Perfect timing for Air Quality & Emissions event

AQE 2017 will take place in Telford (UK) on 24th and 25th May at a time when the health effects of air pollution are constantly in the headlines, and when the UK Government is due to consult on its latest plans to comply with air quality guidelines in the UK’s larger towns and cities. Registration for the event is now open, with entry to the Exhibition and Workshops free of charge. However, a range of fees apply for those that wish to attend one or more of the Conferences.

AQE 2017 is the ninth in a series of specialist air monitoring events that began at Bretby (UK) in 2002. “The Conference themes of AQE 2017 will again focus on monitoring,” says organiser Marcus Pattison. “The VW scandal highlighted the importance of accurate, reliable monitoring techniques and regulations, and this is equally relevant for the industrial emissions and ambient air quality monitoring sectors, so the AQE 2017 presentations will provide a fantastic opportunity for visitors to glean the latest information on regulations, techniques, standards, methods and technologies.

“The success of ClientEarth’s case in the High Court has meant that the UK Government has had to re-evaluate its air quality strategy, and inevitably seek initiatives to lower pollution levels in urban areas. Accurate, reliable monitoring is crucial for assessing the effectiveness of such measures, and AQE 2017 will provide an opportunity for the whole sector to come together and find the best way forward.”

Outside of the AQE 2017 Conferences, registered visitors
(www.AQEShow.com) will receive free access to an international Exhibition and a series of walk-in/walk-out Workshops that will run in four rooms located within the Exhibition Hall. The exhibition will provide a unique opportunity to see most of the world’s leading organisations in air quality and emissions monitoring products and services.

Visitors to AQE 2017 will include anyone with a professional interest in industrial emissions and ambient air quality. This will include the operators of regulated processes, regulators, environmental health officers, test houses, consultants, the media, researchers, academics, accreditation organisations, technology manufacturers and service providers.

Day 1: Industrial Emissions Conference –monitoring difficult gases and dust 

The first day of the AQE 2017 conference will address the monitoring of difficult gases and dust components in industrial emissions, with presentations from an international panel of experts. The conference will begin with a regulatory update on the Industrial Emissions Directive, provided by David Graham of Uniper. Marc Coleman from NPL will then discuss the challenge presented by the monitoring requirements for SO₂, and he will be followed by Antti Heikkilä from Gasmet Technologies in Finland who will describe the impact of new EN Standards on the acid gases HF and HCl, including an overview of the current status of test methods and currently available instrumental measurement techniques.

The two main NOx control strategies rely on the accurate dosing of NH3 or urea, and Dr Barbara Marshik from Servomex in the United States will explain the advantages of direct gas measurements with a feedback process loop for Ammonia slip monitoring that reduces NOx and Ammonium Bisulphate formation. Paul Firth from Tarmac in the UK will then describe the challenges and possible solutions to the calibration and measurement of particulates at low concentrations.

The afternoon sessions will begin with a presentation by Erkki Lamminen from Dekati in Finland, who will describe the Dekati® eFilter™ which combines gravimetric PM measurement with real-time diffusion charging and current measurement. Indoor, outdoor and combustion source measurement studies will be described and compared with other instrumentation. 

Following the US EPA regulations for coal and oil fired processes and cement kilns, process operators had to choose a mercury monitoring method – either sorbent trap sampling or continuous mercury monitoring. Shawn Wood and Andy Curtis will describe the mercury monitoring that has taken place in the United Sates and relate this to the European CEN that is currently being developed. Continuing the mercury monitoring theme, Mike Hayes from the Linde Group in the United States, will then discuss the calibration methods available.

In the final presentation of the first day, Heather Whittenbury from Johnson Matthey in the UK, will explain how gaseous and liquid fuels can be treated with fixed bed absorbents at ambient temperature to remove H2S and mercury, and the absorption profile can be easily measured. An abstract for each presentation is available at www.AQEshow.com.

Day 2 (morning): REA - Waste Management Site Emissions

The second day of AQE 2017 will also feature a Conference with an emissions monitoring theme. The Organics Recycling Group of the Renewable Energy Association will run a morning seminar on ‘Controlling and Monitoring Emissions on Waste Management Sites.’ Rupert Standring from the Environment Agency will explain the new M9 Technical Guidance for monitoring Bioaerosols, and Catherine Rolph from the Open University will outline Worker Protection Strategies against bioaerosols. A speaker from Odournet will describe the design and maintenance of biofilters for effective odour mitigation, and Jennifer Watts will describe the legal obligations of a site operator for emissions control and odour monitoring.

Day 2 (all day): Investigation of Air Pollution Standing Conference (IAPSC)

Developed in partnership with IAPSC (Investigation of Air Pollution Standing Conference), there will be three sessions covering: pervasive air quality monitoring; vehicle emissions monitoring and data management; and local air quality management and policy.

The first two presentations of the morning will provide information on pervasive monitoring in two Local Authority case studies. The first, provided by Prof. Rod Jones from the University of Cambridge, will describe the large scale deployment of sensors, and the second, provided by Dr Nicola Courthold and Robin Spalding from Bath and North East Somerset Council, will focus on air quality sensors. Continuing the pervasive monitoring theme, James Neasham from Envirowatch Ltd will explain its role in local air quality management and intervention measures.

Traffic is responsible for most urban pollution problems so Jon Andersson from Ricardo UK will deliver a presentation on Real World Emissions – the use of PEMS on heavy duty vehicles to assess the impact of technology and driving conditions on air quality in urban areas. Dr James Tate from the Institute for Transport Studies at the University of Leeds will then describe the use of telematics data to research traffic-related air pollution.

After lunch Dr Tom Stenhouse from AECOM will present a case study on local plan development allocations, and Matthew O’Neill from Transport for Greater Manchester will then explain the initiatives that his organisations has taken to reduce air pollution. Roger Pitman from TRL will pose the question: What makes a good air quality annual status report? and the day will conclude with a presentation by Chris Large from Global Action Plan on ‘National Clean Air Day: one day to inspire years of action.’

Pre-registered visitors to AQE 2017 will benefit from free parking, refreshments and lunch, and free access to the AQE 2017 Exhibition and Workshops. However, there are charges for attending the Conferences:

Day 1 (24th May) AQE industrial emissions monitoring - £55 +VAT

Day 2 (25th May) REA monitoring waste management site emissions - £55 +VAT

Day 2 (25th May) IAPSC ambient air pollution monitoring - £155 +VAT (non-members). Attendance may be more cost-effective by joining IAPSC – see www.iapsc.org.uk.

AQE 2017 Exhibition

By registering at www.AQEShow.com visitors will be provided with free access to the AQE 2017 Exhibition with over 90 stands featuring most of the world’s leading providers of monitoring equipment and service providers, in addition to regulators and accreditation organisations. Many of the exhibitors will launch new products and services at the event, and visitors may be interested to learn that GCE have improved and extended their Buzz Wire Game and ORBITAL will run a prize competition to guess the mileage of a Yamaha FS1E (Fizzy) motorbike.

Exhibition - new in emissions monitoring

Quantitech, which is now a Gasmet company, will launch a new integrated continuous emissions monitoring capability in addition to a new range of portable and fixed FID analysers, and a new range of laser gas analysers. Axetris will launch a new laser gas module for measuring low range HCl, and Protea will demonstrate the Dadolab range of isokinetic sampling equipment, in addition to new AIR-IQ software for the real-time determination of gas concentrations in FTIR or Mass Spectrum data.

SW Technology sagl will unveil two new analysers for measuring ammonia and oxygen with hot CEMS extractive systems. Experts from Uniper will be available to discuss their range of environmental planning and permitting services, and NPL will launch a new ‘Gases and Particulate Simulator’ which simulates emissions at customisable gas and particle concentrations, flow, temperature and water content for instrument development and training.

Exhibition - new in ambient air quality monitoring

Air Monitors will feature new technologies for monitoring gases and particles in both indoor and outdoor air. New products on show will include the FIDAS Frog and the Pegasor in addition to new Aethalometers. Cooper Environmental will launch the next generation multi-metals ambient monitor, and Horiba will announce the release of their new continuous particulate and metals monitor the PX-375 for monitoring PM2.5, PM10 and Total Suspended Particulate Matter as well as the elemental composition of dust.

EarthSense will launch the new Zephyr air pollution monitor, which featured in the BBC ‘so I can breathe’ campaign, and Enviro Technology’s stand will feature the latest technology for direct NO₂ measurement, particulates and ozone. The company’s ‘Smogmobile’ will also be on display - a zero emission mobile air quality monitoring laboratory.

Turnkey Instruments will unveil the new iGAS internet gas monitor containing multiple gas sensors and suitable for both outdoor environmental and indoor air quality monitoring.

AQE 2017 Workshops

Operating from four rooms within the exhibition hall, free walk-in/walk-out workshops will run throughout both days of the event. The theme of the first day’s workshops will be ambient air quality with subjects covering new technologies, mobile techniques and the relationship between outdoor and indoor air quality. The theme of the second day’s workshops will be emissions monitoring, covering topics such as regulatory compliance, new technologies, portable monitors and problematic species.

Gala Dinner and Awards

A Gala Dinner will take place at the Telford International Centre on the evening of Wednesday 24th May, during which there will be presentations for the ‘Golden Stack Award,’ sponsored by the Source Testing Association (STA), and the new ‘Golden (AQ) Site Award’ sponsored by Air Monitors and awarded to the best ambient air quality monitoring site.

Summarising the importance of the event, Marcus Pattison says: “Global efforts to lower CO₂ emissions have resulted in higher levels of particulates and NO₂ in urban areas, and some of the particulate reduction techniques result in higher levels of NO₂. It is clear therefore, particularly in the light of the vehicle emissions scandal, that monitoring has a vital role to perform; helping to: check emissions compliance; detect trends; check levels against air quality limits; assess the effectiveness of air quality initiatives; identify pollution hotspots and generate alarms when levels are exceeded.

“AQE 2017 provides an opportunity for experts from around the world to meet and share knowledge so that the quality and reliability of monitoring can continue to improve.

“With 3 conferences, over 30 workshops and a large international exhibition, attendees will have to plan their time carefully if they are to make the most of everything on offer. As a result, AQE 2017 visitors will be extremely busy and we are greatly looking forward to welcoming them to Telford!”

For more information or to register, visit www.AQEshow.com