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WATER & WASTE TREATMENT


management facilities to sort through the sheer amount of waste being generated each year, however, automation technologies can help to mitigate any shortfall in operations. The large percentage of biodegradable


and recyclable products that end up in landfill in the UK is unsettling, especially amongst ever-increasing climate concerns. Obviously, household, commercial and industrial industries should all strive to help in sorting their waste before it enters these facilities, but mistakes can be made, and rubbish can be mixed. Automation allows waste management facilities more ease in sorting the waste once it enters their facilities.


Haste makes waste MANAGING WASTE MANAGEMENT


Stephen Hayes, managing director of Beckhoff UK, discusses the benefits of automation technologies in the waste industry


waste annually. With the World Bank expecting annual global waste to grow to around 3.40 billion tonnes by 2050, waste management could soon become unmanageable. However, advancements in technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and


A


ccording to World Bank’s 2018 book, What a Waste 2.0, the world generates 2.01 billion tonnes of municipal solid


robotics could provide a solution to future waste management. The Department for Environment Food and


Rural Affairs reported that in 2020, England alone generated around 33.8 million tonnes of commercial and industrial waste. Reports also state that approximately 6.1 million tonnes of biodegradable municipal waste were sent to landfill. It can be overwhelming for waste


FLOWMETERS HELP REDUCE WATER LOSSES


Clamp-on ultrasonic flowmeters are proving to be an essential water management tool in the targeted water loss initiatives of water and wastewater service providers around the globe. Because measurement is carried out safely from the outside of the pipe, there is no risk of costly and disruptive pipe damage due to the invasive techniques involved in the installation of conventional wetted flowmeters. With up to four measuring channels, which in reflect mode provide eight paths through


the fluid, the flowmeter is able to reliably average the result of four planes. Able to perform under challenging conditions and finely tuned to low flow velocities,


ultrasonic flowmeters are simply attached to the outside of the pipe wall, offering a versatile and accurate measurement solution. A major headache for many water utilities, non-revenue water is water that has been


treated, but lost before it reaches the consumer, through issues such as leaks or even theft. A chief water concessionaire in the Philippines had tasked FLEXIM with flow measurement


on a 3.2m concrete pipe at the inflow to a reservoir, as they were keen to reduce non- revenue water. The 3.2m transport pipe was interconnected with a similar transport pipe in a second


plant, so to carry out accurate measurement, conduct water balance and identify any losses within that particular segment, water engineers were looking for a way to retrofit a flowmeter that wouldn’t involve having to make modifications to the pipe. Non-invasive technology such as clamp-on ultrasonic measurement was the obvious solution. Precise installation of four pairs of transducers would also need to be carried out, which on a 3.2m pipe is not always an easy feat. Following a series of on-site trials and testing to check functionality and appropriate


design of the transducers to be used, ultrasonic clamp-on technology was proven to be up to the challenge. Precisely recording the water flow to the reservoir, measuring data is


relayed to the plant’s process control system via HART protocol. www.flexim.co.uk


30 NOVEMBER 2022 | PROCESS & CONTROL


While waste management facilities may seek the quickest method of waste sorting, if the time is taken to invest in automation technologies, they could benefit from not only faster operations but also lower environmental impact and economic profitability. There are many automation technologies altering waste management, such as picking robots, sensors and AI. By combining these technologies, waste


management can upgrade their rubbish sorting to the next level with the use of autonomous trash picking robots. Much like the bin-picking robots designed for various manufacturing needs, a trash-picking robot does exactly what it says on the tin. Using AI and machine vision, trash-picking robots can be trained to identify and automatically pick up trash like plastic bottles or cardboard from an automated conveyor belt. This allows waste management facilities to sift through large quantities of waste automatically, limiting the chance of biodegradables and recyclables ending up in landfill. Similarly, combining AI and Internet of


Things (IoT) technologies can allow for the creation of intelligent trash cans. Using the learning capabilities of AI and the data collection capacities of IoT detectors, trash cans can measure the waste thrown inside and send this information to the major removal system for processing. This information can allow processing to distinguish the type of waste, level, quality, and the waste disposal system, meaning that they can be alerted if the waste needs sorting and where it needs to be processed. This gives waste management facilities more data on what waste they are receiving, allowing them to act accordingly, saving processing costs and boosting environmental consciousness. If not implemented already, waste


management facilities should invest some time in researching what automation technologies could benefit them most, so they can limit landfill waste.


Beckhoff Automation www.beckhoff.com/en-gb/


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