Water & Wastewater Treatment Magazine
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8 | september 2017 | WWt | www.wwtonline.co.uk Tim Edwards, AssociAte Director, clAncy DocWrA The vast potential of machine learning and data Recent efforts to use machine learning to predict bursts and leakage illustrate how collaborative use of data could help make the most of artificial intelligence T he trick to making innovation work in big organisations is not only to get as many people involved as possible, but also to make sure that the ideas are built on realistic foundations. Innovative ideas only become game-changing products and services, if they are grounded in accurate data and real-world experience. If you set off on a course driven by partial or inaccurate data, you're never going to solve the real problem. Likewise, an on- site engineer can o•en pinpoint a solution that no amount of spreadsheet analysis ever could. Things are now starting to get really interesting as the technology to interrogate complicated data becomes more intelligent. AI or machine learning now allows engineers to teach a system to learn from their human experience, and to count, or discount, variables that have, in the past, made innovation from data analysis problematic. At NWG's recent Innovation Festival, Clancy Docwra fielded a team with our so•ware development partners Dootrix to tackle the challenge of predicting when mains leaks would occur, working on the basis that prevention was much cheaper than cure. The team's solution fed a machine learning platform with historical water company data and myriad external conditions, to predict likely weak points and when mains were likely to burst. The idea won the prize for innovation, but being a team of perfectionists, they knew that there were still flaws in the model, and the hurdles were nearly all because of incomplete or missing information. The data the team was working from was of 'bursts' not 'leaks', and as we know, those are very different problems. Many systems could quickly make a relatively accurate prediction based on the likely integrity of Edwardian cast iron or 21st century PVC, but how much will they cost to repair? Even more importantly, how much money would be saved if a leak was fixed before it became a burst? To make ground-breaking changes to the way utilities tackle huge challenges like leakage will require a new level of collaboration and data sharing right across the supply chain; from surveyors and planners to monitoring and emergency response teams. If utilities and their suppliers and partners could find a way to share not only operational data from the network but also as much circumstantial evidence as possible, AI would really start to come into its own. The data, experience, and expertise held by civil engineers like Clancy Docwra, can add vital new and relevant information to supplement that of our customers. We're o•en on the sharp end of fixing a problem, so it's possible that our data might just provide the missing link to help prevent the next problem. The NWG Hackathon at the Innovation Festival demonstrated how a hypothesis can be quickly explored in a lean and agile manner, and how technologies like machine learning can transform our industry. Such events are now common practice in other sectors such as travel and retail, particularly around subjects relating to customer experience. There is huge potential for the sector to take a different approach to engaging everyone across the supply chains, and it's a great, practical example of Ofwat's innovation and collaboration expectations for PR19. To make true innovation happen in our industry, and to drive real value for customers and shareholders alike, we need to embrace new forms of collaboration, new technologies, and new possibilities. repaired pressure is built up in other parts of the system, causing leaks in new locations. Traditionally, surge tanks are used to protect systems against pressure spikes, but they are costly to maintain and certify. VSDs allow a controlled acceleration and deceleration of the pump to avoid water hammer, in most cases removing the need for a surge tank altogether. VSDs achieve this control through so•ware routines such as a so• pipe filling, giving a pump a so• start. Allowing a smooth build-up of water flow, this avoids pressure peaks, increasing the lifetime of the pipework and pumpsing system. With VSDs controlling pumps, leaks are kept to a minimum, giving a network that works better for everyone – staff, customers, shareholders and the regulator. sPONsOrEd BY DAn bAnks, WAter FrAmeWork mAnAger Drives AnD controls Abb ltD Keeping up the pressure on leaks Variable speed drives could play a greater role in helping water utilities reduce leakage caused by excess pressure in the water network L eaks are a perennial problem for the water industry – no-one likes them and wasting water is never popular. Reducing leaks is one of Ofwat's priorities, with the regulator identifying four major causes, the first being operational strategies such as pressure management. High pressures cause problems by forcing water out into any existing leaks, while also leading to new leaks at points of strain such as joints. This is where water companies can really make a big difference, as a 20 percent reduction in pressure could reduce leakage by up to 50 percent. Variable speed drives (VSDs) are ideal for maintaining the optimum pressure by easily changing the output of the pump system to match the conditions. For example, using a VSD, a pumping system could be set to provide a pressure of five bar during the day and three bar overnight. This could reduce leakage by up to 80 percent during the night. Some drives also have a sleep and boost function, allowing the pump to rest when there is no demand. Before entering sleep mode, the drive can activate the sleep and boost function. This boosts the pressure in the pipeline before shut down, increasing the pump's sleep time and saving energy. The pressure is continuously monitored and pumping restarts as soon as pressure falls below the minimum level. Sleep and boost avoids unnecessary starting and stopping of the pump, another factor in leaks. Constant stopping and starting of pumps causes rapid changes in flow. These in turn lead to rapid changes in pressure, causing damaging water hammer. The network, pipes, pipe supports and valves, all suffer damage, with the inevitable result being more leaks. And it doesn't stop there. When pipework is replaced and leaks are The Talk: opinion