Aquasense ApS

Detection of faulty connections

Cost-effective detection of faulty connections both in new layouts and in existing installations.

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Detection of faulty connections

Between wastewater and rainwater

Cost-effective detection of faulty connections both in new subdivisions and in existing installations. A collaboration between Bluekolding, SDU and Aquasense.

Denmark has been working on separating the sewer systems into “clean” rainwater and wastewater for many years, and the separation is being intensified in recent years. The advantage is that the rainwater can be relatively quickly diverted to a recipient (river, lake or sea), thereby reducing the load on the wastewater pipes.

This reduces the risk of overflowing sewers flooding streets and basements, it reduces the load on pumping stations that only have to move wastewater, and it improves the cleaning of the sewage treatment plant, because the amount of solids increases and the load on the plant becomes more even, which in turn leads to more stable and safe operation.

So there are many good reasons to separate sewers. But if the separation is not carried out correctly, wastewater ends up in rivers, lakes and the sea, which none of us want, or rainwater is directed to the sewage treatment plant, resulting in the above problems. It is therefore important to be able to quickly, cheaply and efficiently detect these incorrect connections.

When new subdivisions and separation of existing land plots are made, BlueKolding, the utility company in Kolding, has observed that incorrect connections often occur.

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The Neptune Project

Aquasense was part of a Clean / Neptun collaboration / development project, where the partners have developed and tested an innovative solution. SDU is an important participant in the project, assisting with validation and analysis of data. SDU is responsible for validating the systematic and scientific approach that has been used. SDU has also prepared the final test and comparison report.

Aquasense has developed a completely new method for detection by combining a speedometer and a data logger. Normally, it is a major task to set up equipment down in a sewer. It requires three employees, safety equipment and a hoisting system. Aquasense has developed a method where an employee with one hour of training can go out and set up a control point. You don’t have to go down the well.

You can quickly check many collection wells in one go. The measuring system is so sensitive that you can see traces of wastewater in rainwater and/or rainwater in wastewater in a collection well with more than 20 houses connected. You can thus clear an entire road or a neighborhood with just one measuring campaign and only one meter. Then you don't have to check the individual houses. This saves man-hours.

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How did Aquasense come up with the solution?

The process for the project started practically in the workshop, where Peter Holm Jeppesen Service and project engineer at Aquasense, came up with a proposal for what a solution could look like. Peter approached the task, focusing on:

  • User-friendliness, quick and easy installation
  • The weight should be as light as possible
  • It should work without the need to connect a computer, or make settings during installation
  • One person should be able to install it without having to go down into the well

From there, he started selecting which equipment should be integrated into the solution. Since Aquasense has previously had extensive experience with the use of a Microflowmeter from Pulsar, this was an obvious choice. It is small, practical and easy to set up.

Now the problem simply arose: “How do we get the data WITHOUT having to go down into the well and retrieve it?” After some consideration and research, Peter came up with the Metasphere Point Orange data logger and transmitter. The data logger operates the flowmeter for 2 years with the replaceable battery installed in it.

In a very practical way, there is a data logger (Point Orange) that logs data at an interval of 5 minutes, to achieve optimal data security, and thus a valid result. Data is sent to a server once a day. This gives the battery a lifespan of 2 years. In this way, the trip to retrieve the measured data is saved. Data can be processed from the office.

Today, TV inspections are used, which are sent down into the suspected pipe. Tracers that are poured into internal drains or gutters to see the movement of water. Finally, you number table tennis balls and rinse them out, then go out to the outlet and try to find them. All of these are either time-consuming and/or financially burdensome. Since it often takes many people to look for the balls or the tracer, plus a water tank for all the tests you have to do. Aquasense addresses all of these challenges with the new solution.

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Culmination of the project

The testing of the equipment started at a house that BlueKolding knew had a faulty connection. In addition to Aquasense’s mobile equipment, a rain gauge was also installed nearby so that Aquasense could document rain events.

The equipment was placed in the shell well and collection well A. During a measurement period of 21 days, it was documented that there was a clear correlation between the measurement signals and rain events. It was therefore clear to document wastewater from the toilet and bath.

During the 21 days, 5 rain events were recorded. This showed that water was entering the wrong pipe, outside the house's daily rhythm, and that the pipe for rainwater had been laid dry during the same period.

After these measurements in a house, the measuring equipment could then be moved out to Collection Well – B where it remained until August to validate the fault-coupling detector, with sufficient amounts of data.

Here, Aqasense documented that they can detect up to 20 households in a collection well. It has not currently been tried with even more households, but after the data that came in, they could assume that the solution will be able to reach close to 100 households.

With this solution, Aquasense has achieved the goals they had set before starting up:

  • Secure detection of faulty connections
  • Easy installation from "road level" by one person, and without the use of software or setup
  • Send data home, where faulty connections are seen without data processing
  • Keep battery for 2 years and be reliable for 5 years.
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Video and pictures from the project

Neptune project well installation with Bluekolding.

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Write to us at: info@aquasense.dk
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