El consorcio contractual de I+D+i. Un instrumento de cooperación científica, tecnológica e industrial

La cooperación con otras entidades es una de las vías seguidas por las empresas para optimizar sus productos o procesos; es decir, para llevar a cabo sus actividades de I+D+i (investigación científica, desarrollo tecnológico e innovación industrial). Comporta la formación de un consorcio con universidades, organismos de investigación y/u otras empresas, cuya misión será ejecutar conjuntamente un proyecto de I+D y, en muchos casos, explotar sus resultados de manera concertada. Dichos consorcios de I+D+i han ido cobrando relevancia en las últimas décadas, avivados por los programas de ayudas públicas que incentivan su creación. Sin embargo, a pesar de ser numerosos los autores que los han estudiado, pocos se han aproximado a ellos desde una perspectiva jurídica. Y lo han hecho sólo desde el punto de vista del derecho de la competencia. Con el propósito de llenar ese vacío doctrinal, hemos reconducido los consorcios de I+D+i a la institución de la joint venture (la de base contractual, pues dichos consorcios suelen instrumentarse mediante contrato), para así analizarlos desde una perspectiva global que abarque toda su problemática jurídico-mercantil. Además, puesto que estos consorcios se crean, en gran medida, en el marco de iniciativas públicas para el fomento de la I+D+i, hemos prestado especial atención a aquellos que participan en el programa marco de la Unión Europea (Horizonte 2020).Cooperation with other entities is one of the ways followed by companies to improve their products or processes; that is, to carry out their R&D activities (scientific research, technological development and industrial innovation). It involves the establishment of a consortium with universities, research organisations and/or other companies, whose purpose is to jointly carry out an R&D project and, in many cases, exploit its results in a concerted manner. These R&D consortia have been gaining relevance in recent decades, fueled by public aid programs that encourage their creation. However, despite the numerous authors who have studied them, few have approached them from a legal perspective. And they have done so only from the point of view of competition law. In order to fill this gap, we have redirected the R&D consortia to the contractual joint venture (since such consortia are usually implemented by contract), in order to analyse them following a global approach that encompasses all commercial and corporate law aspects. Furthermore, since these consortia are established, to a large extent, within the framework of public initiatives to promote R&D, we have paid special attention to those participating in the Framework Program of the European Union (Horizon 2020)

Selección de un viñedo en el Levante español para la elaboración de un vino de alta gama mediante el modelo de análisis en Red ANP

El objeto del estudio es la selección de un viñedo, entre cinco alternativas posibles para la vinificación y comercialización de producto de muy alta gama. Se trata de un problema complejo que debe optimizar la satisfacción simultánea de tres objetivos: la producción de un vino de muy alta calidad, la rentabilidad y viabilidad económica de la empresa, y el establecimiento de un lugar de residencia adecuado para el viticultor-propietario.Escardino Malva, A. (2011). Selección de un viñedo en el Levante español para la elaboración de un vino de alta gama mediante el modelo de análisis en Red ANP. http://hdl.handle.net/10251/15722Archivo delegad

Kinetic study of the thermal decomposition process of calcite particles in air and CO2 atmosphere

The thermal decomposition process of calcite particles (0.45–3.60 mm average diameter), made up of porous agglomerates of very small CaCO3 microcrystals, was studied in the 975–1216 K temperature range. The experiments were carried out under isothermal conditions in air atmosphere, in CO2 atmosphere, as well as in a gas stream comprising different concentrations of air and CO2. An equation is proposed that relates the calcite conversion degree to both reaction time and operating conditions. The equation satisfactorily fits to the experimental results obtained in the entire tested range of particle sizes and temperatures in all the studied carbon dioxide concentrations

Calcium carbonate decomposition in white-body tiles during firing in the presence of carbon dioxide

This study examines the thermal decomposition process of the calcium carbonate (calcite powder) contained in test pieces of porous ceramics, of the same composition as that used in manufacturing ceramic wall tile bodies, in the presence of carbon dioxide, in the temperature range 1123–1223 K. The experiments were carried out in a tubular reactor, under isothermal conditions, in a gas stream comprising different concentrations of air and carbon dioxide. Assuming that the relationship between the molar concentrations of CO2 on both sides of the gas–solid interface in the test pieces was conditioned by an equilibrium law of the form , the equation proposed in a previous paper was modified to correlate the results obtained when the experiments were conducted in the presence of carbon dioxide. The modified equation fitted well to the experimental data obtained in the temperature and carbon dioxide concentration ranges studied. The knowledge derived from this research has enabled the firing cycle used in the single-fire manufacture of this type of wall tile to be optimised

Geopolymers based on spent catalyst residue from a fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) process

This paper assesses the use of alkali activation technology in the valorization of a spent fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) catalyst, which is a residue derived from the oil-cracking process, to produce geopolymer binders. In particular, the effects of activation conditions on the structural characteristics of the spent catalyst- based geopolymers are determined. The zeolitic phases present in the spent catalyst are the main phases participating in the geopolymerization reaction, which is driven by the conversion of the zeolitic material to a highly Al-substituted aluminosilicate binder gel. Higher alkali content and SiO2/Na2O ratio lead to a denser structure with a higher degree of geopolymer gel formation and increased degree of crosslinking, as identified through 29Si MAS NMR. These results highlight the feasibility of using spent FCC catalyst as a precursor for geopolymer production.This study was sponsored by research scholarship BES-2008-002440 and EEBB-2011-43847 from the Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnologia of Spain, the European regional development fund (FEDER), and the Universitat Politecnica de Valencia (Spain). The participation of SAB and JLP was funded by the Australian Research Council through the Discovery Projects program, and also including partial funding through the Particulate Fluids Processing Centre, a Special Research Centre of the ARC. The authors wish to acknowledge the Advanced Microscopy Facility at The University of Melbourne for assistance with the electron microscopy experiments conducted in this study.Rodriguez Martinez, ED.; Bernal, SA.; Provis, JL.; Gehman, JD.; Monzó Balbuena, JM.; Paya Bernabeu, JJ.; Borrachero Rosado, MV. (2013). Geopolymers based on spent catalyst residue from a fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) process. Fuel. 109:493-502. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2013.02.053S49350210

Oil-Based Mud Cutting as an Additional Raw Material in Clinker Production

Oil-Based Mud (OBM) cutting is a hazardous by-product generated during oil-well drilling. Its chemical composition suggests that it might be suitable as a raw material in cement manufacturing. It is rich in calcium oxide, silica, and aluminium oxide, which are the major oxides in raw materials for cement manufacturing. In this research, OBM cutting is used as a constituent of the raw meal for cement clinker production. Raw meal mixtures were prepared by mixing different ratios of raw materials increasing OBM content. The impact of the addition of OBM cutting on the resulting clinker has been investigated. The results demonstrate that OBM cutting could be recycled in the manufacturing of Portland cement clinker. Clinker prepared using OBM cutting had very similar properties to that prepared from limestone. This result could represent an opportunity for solving an environmental problem. The addition of OBM cutting lowers the calcination temperature, and increases the rate of carbonate dissociation. However, it also leads to a higher free lime in clinker, which is a result of the presence of trace elements, such as barium. Overall, its use as a raw material in cement production could provide a cost-effective, environment-friendly route for the management of OBM cutting