Yorkshire Water is rolling out 34 remote battery powered actuators across key
sites in their region. Cattlegrid in Barnsley was the first one and YW is already
seeing the benefits. Using the remotely operated battery powered actuator means
that the flow of water can be managed centrally, from the company’s control room,
and has the potential to save significant time in the event of a burst or water quality
event – meaning less interruptions for customers.
The valves will be quickly operated in case of an emergency and due to the calm
network function, the speed of closure can be adjusted to each valve’s requirement
individually, thereby reducing pressure transients to a minimum. Due to the
reduced installation cost and reduced manual handling time, cost savings are
estimated at around £20,000 per asset, per annum.
“Using the remote battery powered actuators has already seen us saving time,
money and has allowed us to redeploy colleagues that would usually operate the
valves manually. Our customers may not always be aware of updates and
improvements like this, but they will see the benefit through a reduced number of
bursts and much quicker resolutions if something does go wrong on the network.”
Sarah Gledhill, Yorkshire Water

With the portable actuator, Yorkshire will be able to easily operate even
large penstocks that need to be operated from time to time. A calm
operation is crucial, to reduce any transient within the network. Also, these
valves often require high turns & high torque and with the portable
actuator, a constant operation is ensured.

The valve that the 3S actuator has been fitted to has historically needed to
be carefully set in order to balance two separate storage points, as well as
operating in a critical location. We’ve been looking for solutions to reduce
the number of visits our Networks Technicians would be required to make
in order to adjust the valve’s position. Through installing the actuator, we’re
able to monitor our storage points and adjust the valve in real time, as well
providing us with a high level of precise control from an easy-to-use
platform. With the actuator fitted, we have almost completely mitigated the
likelihood of health and safety incidents on site and improved our
operational efficiencies in many areas across the team. The Smart Actuation and R2M teams
couldn’t have worked harder to make this happen, including working on
site out of hours and in challenging circumstances.”
Ben Dobbs – Anglian Water

The first 3S actuator was installed in Whitehaven, Cumbria. After commissioning, this actuator will enable UU
to automatically control the feed on this 12” main and thereby achieve
huge operational cost savings while improving their network resilience.
“It will allow us to switch the feed automatically for 2500 properties and
keep a vital contingency link not only fresh but conditioned to the flows
without using up vital resource time and wasting water though flushing on
hydrants. It will also allow us to automate part of the rezone in response to
any bursts on the 18” upstream and speed up the time to isolate and return
properties to supply.”
Ashley Forrest – United Utilities

Another 3S actuator has been installed in Whitehaven, Cumbria. This time
it was retrofitted to an existing 8” valve within the network.
“It will allow us to switch the feed automatically for 2500 properties and
keep a vital contingency link not only fresh but conditioned to the flows
without using up vital resource time and wasting water though flushing on
hydrants. It will also allow us to automate part of the rezone in response to
any bursts on the 18” upstream and speed up the time to isolate and return
properties to supply.”
Ashley Forrest – United Utilities

For the Haweswater Aqueduct in the Lake District JN Bentley Ltd. was
looking at actuation solutions for 4 DN1600 gate valves. The project was
carried out on behalf of United Utilities and with the strategic importance of
the valves, a solution was needed that allows the operator to react quickly
in case these valves needed to be exercised while ensuring a smooth
operation of the valves to keep transient levels to a minimum. This can be
achieved with the calm network function. Moreover, the portable 3S
actuators allows United Utilities to record every valve operation and
thereby document the number of turns, torque, date and time.
The portable 3S actuator ticks all the H&S boxes, not only for the operator
as no manual work is involved, but also for the network, as it keeps
transient to a minimum.
Declan Mawson – United Utilities

United Utilities have bene trialling the portable actuators in certain areas
while other areas have adopted them already. Having to react quickly
when a valve needs to be shut is a major issue for any utility. The portable
actuator is set up in less than 5 minutes and the operators are ready to go.
The whole equipment weighs around 12kg, making it absolutely lightweight
and easy to take around. With the A-frame and the torque arms, up to
900Nm torque can be applied to the valve. The battery will allow you
enough power for nearly a full day of work, and it can be recharged at any
standard 230V socket in less than 2 hours.

Affinity Water has taken the portable actuators on board in various depots.
These allow their teams to go out and operate valves easily while ensuring
that the valve is operated with continuous torque and exercised fully or
partially. Just during the trials pictured here, they were able to reduce the
operating torque of a 4” valve from around 65Nm to 40Nm. All operations
are fully recorded and can be analysed later with the 3S software. Another
major advantage is the fact that if it’s unclear what dimension the valve is,
it’s not clear which closing direction and how many turns, the actuator will
be able to do a gentle start (calm network function) and thereby allow the
operator to test their way forward. As it records the full cycle, afterwards
they will be able to identify size, turns, closing direction & torque.

Thames Water has implemented the use of portable actuators in the North,
South and Valley Teams. This will allow the operators to open and close
even large valves that are heavy to turn and require a high number of turns
as well as the easy operation of any valve in the system. Operations can
be recorded for any valve and are afterwards visible within the 3S
software. This will allow to assess the condition of a valve within your
system.

Controlled through an Azure IoT-Platform: Automated bordering valve in a
DMA in the water network of Oasen, Gauda (NL) for increased flexibility
and faster leakage localisation.

Installation of a 3S actuator automating a DN 200 plunger valve in a water
pipe in Germany. Together with the installed flow meter, the flow can now
be controlled precisely according to the network requirements from the
control centre. In this project, grid connection was available. Both, flow
meter and actuator can also be operated by 3S battery supply.

Babelsburg Palace

In the garden of the neo-Gothic Babelsberg Palace, located between Berlin
and Potsdam (Germany), 3S actuators were installed to control the
fountains. It was very important to restrict the impact on the landscape of
the historic garden, designed by the famous landscape architects Peter
Joseph Lenné and Prince Hermann von Pückler-Muskau around 1835
(https://lnkd.in/dKdPEzK). Due to this no visible automation infrastructure
like large manhole covers or switching cabinets was allowed. 3S actuators
don’t require additional infrastructure for retrofitting valves in buried water
pipes – due to this they were the perfect solution.

Munich

Installation of the watertight 3S actuator in the district cooling network in
Munich – retrofitted to a ball valve without chamber or expensive
dewatering

South East Water

South East Water is one of three Victorian Government owned retail water corporations that provides
drinking water, sewerage, trade waste, recycled water and water-saving services for residents and
businesses in an area ranging from the south-east of Melbourne to south Gippsland in Australia.
South East Water have 31 sites which they remotely operate with 3S remote battery powered
actuators via X-Active/ SCADA integration.

These actuators are used across both the clean and
wastewater networks. The bulk of the units (23) are used on the surface water network to hold back
storm water and release gradually into the water courses to prevent flooding. They are also used to
empty storm tanks in advance of predicted high rainfall events to create space in the system.
In the clean water network the actuators are used to perform network rezones and isolation functions
to mitigate the effects of bursts. They have been deployed where reaction time is key to reducing
impact to customers.

The innovation team at SEW have been instrumental in not just utilising but also in testing 3S
technology as early adopters. The first actuators went into service with SEW in 2012 and they have
also been instrumental in helping to develop and test the next generation of IoT compatible actuators
throughout 2020. Further wide scale deployment is programmed for 2021 using the new NB-IoT
connectivity actuators.