If potential automation sites have onsite power (110v/230v) a 3S remote actuator can still be utilized and controlled via SIM control. This removes the need for a battery but maintains most of the key benefits of the 3S remote actuator as no onsite telemetry cabling, PLC ,or large installation footprint is required. The actuator can also still be deployed onto existing network valves.

Automating key valves in a network greatly reduces operating costs and operational carbon. The ability to operate valves without the need to roll trucks and mobilize field operatives not only saves money and carbon output, but also allows field based operatives to concentrate on planned customer work and project completion, leading to greater customer satisfaction and quicker project delivery as operatives are not pulled away from planned works to complete reactive valve turning tasks.

3S remote battery powered actuators give operators the ability to remotely operate network valves immediately when there is a burst or major incident reducing reaction time to just minutes meaning isolation of affected mains can begin as soon as an issue arises. This reduces potential flooding risk, mitigates against area drain down effect, hugely reduces water losses and impact on the wider network.

Utilizing 3s remote battery powered actuators to automate key valves in a network gives operators the ability to perform complex rezoning activities involving multiple valves from a control center at the push of a button. This massively reduces the time it takes to rezone a network and does not tie up valuable field based resources for extended periods of time reducing disruption to planned work. Pilot projects have shown rezone times reducing from 6 hours to just 10 minutes.

Automating DMA boundary valves and inlet/outlet valves allows operators to employ “active” or “dynamic” DMA’s meaning areas can be sub-sectioned down in times of low demand to conduct leakage calculations and optimize network layouts and then opened back up at times of high demand when wider pressure zones are more beneficial.

Automated valves can be employed at abstraction and compensation points and linked to level and flow sensor data to ensure abstraction and compensation is optimized. This means water companies have the ability to capture water into storage when it is most available, even in severe weather when sending operatives to operate valves is not possible.

If a valve is in a carriageway or a location which is difficult to access a remote battery powered actuator can be installed enabling remote operation of the asset.

Installing 3S remote battery powered actuators in key locations within a water or gas network means that in the event of a disaster such as a Tornado, Earthquake or similar event resources can be isolated and held back at key storage points in the system to remove the risk of network drain down. Remote rezoning can then take place at other automation points in the network to ensure that when isolation points are opened back up resources can be directed to key emergency locations such as hospitals, emergency services buildings and disaster shelters such as schools, churches and stadiums.

Installing 3S remote battery powered actuators at key points within a network greatly increases network resilience and enables complex network rezones involving multiple valves to be completed easily with the push of a button. This enables operators to easily ensure supply can be maintained from multiple supply sources without the need to allocate field based resources.