City’s sensor researchers win Australian award for research innovation in sewer monitoring
Apr 28, 2017
Fibre optic sensor technology developed within City’s Department of Electrical & Electronic Engineering in collaboration with Edinburgh Napier University, has enabled Sydney Water to undertake long term monitoring in the harsh corrosive and biofouling conditions of Sydney's sewers.
City, University of London and Edinburgh Napier University have won the Australian Water Association’s NSW Water Award for Research Innovation.
The collaborative research project focussed on the development of a new class of photonics-based humidity sensors1) for Sydney Water’s use in the management and rehabilitation of deteriorated concrete gravity sewers and corrosion at treatment facilities.
The two UK universities produced sensors with specialized, tailored coatings designed specifically to operate under the highly biofouling and corrosive conditions in Sydney’s sewers.
Future sewer design
As a result of this successful research Sydney Water will implement these sensors in a number of selected sewer locations and the findings will contribute to the future design of sewers.
Professor Tong Sun, Professor of Sensor Engineering and Director of the Photonics & Instrumentation Research Centre in the Department of Electrical & Electronic Engineering, said: "We are delighted that our work with Sydney Water has been recognized with this Research Innovation Award at the recent Australian Water Association Awards Ceremony in New South Wales. Our innovative fibre optic sensor technology, designed for and deployed in the city of Sydney, has enabled Sydney Water to undertake long term monitoring in the harsh corrosive and biofouling conditions of the city’s sewers, offering major savings in terms of management and maintenance of this critical asset".
Through its international strategy, City is committed to applying its research in problem-solving in situations like this, operating wherever the issues arise.
Sustainable managment
Professor Sun noted that she and her team will continue to assist Sydney Water in "addressing a range of challenges to support the optimum management of their critical infrastructure.”
The Australian Water Association is the national peak water organisation, delivering information, expertise and collaboration for sustainable water management. Its membership includes professionals and practitioners working in utilities, science and research, energy and resources, manufacturing and agriculture.
It has an active branch network across all Australian States and Territories and maintain extensive international links, including with the International Water Association.
The AWA Awards ceremony took place in St Leonard’s, Sydney, on Friday, 10th March 2017.
1) Humidity sensor (Definition): A humidity sensor (or hygrometer) senses, measures and reports the relative humidity in the air. It therefore measures both moisture and air temperature. Relative humidity is the ratio of actual moisture in the air to the highest amount of moisture that can be held at that air temperature.
More News and Articles
Apr 19, 2024
News
WATCH: Overnight with SAERTEX-LINER H20 in São Paulo
Available through Pipe Core, high-quality liner SAERTEX-LINER H20 performed under pressure in São Paulo, Brazil.
Apr 17, 2024
News
Immersive media provides wastewater experience in Denmark
An immersive media experience (IMX) may not be what most people want when they think about industrial wastewater, but that is exactly what visitors can expect when they visit a new installation in the city of Kalundborg, Denmark.
Apr 15, 2024
News
Spotlight on gender diversity at Pipe Core
Since founding in 2008, Pipe Core’s team has grown across all areas of the business and is now in a position where there are more females than males across the organisation. Research published in Harvard Business Review found that “countries …
Apr 12, 2024
News
New Wave of Startups Scale Innovation to Solve Global Water Challenges
Innovators from Around the World Join Xylem’s 2024 Accelerator Program to Deploy Breakthrough Innovations for Utilities and Industrial Users of Water
Apr 08, 2024
News
Integrated sustainable electricity and clean drinking water systems
Altitude Water and New Use Energy Solutions have partnered to create integrated, mobile solar-plus-water generation systems that produce sustainable electricity and clean drinking water anytime, anywhere.
Apr 05, 2024
News
How to Evaluate Hydraulic Fracture Risk in HDD Design
The design of horizontal directional drill (HDD) installations often requires an evaluation of the potential for hydraulic fracture of the soil layers through which an HDD passes. Evaluating this risk during the design process is an important planning tool to …
Apr 02, 2024
News
Historic Project Linking Rome and Vatican City Uses Advanced Technology and Local Knowledge to Keep Water Flowing
Relocation of Major Sewer Infrastructure Enables Construction of Pedestrian Link for 35 Million Visitors to the 2025 Jubilee
Mar 27, 2024
News
USU Study Looks at Water Main Break Rates in the U.S. and Canada
Report Highlights Correlation Between Material and Diameter
Mar 26, 2024
News
Update BE-21: New Material in Course and Modules on Trenchless Pipe Installation
Online training on the topic of pipeline installation in civil engineering: Trenchless technology for underground drainage construction can be a resource-efficient, environmentally friendly, time-saving, and cost-effective alternative to open cut methods. The UNITRACC e-learning course "Utility Tunnelling" has been enhanced …
Mar 25, 2024
Article
Bacteria as a new weapon in wastewater treatment
In early November, San Diego based startup Aquacycl officially opened its first European office and test center at the Water Campus in Leeuwarden. The Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency (NFIA) and the Investment and Development Agency for the Northern Netherlands (NOM) …
Mar 22, 2024
News
A superior HDD offering
Building on its relationships with leading horizontal directional drilling companies, TRACTO Australia has delivered three new rigs to operator Superior HDD.
Mar 20, 2024
News
New portable water filtration technology could improve access to clean drinking water worldwide
The University of Texas at Austin has developed an injectable water filtration system with the aim to aid the over two billion people worldwide who are without clean drinking water.
Contact
City University of London
John Stevenson
Northampton Square
EC1V 0HB London
United Kingdom
Phone:
+44 (0) 20 7040 8752