Case

Smart device cuts 90% energy usage

An Irish water company was able to reduce their pump usage by more than 90%; practically, for 22 hours each day ,Through the installation of a smart pressure management device.

Charleville is a small town located in Munster, the most southerly of Ireland’s four provinces. The Charleville water supply scheme delivers water to the town and surrounding area including a covered distribution reservoir, similar to thousands across the British Isles. However, the reservoir is the location chosen by a major water supply company to install and trial an AVK Smart Water PMD (Pressure Management Device).

Plug and Play

The AVK Smart Water PMD is a ‘plug and play device’ that is capable of measuring pressure, flow and level; it can be fitted to a wide variety of different valve types. In the case of reservoir, an AVK Series 879 dual-solenoid control valve is installed below ground. It is linked, via a ducted hydraulic drive, to the associated PMD and valve controls housed above ground in a stone-built booth some 20m away. The PMD has now been running successfully for over four months.

Energy Saving

Prior to the installation of the AVK Smart Wter PMD, the pumps at the Charleville reservoir had worked continuously 24/7 to maintain the reservoir at full capacity. Now, the reservoir inlet (the location of the control valve and PMD) is closed off to allow the water level in the reservoir to drop before the pumps are activated.

This has brought two major benefits:

Water quality has improved due to increased water turnover, and

There have been huge energy savings as the pump’s activity has been reduced by 22 hours per day.

Also, it is projected that this will have a major impact on the longevity of the pumps, which means less maintenance/replacement costs.

Internet of Things

Whilst the reservoir is a closed-loop installation, the full benefit of smart water devices like the PMD are realized when they are distributed across the water network. The ability of smart water devices to send and receive data and instructions via the Internet of Things (IoT) enables water companies to respond to network events in real time. It is envisaged that the PMD will be integrated into the water company’s SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) system.

Smart Solutions

The smart PMD is just one of a portfolio of smart water network products being launched by AVK during 2020. It places AVK Smart Water in the vanguard of companies developing solutions for water companies in this frontier technology.

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Smart pressure management

Water is a scarce resource that we need to protect and use with great respect.

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