SMAV: Best for the Environment Soda Fountain Smart Valves

Project Information

SMAV

Grant agreement ID: 696683

DOI

10.3030/696683

Project closed

EC signature date 31 August 2015

Start date 1 September 2015

End date 29 February 2016

Funded under

• SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Climate action, Environment, Resource Efficiency and Raw Materials

Total cost

€ 71 429,00

EU contribution

€ 50 000,00

Coordinated by

FLUID-O-TECH SRL
Italy

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - SMAV (SMAV: Best for the Environment Soda Fountain Smart Valves)

Reporting period: 2015-09-01 to 2016-02-29

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

"The goal of our project is to introduce a revolutionary innovation in the fluid management systems currently used in soft drink dispensing ""fountains"", by replacing the valves that are commonly used with a new volumetric valve which takes advantage of the properties of shape memory alloys (SMA). This valve will not require a high maintenance, as required by the valves commonly used today, and will cost less than them."

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

The Pilot Trials have demonstrated, through many measures, that our valve is able to maintain with an adequate accuracy the mixing ratio of two different liquids, and to deliver with precision a predetermined quantity of beverage; even more important, the comparative tests with traditional post-mix valves have proven that its capability of mixing and dispensing a predetermined quantity of beverage is highly superior than that of the traditional valves compared.

The participation to important trade fairs gave us the possibility to meet a large number of players in this market. The reactions were extraordinary and all the main customers recognized this technology as the “new revolution” in the beverage sector. The valve has been selected for the “Best Innovation Award of the year” in the section “new technology for beverage” at BRAU fair.

All potential risks which can harm the project have been identified, with the probability they could happen. Risk-mitigation measures have been listed and described, especially for the technical risks.

The business planning has allowed us to define with precision all the economic variables involved, the required investments, the financial needs and the forecasted turnover, which appears very promising.

The activities carried out so far have demonstrated the validity of the technical characteristics of our valve, a very positive responsiveness from the market, the soundness of the Business Plan and the absence of risks able to harm the project. All that encourages us to continue the project.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

Having demonstrated the validity of our business idea, if we will reach in the long run our initial goal to convert 10% of the potential market to our technology, the environmental benefits deriving from reductions in the production and transport of plastic and aluminium containers will be:

- elimination of up to 7.5 billion aluminium and plastic containers;
- elimination of up to 2.3 tons of transported weight.

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