Water and Effluent Treatment Magazine
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Hernández, says there are many benefits to the technol- ogy including "from a health and safety point of view by preventing slipping or posture risks". Another major benefit is the amount of information that can be acquired and con- sulted objectively for long peri- ods of time. "This technology also improves productivity, since it enables us to complete inspec- tion tasks along the entire length of a sewer more quickly, because instead of walking through it, we're flying through it". He adds: "At this time, the project is in the advanced pro- totype stage and for FCC this technological solution pro- vides safety and comfort in the tasks, as well as very signifi- cant improvements in produc- tivity rates and reduced costs." Pepa Sedó, director of the Eurecat Robotics Unit, says: "This is the first time that the profitability of the use of drones in an activity such as the inspection of the sewage system has been analysed." Since manual revision pre- sents various problems because the ground is irregular and full of obstacles. "From the great flexibility and manoeuvring capability of drones makes them ideal vehi- cles for subsoil inspection." The Barcelona municipal sewerage system is 1,648km long and every year carries approximately 150hm³ of water. It serves nearly 1,540,000 inhabitants as well as commercial and industrial establishments located in more than 81,500 properties in the 98km² municipality. The infrastructure also DECEMBER 2017 WET NEWS 11 PROJECT SPECS • Inspect Barcelona's 1,500km sewerage system • Avoids the need for teams of workers to enter complicated and potentially unsafe areas • Design a robotic solution to perform sewer inspections quickly TECHKNOW • The drone has sensors to monitor air and water quality • A 3D camera calculates the drone's position and speed • A 2D laser detects walls and calculate flight paths in real time • An Infrared sensor measures the distance from the ground and controls the altitude THE VERDICT "This technology also improves productivity, since it enables us to complete inspection tasks along the entire length of a sewer more quickly, because instead of walking through it, we're flying through it" Raúl Hernández, FCC Environment NEED TO KNOW 1 The ECHORD++ consortia consist of notable partners from industry, research centres and potential users of robotics technology 2 Barcelona's municipal sewerage system is 1,648km long and carries about 150hm³ of water annually 3 This is the first time that drones have been used in activities such as the inspection of the sewage networks The technology will enable all aspects of Barcelona's sewer network to be analysed Preparing the drone for its subsoil flight through the sewers contains auxiliary elements (nearly 40,000m of inspection pits, 60,000m of drains, etc.), accessory constructions such as siphons, settling pits, pumping stations, dissipation chambers and 391,200m3 of rain water containment tanks. Europe has a long tradition of research and manufacturing in the area of robotics. How- ever, it has not always been easy to find common ground between the manufacturers and the research community. Defining the future direction of robotics research is a true challenge. Wedeco Spektron UV Wedeco LBX UV Reactors Sanitaire Aeration Grids Hydroejectors & Radial Aerators Flygt Jet Aerators & Mixers Flygt Mixers AVAILABLE FROM XYLEM WATER TREATMENT 24/7 HIRE RAPID BESPOKE DESIGN SOLUTIONS DIRECT FROM THE MANUFACTURER FOR ULTIMATE PEACE OF MIND • Cost effective temporary treatment installations • Plant refurbishments | Repairs | Seasonal Overloads Drought Alleviation • Portable containerised systems available for larger projects • Planned, bespoke and reactive maintenance solutions • PLUS monitoring, control and analytical equipment also available 0845 707 8012 fgb.rental@xyleminc.com | www.xylem.com/uk flygt_sanitaire_wedeco treatmentl advert aug 2017_Layout 1 04/08/2017 15:18 Page 1