological

Research Subject Area(s)

Mathematical Sciences: Applied Mathematics
Engineering: Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Medical and Health Sciences: Public Health and Health Services

Scientific discoveries in skin pigmentation contribute to the development of best-selling skincare products of high commercial value

Summary of the impact

Ground breaking and unique research carried out at the Centre for Skin Sciences at the University of Bradford has led to the realization of commercial opportunities in two very high-value consumer brands. Technologies developed in collaboration with multi-national personal-care and cosmetic companies for the treatment of skin hyper-pigmentation have been launched on the market and have reached thousands of consumers. The first product launched by Alliance-Boots (April 2012) is sold within the UK's premier skincare range (No. 7). Success in Britain led to its launch in the US, Finland and Thailand. A second product within the Diorsnow range has been launched by Parfum Dior — a branch of LVMH Moët Hennessy • Louis Vuitton S.A.

Submitting Institution

University of Bradford

Unit of Assessment

Allied Health Professions, Dentistry, Nursing and Pharmacy

Summary Impact Type

Technological

Research Subject Area(s)

Biological Sciences: Biochemistry and Cell Biology
Medical and Health Sciences: Clinical Sciences

Management of discolouration in drinking water distribution systems

Summary of the impact

Research, undertaken at the University of Sheffield since 2001, into the discolouration of drinking water occurring within distribution systems has had economic, policy and professional practice impacts on the water supply sector since 2008. This has resulted in improved levels of service, has safeguarded water quality delivered to the public and has delivered substantial economic savings. For example, in one of the few cases where monetary value is available, Wessex Water made 63% savings on two trunk main schemes with an initial estimated cost in excess of £1M. The 4 and 7 km lengths of these trunk mains represent less than 1% of the trunk mains being impacted by our research. Our research has resulted in a step change in the concept and approach to the management of discolouration in water distribution systems.

Submitting Institution

University of Sheffield

Unit of Assessment

Civil and Construction Engineering

Summary Impact Type

Technological

Research Subject Area(s)

Mathematical Sciences: Statistics
Information and Computing Sciences: Computer Software
Economics: Applied Economics

Low energy production of fresh water from the sea by Forward Osmosis

Summary of the impact

University of Surrey has a strong legacy of research into membrane separation and osmosis, culminating the commercialisation of Surrey's spin-out company Modern Water plc. Modern Water plc. was floated on AIM (London Stock Exchange) in June 2007 raising £30m cash with a market value of £70m.

The research itself is having direct impact via the operating desalination plants in Gibraltar and Oman producing high quality drinking water typically using 30% less energy than conventional desalination plants. In Oman, because of the poor quality of the feed water the forward osmosis process uses 42% less energy per litre of water produced when compared to convential equipment. The two plants currently operating in Oman serve 600 people in Al-Khuluf and 800 people in Naghdah.

Submitting Institution

University of Surrey

Unit of Assessment

General Engineering

Summary Impact Type

Technological

Research Subject Area(s)

Engineering: Chemical Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Materials Engineering

Reducing waterborne diseases from shallow wells in the developing world

Summary of the impact

This study analysed the shallow well drinking water quality of 17,000 rural Malawians. Water officials were advised interim precautions to take regarding grossly contaminated wells. Inter alia, the `Water Resources Investment Strategy', World Bank funded, captured this data to help develop policy. A new MSc course was established to educate water officials. Workshops/Fieldtrips integrated this research into the undergraduate curriculum. An indigenous sustainable natural water purification system was developed to reduce contaminates at source. Initial data indicates that water quality can be improved by up to 80%. This has the potential to improve the water quality for 1.5 million Malawians.

Submitting Institution

Leeds Metropolitan University

Unit of Assessment

Architecture, Built Environment and Planning

Summary Impact Type

Environmental

Research Subject Area(s)

Chemical Sciences: Analytical Chemistry
Biological Sciences: Microbiology
Engineering: Environmental Engineering

Informing best practice and enhancing business performance in the water sector

Summary of the impact

Exeter Engineering's Centre for Water Systems (CWS) undertakes internationally leading fundamental and applied research in the $500bn global water sector. EPSRC-funded research has underpinned impacts with both reach and significance in the areas of practitioner and professional services and economic impact. CWS staff have co-authored authoritative best practice guides with highly respected practitioner publishers: the Construction Industry Research and Information Association (CIRIA), the Building Research Establishment (BRE) and Spon Press. These have been widely used in the water sector, and construction and built environment sector. CWS software and knowhow have been used extensively by water service providers (such as Scottish Water) and their consultants (including SEAMS, originally an Exeter spinout) to enhance business performance by identifying efficiencies, saving costs and improving operation. Optimisation software has been made freely available and has hundreds of users worldwide including consultants and financial organisations.

Submitting Institution

University of Exeter

Unit of Assessment

General Engineering

Summary Impact Type

Environmental

Research Subject Area(s)

Engineering: Environmental Engineering
Economics: Applied Economics
Studies In Human Society: Policy and Administration

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