Variable frequency drives for fluid.

Compact drive platform combines energy-efficient motor control with dedicated functionality for pumps, fans, HVAC and water treatment and data centre cooling applications.

The launch of the VP3000-E Series for the EMEA market has been announced by Delta. This expands its VP3000 variable frequency drive portfolio with a new generation of drives designed for fluid applications. Available from 75 kW to 630 kW, the VP3000-E combines energy-efficient motor control, integrated application functions and flexible harmonic mitigation capabilities in a compact platform. Developed as the successor to Delta’s CP2000 Series for the European market, the new series is designed for pumps, fans, HVAC, water supply, wastewater treatment and data centre cooling infrastructure.

Sander van Dasselaar, Head of Industrial Automation Business Platform at Delta Electronics EMEA, said: “The VP3000-E represents an important step in the continued evolution of Delta’s Industrial Automation portfolio. Customers are under increasing pressure to improve energy efficiency, optimise operational performance and reduce total cost of ownership. With the VP3000-E, we provide a flexible drive platform that combines energy-efficient operation with simplified integration. It supports our strategy to strengthen Delta’s position in key growth markets such as water infrastructure, HVAC, data centres and industrial utilities, including the critical cooling and utility infrastructure that modern data centres depend on.”

Energy-efficient control for fluid and cooling applications.
The VP3000-E supports induction motors (IM), permanent magnet (PM) motors and synchronous reluctance motors (SynRM). Dedicated functions include Automatic Energy Saving (AES) mode, Fan Traction Energy Control (TEC) and multi-pump control to optimise variable-torque applications. These include HVAC and water systems as well as data centre cooling infrastructure such as chilled water pumps, condenser pumps, cooling towers, air handling units and compressors.

Compact design with flexible system integration.
Designed for European requirements, the VP3000-E features a slim, lightweight design, while larger Frame L and M models use a chassis concept for simplified installation and maintenance. A C3 EMC filter is integrated as standard across the range, alongside an integrated PLC, STO SIL3 and enhanced PCB protection. DC-bus connectivity enables integration with Active Front End (AFE) solutions and common DC-bus architectures. When combined with Delta’s APF3000 Active Power Filter, the solution can support compliance with IEEE 519 harmonic distortion requirements below 5%.

Integrated monitoring supports maintenance.
Built-in component monitoring and diagnostics provide information on key components including rectifiers, IGBTs, capacitors and cooling fans. An optional LCD graphic keypad with Bluetooth and USB supports parameter management, warning and fault logs, waveform monitoring and reporting, helping simplify commissioning, diagnostics and maintenance.

The initial EMEA range covers 75 kW to 630 kW, with additional models from 11 kW to 55 kW planned for 2027. The series also includes the VP3000-EHS high-speed model, available from 55 kW to 450 kW for turbo blower and maglev motor applications with output frequencies of over 599Hz.

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@DeltaEMEA @mepaxIntPR  #Pauto #Drives #HVAC

Flow in water and energy applications.

Accurate flow measurement supports more efficient management of water, heat and process energy.

The SFC3000 Flow Computer from EX-i Flow Measurement, has many applications across the water, utilities and process industries, where accurate measurement of liquid and steam flows is increasingly important for managing both resources and energy. Water is a critical resource in many parts of the world, and in industrial applications it can also be considered an effective means of transporting energy in the form of heat. From power generation and industrial processes to cooling systems and district heating, monitoring the movement of water and steam can provide valuable information for improving efficiency, reducing waste and identifying opportunities for energy recovery.

The SFC3000 provides a flexible platform for flow measurement and calculation, making it suitable for applications where flow data needs to be accurately monitored, recorded and integrated into wider process-control systems. In power generation and industrial processing, for example, water and steam flows can represent significant quantities of energy. Hot water may be used to transfer excess process heat, while steam generated as a by-product can potentially be recovered or redirected for other applications. Accurate measurement of these flows is essential when assessing energy balances and determining where efficiency improvements can be made.

Cooling towers provide another important application. While essential to many industrial processes, cooling systems can represent a significant source of energy and water consumption. Monitoring make-up water, circulation and discharge flows can help operators understand system performance, identify losses and assess opportunities to reduce water and energy consumption.

The same principles apply to water treatment and distribution networks. Accurate flow measurement enables operators to monitor consumption, manage distribution and identify potential inefficiencies. In regions where water is a particularly precious resource, reliable measurement can play an important role in supporting responsible management. The SFC3000 can also support applications involving steam and other process fluids, providing a common measurement platform for facilities where water, steam and energy flows are closely interconnected.

By providing reliable flow calculation and monitoring, the SFC3000 enables engineers and operators to turn flow data into actionable information – helping them understand where water and energy are being consumed, where losses may occur and where opportunities exist for recovery and improved efficiency.

EX-i Flow Measurement Ltd specialises in flow measurement solutions for demanding industrial applications. The SFC3000 Flow Computer provides a flexible solution for monitoring and calculating flow in applications ranging from water and process industries to energy and steam measurement.

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 @ExiFlow @proactivefleet #PAuto #Water #Energy

Continuous water quality data.

Around 10 years of continuous water quality data has been generated as a result of a stipulation in a water abstraction licence on the River Medway in Kent (GB). Installed and managed by Meteor Communications, a network of water quality monitoring stations is being used by Southern Water to protect the River Medway and manage related water infrastructure, such as the Bewl Water reservoir.

“Our abstraction licence includes strict water quality requirements at specific locations; not just specifying measurement limits, but also detailing precise sets of conditions that initiate upstream flow management,” explains Tim Taylor, Water Resources Policy & Regulation Manager at Southern Water. “Meteor configured the monitoring stations to monitor the required parameters and to automatically create the necessary alerts. The data are therefore used for two purposes - to demonstrate compliance, and to inform the ongoing management of flow rates in the Medway and its tributaries.”

Background.
Flow rates on the River Medway are collaboratively managed by the Environment Agency and others using a complex system of barriers, locks, and sluices to balance drinking water supply, flood risk, navigation, and ecological health. This includes the management of releases from Bewl Water reservoir by Southern Water.

Southern Water and its legacy authorities hold multiple historical and continuously renewed abstraction licences for the River Medway system. The primary authorisations for the major River Medway and Bewl Water pump-storage scheme were originally established following the Medway Water Act 1968 and the construction of Bewl Water reservoir, which was completed in 1975.

Bewl Water contributes to the management of River Medway flow rates through a seasonal abstraction and release cycle. During wet winter months, surplus water is pumped out of the river into storage, and in summer months, water is released back into the river network to support drinking water supplies. There is an all year-round release from the reservoir to maintain baseline flows. The distance between Bewl Water and the Medway abstraction point represents river water travel time of approximately one day.

Abstraction licence conditions.
In 2013 the Environment Agency published the Medway Abstraction Licensing Strategy using information gathered by a Catchment Abstraction Management Strategy (CAMS) process. The strategy was designed to protect the ecology of water resources through all seasons, and during all conditions from low flow to high flow. This strategy led to the implementation of a complex set of conditions surrounding Southern Water’s River Medway abstraction licence.

Around 10 years ago Southern Water approached Meteor Communications and asked them to adapt their remote water quality monitoring solution to meet the specific requirements of the abstraction licence.

Fundamentally, the licence conditions were designed to ensure that dissolved oxygen (DO) levels in the River Medway did not drop below acceptable levels as a result of the abstraction that is necessary for the ongoing provision of treated drinking water. However, in addition to DO, the licence also required the continuous monitoring of pH, temperature, conductivity, ammonium, turbidity and chlorophyll.

While these parameters are useful indicators of water quality, DO measurements were deemed to be of greatest value because of the relationship between DO and river flow, and because lowered DO levels can have particularly harmful ecological effects.

A network of at least four of Meteor’s ESNET (environmental sensor network) systems monitor water quality at strategic locations downstream with (almost) real-time data continuously fed to the MeteorCloud® platform, which provides secure data access with visualisation, analysis and alerts that have been configured to meet the abstraction licence requirements.

Extracting value from water quality data.
Southern Water’s engineers are able to access live water quality data at any time, and from anywhere, either by logging into MeteorCloud or accessing the data via an API. “The security of the Meteor platform is critically important,” Tim Taylor explains. “This means that the Environment Agency is able to view the same data as us, and as a secure platform they are able to use the data in a court of law if necessary.”

By programming the algorithmic requirements of the abstraction licence into the MeteorCloud platform, Meteor ensured that timely notifications are automatically issued to initiate action to prevent deterioration of dissolved oxygen levels for example.

Collecting remote water quality data.
ESNET systems are available in either a kiosk-based format for permanent bankside deployment, or as a portable system. Both systems employ a multiparameter sonde loaded with the required sensors, and can run on solar power. A telemetry connection allows users to view real-time data remotely. Water quality monitoring sondes can be deployed directly in the river or, in locations where it is necessary to protect the sonde, it can be located in a flow-through chamber through which sample water is pumped.

In the last 10 years, Southern Water has employed up to 12 ESNET systems in the Medway catchment, three of these are estuarine and six are freshwater, with an additional borehole water level logger. However, only 4 of the ESNETs contribute to the abstraction licence calculations. Portable ESNET systems are utilised because the sondes can be safely deployed directly in the water, and because portability brings flexibility in the choice of monitoring location.

Meteor’s customers can either purchase ESNET systems and rent access to MeteorCloud, or rent the entire service – known as Water Quality as a Service (WQaaS). Southern Water’s Medway catchment systems are run on a WQaaS contract under which Meteor staff install, operate, maintain and calibrate the remote equipment.

Explaining the importance of the calibration and service programme, Jack Hambridge from Meteor says: “Sondes typically require service and calibration every 4-6 weeks, so we have invested heavily in a bespoke calibration laboratory and a team of field engineers. This means that we are able to service large numbers of sondes, ensuring that data are accurate and that the ESNET systems are maintained in optimal condition.”

The Medway catchment ESNETs have recently been upgraded to ESNET3, the next-generation version, specifically engineered with enhanced power management, updated hardware, and a more compact footprint to meet stricter environmental regulations.

10 years of continuous water quality data.
Summarising the performance of the Medway monitoring network, Tim Taylor says: “We have been delighted with the service delivered by Meteor Communications. Data access is simple and secure, and the algorithms that Meteor created to meet the abstraction licence have worked very well. As a result, we have been able to stay compliant with the conditions in our Abstraction Licence, and the river’s ecology has been protected.”

Looking forward.
With climate change prompting more intense rainfall and greater risks of drought and floods, river levels can change very quickly. The need for continuous monitoring and alert systems is therefore growing, and with ten years of data, the network in the Medway catchment has clearly shown how such systems can protect water ecology.

Summarising Tim Taylor says: “The abstraction licence stipulates eight water quality parameters, but the alert system and associated water management initiatives are all associated with dissolved oxygen levels. While these parameters are useful indicators of water quality, DO measurements were deemed to be of greatest value because they are a key condition in the Abstraction Licence that impacts the volume of water released from Bewl Reservoir and subsequently abstracted for public water supply.”

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@MeteorComms  @SouthernWater @_Enviro_News #Environmental #Water #Britain

Oil-in-water monitoring.

The launch of Swan Analytical Instruments' AMI-II Fluotrace Oil has been announced This is a high-sensitivity Oil-in-Water monitor designed for continuous, real-time detection of hydrocarbons in industrial, marine, environmental, and water treatment applications.

The AMI-II Fluotrace Oil delivers outstanding sensitivity with detection limits as low as 0.15 ppm oil and 5 ppb PAH, while providing a rapid response time of approximately 6 seconds for early leak detection and process protection.

Designed for low-maintenance operation, the analyser requires no reagents and features nano-coated opti-cal windows to reduce fouling and ensure long-term measurement stability, even in challenging environ-ments. Optional autocleaning and verification solutions further simplify maintenance and performance valida-tion.

With flexible installation options including at-line, immersion, and in-line configurations, the IP68-rated Fluotrace sensor is well suited for applications ranging from cooling water and condensate monitoring to ballast water, raw water intake, and environmental discharge control.

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@_Enviro_News @swan_usa #Pauto #Water

Automation platform for power and water with Ai.

Human-in-the-loop design ensures operators always retain command; Ai agents operate proactively in the background, analysing plant conditions and recommending optimisations.

Emerson has introduced new Ovation™ AI Agents for the power and water industries, expanding the Ai capabilities of the Ovation Automation Platform 4.0 release. The five new agents – Sequence Assistant Agent, Alarm Insight Agent, Predictive Maintenance Agent, Root Cause Agent and Loop Performance Monitor Agent – will empower plant personnel with critical insights by continuously monitoring, analysing and recommending actions across critical plant operations.

Designed to seamlessly integrate with the Ovation Automation Platform 4.0 release, the new Ovation AI Agents are embedded into native operational workflows and operator tools, eliminating the time-consuming need to switch between systems.

This expansion builds on the success of Ovation Virtual Advisor and delivers new capabilities to Ovation’s growing portfolio of Ai solutions for the power and water industries, transforming how operators make decisions. While Ovation Virtual Advisor provides real-time, Ai-driven insights through natural language interaction, the new Ai Agents are time synchronised with the Ovation 4.0 system and work autonomously in the background, continuously monitoring plant and equipment conditions and recommending optimisations.*

Bob Yeager at Ovation User Mtg 2026
Pic: Jim Cahill,Emerson

“Ovation AI Agents deliver a major step change in our AI portfolio, representing a significant advancement in how we help our customers build more intelligent, efficient and resilient operations,” said Bob Yeager, president of Emerson's power and water solutions business. “The AI-enabled agents handle complex data analysis and pattern recognition to monitor asset health, run simulations, forecast failures and prioritise interventions. These powerful tools enable operators to shift from reactive to proactive planning without disrupting daily workflows.”

The Ovation AI Agents will be deployed in phases, with the following included in the first wave:

• Sequence Assistant Agent: Provides Ai guidance for sequence-function-driven control logic tools by generating context-aware prompts from real-time deviations and historical failures. During a steam turbine start-up, for example, the agent can pinpoint why a sequence has stalled and alert an operator with recommended corrective action, resolving issues in seconds that traditionally could take hours of manual investigation.
• Alarm Insight Agent: Prioritises and summarises alarm context during alarm floods, helping operators focus on the most critical alarms and recommended actions rather than being overwhelmed by hundreds of alerts simultaneously.
• Predictive Maintenance Agent: Acts as an early-warning system for critical plant equipment, detecting degradation, prioritising maintenance and helping prevent unplanned failures.
• Root Cause Agent: Performs real-time root cause analysis that goes beyond the control system itself to analyse the running plant process. By correlating alarms, trips and live equipment conditions, the agent identifies root causes of critical asset issues – enabling maintenance teams to shift from reactive to proactive actions.
• Loop Performance Monitor Agent: Continuously analyses control loop performance to identify poor-performing loops, including for issues such as oscillation, deadband and deficient tuning, and generates evidence-backed recommendations for engineering review.

Real-world impact and integrated architecture.
Unlike chatbot-style interfaces or external analytics layers, Emerson’s new Ai agents are designed to seamlessly integrate with the Ovation 4.0 Automation Platform – governed within the platform and backed by decades of power and water industry expertise. Built with human-in-the-loop design, the agents operate proactively, running in the background and alerting issues to operators – taking action with human approval. Every recommendation flows through human operators who retain full control.

Early deployments demonstrate measurable impact. In one scenario, the Sequence Assistant Agent identified a failed permissive condition in seconds – a diagnosis that would have previously consumed hours of manual investigation across logic diagrams and point values. At another major utility, the Predictive Maintenance Agent captured a subtle equipment anomaly before it became critical, preventing costly unplanned downtime.

Strategic alignment with Ai-enabled operations.
The five new Ovation AI Agents will launch this autumn, enabling customers to start deploying individual agents tailored to their operational priorities and expand their portfolio over time as needs evolve. The broader roadmap includes an additional 28 planned agents spanning operations, maintenance, optimisation, instrumentation and control, management and cross-domain functions. Emerson showcased the Ovation AI Agent Builder at this year’s Ovation Users Group Conference (Pittsburg, PA, USA 26-30 July 2026), demonstrating how it will help users design, deploy and customise unique agents specific to their operations – creating a dynamic and scalable pathway for Ai-driven optimisation.

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*See also: Unique sync solution for control systems and digital twins. (6/7/2026)

 @EmersonExchange @EMR_Automation @Emerson_News @HHC_Lewis #PAuto #Water #Power

Unique sync solution for control systems and digital twins.

Keeps digital twins aligned with production plant operations to prevent configuration drift.

The Ovation™ Curation Tool is a first-of-its-kind synchronisation software for power and water control systems, delivering an easy way to maintain version control and detailed change history between multiple Ovation systems and simulators. The Curation Tool, released by Emerson, automates management of changes between power plant production systems and their digital twins to improve testing and training accuracy, save engineering time and enable faster troubleshooting and stronger governance.

One of the primary challenges of managing digital twins is ensuring that both the simulation and production are properly synchronised. Operators and engineers make regular changes to production systems to solve problems, improve performance and develop new control strategies. Over time, these changes cause the configuration of the plant’s control systems to drift from the digital twin simulation model. Manually tracking and implementing changes can take hours of engineering time, making the process both time-consuming and labour-intensive. The Ovation Curation Tool automatically tracks changes to the control system over time and enables fast and easy deployment of those changes to other control systems and simulations via an intuitive dashboard.

“Keeping a digital twin continually synchronised with live systems has always been a challenge, and that challenge continues to increase as workforce shortages make it more difficult to find and retain expert personnel,” said Rick Kephart, vice president of technology for Emerson’s power and water business. “The Ovation Curation Tool helps teams deliver lifecycle value for Emerson’s Ovation Digital Twin by making it easy to ensure simulations stay relevant, providing continuous benefit through improved training, testing, engineering and forecasting.”

The Curation Tool software can be set to run at an organisation’s desired frequency – weekly, monthly, ad-hoc – to automatically identify and track any changes made to the control system. Users no longer need to perform labour-intensive manual comparisons, and they have access to detailed change history and auditing via the intuitive dashboard, which shows what changed, who made the changes and when they occurred. This audit trail reduces the risk of undocumented or unexpected changes.

Once changes have been validated, a user can launch automated synchronisation between the production system and the digital twin, or between the digital twin and other Ovation control systems. Before deployment, the simulation snapshot impact analysis tool details any disruptions the changes will cause to the target system and suggests resolutions.

Using a system of repositories, the Curation Tool moves data between the production system and the simulator while maintaining synchronisation of the data. Multiple users can edit the same assets and merge their changes.

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• The Ovation Curation Tool will be on display at Emerson’s Ovation Users Group Conference 2026 from July 26-30 in Pittsburgh, PA USA.

@EmersonExchange @EMR_Automation @Emerson_News @HHC_Lewis #PAuto #Water #Power

Wastewater Phosphate monitoring.

"It's all about the sample!"

Swan Analytical Instruments has launched a new Sample Filtration Cabinet which ensures the reliable provision of representative samples to its continuous phosphate analysers. The climate-controlled cabinet houses all of the key instrumentation and employs innovative sampling technology to ensure reliable, regulatory compliant measurements.

Designed and manufactured in Switzerland, Swan’s water quality analysers have a global reputation for accuracy and long-term reliability, but as the company’s John Saxton says: “The accuracy of a measurement can only be as good as the quality of the sample, and this can be one of the more challenging aspects of wastewater monitoring. We have therefore worked closely with specialists in this field to develop the new Sample Filtration Cabinet, which combines the quality of a Swan Analytical analyser with a best-in-class sampling system.”

Phosphate is an essential nutrient, and is necessary for example, in low concentrations in biological wastewater treatment, but excessive concentrations can cause significant ecological harm. It is therefore common for phosphate to be included in environmental permits at municipal and industrial wastewater treatment plants.

Phosphate can be removed from wastewater by dosing with precipitants such as Ferric Chloride. However, dosing to excess can be very costly and inefficient, so it is common practice to continuously monitor phosphate levels for dosing control, and for demonstrating discharge compliance. Swan’s online AMI Phosphate instruments combined with the Sample Filtration System, have been designed specifically for both applications.

Background.
Phosphate is a key nutrient in the maintenance of aquatic animal and plant life. However, it is also considered to be one of the most important pollutants in surface waters. Excessive quantities, through natural accumulation or derived from human activities such as wastewater treatment and agricultural runoff, can stimulate the rapid growth of algae, resulting in algal blooms. This reduces the amount of light available for plants and can lead to oxygen depletion, bacterial growth and eutrophication. In addition, some algal blooms produce toxins that are harmful to other organisms. High phosphate concentrations can therefore cause enormous ecological and aesthetic damage to streams, lakes, rivers and oceans.

In England, the Environment Act 2021 and the supplementary Environmental Targets Regulations 2023 have set targets for reducing the levels of phosphorus, and other contaminants, that are released into fresh and coastal waters. As a consequence, phosphate limits in treated wastewater discharged into water courses are being tightened.

Monitoring phosphorus – the challenge.
The most prevalent compounds of phosphorus are derivatives of the phosphate (PO4) anion, with orthophosphate being soluble and the only bioavailable form. Orthophosphate is therefore a key measurement parameter in wastewater process control.

Inlet variation of orthophosphate concentration is common in sewage and wastewater treatment plants, which increases the necessity for monitoring to inform dosing control. In addition, some of the organically bound phosphorus and polyphosphates are converted into orthophosphate during the wastewater treatment process, which can influence the total orthophosphate concentration over time. This conversion is specifically optimised by some wastewater treatment plants to improve the overall balance of phosphorus recovery. For these reasons, orthophosphate concentration is the appropriate control parameter for optimising precipitation treatment.

Precise dosing of precipitants is extremely important for phosphorus elimination/recovery to avoid over- or under-dosing. The key to cost-efficient precipitant dosing is robust online measurement analytics that can determine the orthophosphate parameter accurately and reproducibly.

Orthophosphate precipitation typically takes place in three process locations:

1. Pre-precipitation (before the biological stage) – early elimination of orthophosphate.

2. Simultaneous precipitation (in activated sludge) - combining biological and chemical processes.

3. Post-precipitation (after the biological stage) - reduces residual phosphate in effluent.

With high levels of contamination, these process sampling points are always very demanding. A highly effective filter mechanism is therefore necessary to ensure that there are no blockages and that samples are truly representative.

Monitoring phosphorus – the solution.
Swan’s Sample Filtration Cabinet is an all-in-one solution for orthophosphate analysis in wastewater, facilitating problem-free sampling and analysis in even the most challenging wastewater streams.

The system supports ISO 6878 or APHA 4500-P/C colorimetric methods, with model options offering ranges of either 0.01 – 10.0 mg/l, or 0.1 – 50 mg/l. The cabinet houses all of the key components of the measurement system, including reagents, pumps, compressor, photometer and transmitter/display unit.

The filtration head removes suspended solids from the sample, but a number of highly innovative features ensure sampling does not affect measurement uncertainty. For example, a built-in compressor automatically implements air-pulse cleaning to extend service intervals.

Typically, the filters are replaced every 3-4 weeks – a process that takes just a few minutes, and requires no special tools. Used filters can then be chemically cleaned, using a special cleaning apparatus that is supplied as standard. This means that filters can be expected to last for over 2 years.

The stability, repeatability and accuracy of measurements are enhanced by an overflow cell that eliminates pressure and flow fluctuations, and an auto-zero check is conducted before every measurement. In addition, the instrument conducts automatic self-diagnosis of sample flow and reagent levels.

Orthophosphate measurement is ideal for process control, but many plants also employ this technology for monitoring final effluent, correlating with laboratory results for Total Phosphorus (TP). This is because online TP takes longer due to the requirement for a digestion stage. Online TP instruments are also more expensive.

Optional extras… for even greater peace of mind An optional cleaning module is available to help keep the photometer and overflow cell free from biofilm, and heated sample lines can be added for particularly cold locations. In addition, many customers also purchase Swan’s solid-state photometer verification kit.

Summary.
Swan Analytical’s wastewater phosphate measurement solutions reflect the company’s key brand values. The AMI Phosphate instruments are designed to offer highly accurate, stable and repeatable measurements with a low maintenance requirement and a low lifetime cost, but as John Saxton emphasises: “This can only be achieved with the reliable sample quality that is provided by the new Sample Filtration Cabinet. With this technology, wastewater process managers can minimise precipitation costs, optimise performance and maintain regulatory compliance.”

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@_Enviro_News @swan_usa #Wastewater

Versatile measurement of gas flow and accurate billing.

Gas flow computer offers plug and play connectivity for systems integrators

The SFC3000 is a highly versatile flow computer from Ex-i Flow Measurement Ltd has been designed specifically to meet the needs of the worldwide liquid hydrocarbon and gas measurement markets and can measure the flow rate of liquid hydrocarbons, water and petrochemical gasses as well as making CO₂ emission measurements for pollution monitoring and control.

Used in conjunction with turbine meters this unit provides accurate measuring of gas flow in networks simplifying billing for suppliers and can be used to monitor network flow load to ensure reliability of supply and maintain energy supply security.

The SCF3000 is flexible measuring system which can be configured to meet a wide range of applications and may be operated in a stand-alone single stream flow measurement system or as part of a highly complex multi-stream system. Simple firmware updates ensure the SCF3000 meets the latest measuring standards.

Packaged in an industry Standard Half Width 3U High 19” rack construction suitable for panel or chassis mount the SFC3000 can accommodate up to 6 user plug-in cards and up to five measurement streams in the same chassis. Operating temperature ranges; PRT Inputs, -10°C to 55°C (15°F to 130°F), Hart® and 4-20mA Inputs -25°C to 55°C (-15°F to 130°F). Operating humidity to 90% non-condensing and meets environmental classes M2/E2.

The SFC3000 can operate in a number of ways, such as a standalone flow computer, a supervisory device or as a component of a complex system and a range of options are available providing systems integrators with flexible plug and play connectivity, these include:

• Communication connection module 3000-502, can be used for 5-way RS485 multi-drop, RS232 with and without twist, and ethernet extension. Please refer to the manual for more details.
• Communication breakout module 3000-506 convert up to 4 RJ45 cable to 5-way screw terminals.
• I/O break out module 3000-503, can be used with Digital IO 3000-314 or 3000-319 with a 3000-054 cable, or an Analogue IO 3000-316 with either a 3000-055 or 3000-056 cable depending on functionality required.
• Custom I/O Cables made to order, free end, 36 way with back shell and special. Free end cables are normally terminated using Ferrule crimps and unused wires can be supplied insulated with heat shrink tubing or removed.
• Alternative cable options are available, for example the back shell can be fitted the other way for different cable routing.
• For use in harsh environments a conformal coating option is available for complete units and all boards. This forms a hydrophobic and oleophobic barrier on the treated assemblies. The barrier is very thin to be almost invisible and does not affect connectivity or measurement. The organic nature of the coating means it can reform over small breaks.
• 2GB SD Card, can be used to store extra logged data.
• 19 Inch rack option, allowing up to two SFC3000’s to be mounted in a single rack. Quarter panels are also available for use when a single SFC3000 is to be mounted in a rack.
• Private labelling for the convenience of Systems Integrators.

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@ExiFlow @proactivefleet #PAuto #PetroChem

Magmeters with PECS.

PEX liners deliver durable, abrasion-resistant performance across flow meter portfolio, without PFAS-related compliance issues or added costs.

The release of PEX liners for the Rosemount™ 8750W Magnetic Flow Meter has been announced by Emerson. The Rosemount 8705 Flanged Magnetic Flow Meter and Rosemount MS Magnetic Flow Meter sensors are designed for water/wastewater and other slurry or abrasive applications. The new PEX liner gives users a longer lasting, PFAS‑free and more cost-effective flow meter solution that simplifies stocking and compliance while improving reliability in chemically aggressive conditions.

Existing liner solutions have relatively poor wear resistance to both chemical attack and abrasive slurries, emitting harmful chemicals as they wear. These solutions are also expensive to purchase and maintain, with liner flaring often occurring if meters are not installed promptly or removed temporarily and then reinstalled. Existing solutions also present stocking and inventory challenges because different applications require different liner types, an issue compounded by their relatively high cost.

To address these issues, Rosemount magnetic flow meters now provide a PEX liner option that is not available from other suppliers. This exclusivity enables end users to address per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) concerns and durability challenges, without changing measurement technology or suppliers.

PEX liners formulated without PFAS help end users respond to increasing regulatory, environmental and public scrutiny, while maintaining liner performance. This simplifies material selection and stocking compared to fluoropolymer-based liners, as the latter can differ in materials of construction, depending on the application.

The PEX liners’ crosslinked molecular structure delivers high abrasion resistance, making it suitable for wastewater, slurries and other applications with entrained solids where liner wear can reduce product life. Even with all these advantages, PEX liners are typically less expensive than alternative solutions. PEX liners are available now for line sizes up to 8 inches, with liners for larger line sizes under development.

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@EmersonExchange  @EMR_Automation @Emerson_News @HHC_Lewis #PAuto #Slurry

Towards addressing water scarcity.

Jordan is among the most water-scarce countries in the world, with population growth, overuse of water and the impacts of climate change reducing resources

Dried mud cracks in Azraq, Jordan

ABB has been selected by the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) and the Water Authority of Jordan to provide its ABB Genix™ Industrial IoT and AI Suite for water and energy data management to help address the nation’s water management challenges by improving energy efficiency across the sector. Jordan is currently ranked as the 15th most water scarce country in the world.

As part of the project, ABB will also deliver comprehensive training and support to its in-country partner, Volt Automation LLC, to ensure effective implementation of Genix. The solution is designed to optimize operations and improve sustainability across water utilities using integrated, contextualized real-time data from multiple assets that enables operational efficiencies and cost savings.

Within the water sector, Genix can be used to monitor and analyze energy consumption in a range of settings, including pumping stations, treatment plants and distribution networks, enabling operators to make data-informed decisions to improve water resource management, achieve higher energy efficiency and provide consistent service delivery.

“We believe that digital technology is key to making better-informed decisions, sooner,” said Wissam Assaf, Head of Global Partner Business at ABB’s Energy Industries and Process Industries divisions. “By leveraging digital innovation and energy-efficient solutions, we can help Jordan build a more sustainable and resilient water sector. Through our collaboration with local partners, we aim to empower communities, optimize resource use and contribute to a better future for all.”

Jordan is among the most water-scarce countries in the world, with only 61 m³ per capita a year of renewable water resources. A growing population, agricultural expansion and the impacts of climate change are increasing the pressure on Jordan’s water supplies[. The country remains committed to progressing its National Climate Change Policy 2022-2050, which includes action for supporting water supply, conservation and related infrastructure development.

“We are proud to work closely with ABB on this scope of work, demonstrating how digital innovation and partnership drives both economic and environmental progress,” said Sinan Hiasat, General Manager at Volt Automation. “We look forward to delivering tangible results for the water sector in Jordan, leveraging the capabilities of Genix to monitor, report and reduce energy consumption, establish water balance visibility, and enable better decision making on critical initiatives.”

In September 2025, ABB was recognized as a Leader in the 2025 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Global Industrial IoT Platforms. ABB views the recognition as a reflection of the company’s continued commitment to delivering innovative industrial AI and IoT solutions that empower industries to operate leaner and cleaner.

With offices in Jordan, Qatar and Sudan, Volt Automation delivers specialized industrial automation, instrumentation and electrical services in the region.

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@ABBgroupnews @abb_automation #PAuto #Water #Jordan

Reducing flood risk.

A small network of five remote cameras has been installed to enhance the monitoring of key flood infrastructure at Schaffhausen, a municipality in the north of Switzerland. Located in the foothills of the Jura mountains, the area is exposed to flood risk so it is important that flood defence staff are provided with fast, accurate information so that they can respond quickly and appropriately.

The challenge.
SH POWER maintain the energy and water networks for Schaffhausen, including the hydro-electric power station on the River Rhine in the city. Part of their remit is to monitor and maintain the area’s flood defence infrastructure. Endress and Hauser water level monitors had already been installed, but during flood risk situations it is vital that managers have access to detailed information on the factors affecting water level readings. The challenge at Schaffhausen was therefore to not just verify water level readings at key locations, but to also provide flood managers with better site-specific information and advance knowledge of potential flood situations.

The solution.
Meteor Communications worked with the team from SH POWER to evaluate the potential monitoring locations. This led to the deployment of Meteor’s MRC-RPS-C Pillar system cameras at the selected locations.

The MRC-RPS-C Pillar system is a complete, self-contained camera housed in a stainless-steel enclosure and powered by a small solar panel. This enables carbon-neutral, autonomous operation with no ongoing maintenance requirement.

All five cameras were installed and commissioned by Meteor and SH POWER engineers during a single day in March 2024. Each camera was pre-configured for site and equipped with a roaming SIM for reliable network connectivity. The cameras were set to provide scheduled images every hour, with the ability to deliver additional images on demand or when triggered by local flood conditions. Images are compressed to ensure reliable transmission, even when cellular coverage is poor - during storm events for example. Communication is via 4G, 3G or GPRS and image visualisation is provided by the MeteorCloud® platform - a secure web portal for viewing camera images, diagnostics and historic imagery.

The benefits.
Remote visibility of critical structures provides a wide range of benefits because cameras can verify water level readings and often show the causes of water rising. For example, a camera may show that a drainage channel is blocked, or that a level monitor is damaged, which allows flood prevention managers to quickly deploy appropriate staff and equipment.

By providing visibility of site conditions, the cameras help SH POWER to detect potential flooding incidents at an early stage. They also enable the remote assessment of risk so that staff can determine whether a site visit is necessary and safe, and if so, when that should be, how many people will go and what equipment will be required. This helps avoid unnecessary site visits, leaving staff and resources available for the most urgent requirements. It also reduces costs and lowers the carbon footprint of operations.

The cameras also provide a complete overview of the river system, allowing SH POWER to assess potential risks better and faster.

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@MeteorComms @_Enviro_News #Environmental #Water #Switzerland

Tools for inspections, diagnostics, and environmental testing.

The launch of several new products designed to give professionals smarter, faster, and more reliable ways to tackle inspections, diagnostics, and environmental testing have been announced by Flir & Extech. From underground plumbing inspections to refrigerant leak detection and air and water quality analysis, these new solutions extend the companys' commitment to delivering rugged, accurate, and user-friendly tools for professionals across industries.

Smarter Underground Inspections: VS80 plumbing probes and locator.

The Flir VS80 High-Performance Videoscope now offers new accessories and kits to simplify underground plumbing inspections. “By adding smarter plumbing accessories to the VS80, we’re giving inspectors the ability to trace pipes and diagnose problems faster, safer, and with greater precision,” said Heliel Morales Director Business Development, Flir.

These kits now include:

• 30 m Plumbing Spool Kit with upgraded 1280 × 720 HD resolution, self-leveling probe, and integrated 512 Hz Sonde Transmitter for easier tracing.
• 512 Hz Pipe Locator with dual 3D antennas and arrow guidance to quickly detect underground pipes or blockages up to 5 feet deep
• Rugged IP54/IP67 ratings, 8 hours of runtime, and Flir Meterlink app connectivity ensure reliable performance and easy file sharing. 

Fast, Accurate Water Testing: Extech EC700™ 6-in-1 Water Quality Meter.

The new Extech EC700 Water Quality Meter Kit is an all-in-one solution for aquaculture, laboratories, and water treatment plants. Using interchangeable probes, it measures pH, conductivity, TDS, salinity, and dissolved oxygen with compensation for temperature, pressure, and salinity.

Key benefits include:

• 
  Large LCD display to view multiple readings at once.
• Optical DO probe requiring less maintenance and no oxygen consumption.
• Rugged IP67 waterproof design for reliable use in tough environments.
• Stores and recalls up to 99 readings to track trends and changes.

Refrigerant Leak Detection Made Simple: Extech RD350™.

The new Extech RD350 Refrigerant Leak Detector is built for HVAC professionals who demand precision. Featuring a highly sensitive heated semiconductor sensor, it detects refrigerants including R410A, R32, R134a, and more with a sensitivity of just 3 g/year.

Key features:

• Detects all commonly used refrigerant gases.
• Three sensitivity levels with reset function.
• Audible and visual alarms plus a 15.5-inch flexible probe for pinpoint detection.
• Includes reference leak and carrying case.

Monitor Indoor Air Quality with Ease: Extech CO270™ CO2 Meter.

The battery-powered Extech CO270 Air Quality Meter delivers accurate CO2, humidity, dew point, and temperature measurements for schools, offices, healthcare facilities, and industrial environments.

Highlights include:

• Up to 1 year of battery life on just three AAA batteries.
• Large display with graphical air quality indicators.
• Anti-theft and anti-modification features for commercial installations.
• Programmable buzzer alarms when CO2 thresholds are exceeded.

The FLIR VS80 plumbing probes and locator and kits, Extech EC700 Water Quality Meter, Extech RD350 Refrigerant Leak Detector, and Extech CO270 Air Quality Meter are available now through authorized distributors worldwide

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@flir @planetextech @mepaxIntPR  #TandM  #PAuto #HVAC

Automation Ai for power and water industries.

Provides real-time intelligence to optimise operations and support resilient critical infrastructures

The launch of the Emerson's Ovation™ AI-enabled Virtual Advisor – the first generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) advisor integrated into an automation system specifically designed for the power and water industries has been announced. The addition of an Ai-enabled virtual advisor as part of Emerson’s Ovation 4.0 Automation Platform delivers real-time insights to increase efficiency, detect anomalies, forecast maintenance issues and empower strategic decision-making.

Their Ovation Virtual Advisor embeds localised GenAI to provide dynamic system guidance and contextual support. The new solution helps users quickly gain access to Ovation system documentation, perform troubleshooting, proactively address maintenance issues and uncover optimisation opportunities – all through natural language interaction. As part of a growing suite of Emerson’s AI-based tools, the system capitalises on Emerson’s deep power and water domain expertise to enable future AI-powered insights to help optimise processes and equipment performance.

“As they navigate greater demand, complexity and climate variability, operators of today’s critical infrastructure need intelligent systems to deliver reliable power and clean water,” said Bob Yeager, president of Emerson’s power and water solutions business. “Using GenAI, our Ovation Virtual Advisor will help customers more efficiently manage these essential systems through clear operational awareness, automated routine tasks and advanced data analysis. Intelligent systems help improve reliability and extend the life of existing infrastructure, paving the way for more consistent, sustainable operations.”

Secure by design, the advisor uses local, pre-trained AI models based on Emerson and customer-provided system information that capture qualitative behavior at the control layer to ensure safe and accurate results. The Ai models that power the Ovation Virtual Assistant can be further customised and tuned by uploading domain-specific data and operator feedback – helping customers make better operational and business decisions to drive competitive advantage.

Emerson’s Ovation 4.0 platform with its GenAI-enabled Ovation Virtual Advisor can be provided for new and system upgrade projects.

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See also Automation Platform for Power and Water Industries is AI ready. (24/7/2024)

@Emerson_News @EmersonExchange @EMR_Automation  @HHC_Lewis #PAuto #AI

How to select water purity monitors for 24/7 reassurance.

The leading providers of continuous water quality monitoring instrumentation frequently claim similar levels of performance, so it can be challenging to choose the best measurement technology with which to entrust critical manufacturing processes. In this article, Russell Culver from Swan Analytical explains why some of the key differentiators are not shown in specification sheets.

Russell Culver,  Swan Analytical

Background.
Continuous monitoring equipment plays an essential role in most manufacturing processes, protecting product quality, lowering costs, avoiding waste and ensuring regulatory compliance. For the purposes of this article, we will study the monitoring of total organic carbon (TOC) in purified water systems.

The quality of purified water is particularly important for most manufacturers, but especially so for the manufacturers of pharmaceuticals, medicines and personal care products. Cutting-edge measurement technology is therefore essential to ensure the quality and reliability of purified water systems.

TOC is a particularly important measurement in pure water systems because it provides a failsafe method to immediately detect any unwanted organic content. Contamination may result from sources present in the supply water and not removed by the purification process. However, contamination may also arise from within the high purity water system itself. Sources include piping, filters, valves, biofilm buildup, system leaks, adhesives, process gases, ion-exchange resins and thermoplastic breakdown products created during sterilisation procedures. Continuous monitoring, a fast response time and reliability are therefore essential – to monitor trends and raise alarms.

The Pharmacopeia regulations.
TOC is one of the four critical parameters defined by the Pharmacopeia to ensure the quality of purified water (PW) and water for injection (WFI).

The objectives of the United States Pharmacopeia standard USP <643> are to ensure the accurate measurement of TOC and to provide guidance on how to achieve that goal. USP <643> does not specify a particular analytical method, however it does specify the criteria for qualifying TOC instrumentation and for the interpretation of results. For example, instruments should be able to distinguish between organic and inorganic carbon, and must have a detection limit specified by the manufacturer of 0.05 mg/L (equivalent to 0.05 ppm or 50 ppb). Also, instruments must be calibrated according to the manufacturer’s instructions and regularly subjected to a System Suitability Test (SST). USP <643> intentionally says nothing about how often the SST should be run, because the frequency depends on the stability of the TOC instrument response and other factors associated with water quality and risk.

USP <643> states that TOC must not exceed the defined limit, which is the response of the TOC analyzer to a 500ppbC standard made from USP-traceable sucrose. This means that the value which a specific TOC analyser gives for USP-traceable 500ppbC sucrose becomes the limit value.

Continuous TOC monitoring is also specified in European standards. For example, the EU GMP Annexe 1 requires water for injection systems to include continuous monitoring systems such as TOC and conductivity, (unless justified otherwise) as these may give a better indication of overall system performance than discrete sampling. Sensor locations should be based on risk and the outcome of qualification.

Spec sheet conundrum.
One of the key challenges facing process managers is how to choose instrumentation when all the spec sheets look the same! This is because measurement instrumentation frequently employs the same or similar detection technology, so performance measures such as accuracy and resolution are inevitably similar. The key differences between different manufacturers therefore mainly relate to issues such as measurement stability, reliability, and ease of use. However, these characteristics are difficult to define on specification sheets, but feature prominently in the minds of existing users.

Case study - pharmaceutical manufacturer.

One of Swan Analytical’s customers is a well-known global brand in the body care and fragrance sectors with a British manufacturing facility using purified hot and cold water for both manufacturing and cleaning purposes. The level of purification is critical for the quality of their products, so a comprehensive continuous water quality monitoring network has been established for quality control and regulatory compliance.

The company takes an uncompromising approach to quality, covering every stage of the development and manufacture of its products, with rigorous compliance to some of the strictest regulations in the world. In addition, the company’s state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities feature the most advanced testing equipment to guarantee product quality. All manufacturing equipment is tested and certified, and every production process is validated.

Local engineering staff have commented that most reputable instruments can be relied on to deliver accurate results, but they believe that the key differentiators are the ease and cost of maintenance procedures such as service and calibration. These are not issues that can generally be assessed in product literature, so it is necessary to learn from the experience of existing users. However, in this example, the user already had the prior benefit of an existing Swan chlorine analyser which was employed to continually check the performance of a carbon filtration system. This provided the level of confidence necessary to subsequently deploy a Swan analyser for the measurement of TOC. Importantly, the client chose Swan, not because it was more accurate than its predecessor, but because it was so much easier to manage.

Swan analysers are simpler to maintain because they have a modular design. This means that the footprint is very slightly larger, but importantly, service and calibration work is improved, because it is easier and less costly to work on or replace individual modules. In addition, the Swan analysers come with a 3-year warranty, which is quite unusual in this market.

To further extend confidence and reliability in continuous monitoring systems, many UK customers are covered by a service contract under which Swan engineers conduct a preventative maintenance and SST/calibration check every 6 months. The resulting service report and calibration certificate can form part of an internal audit procedure, as well as external audits by organisations such as the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA).

Summary.
The accuracy and performance of Swan’s AMI LineTOC analysers are equivalent to other leading manufacturers, but for many users a key point of differentiation is the ease of maintenance. This generally results in lower operational costs, but in comparison with other continuous monitors, Swan instruments also represent a lower capital cost.

In addition to online monitoring, many customers take water samples from multiple locations for laboratory analysis. This enables the measurement of a wide variety of parameters, but lacks the advantages of continuous monitoring. For example, online instruments provide 24/7 reassurance that processes are in perfect condition and fully compliant with pharmacopoeia and all applicable regulations. These continuous measurements are extremely important, not just for regulatory compliance, but also to provide fast alerts to prevent any possibility of product contamination.

In conclusion, most instrument manufacturers publish high levels of performance for their monitors, so it can be difficult to choose one over another. It is therefore important to seek the views of existing users, most of whom will emphasise the importance of maintenance ease and cost.

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@_Enviro_News @swan_usa #Pharma #Water

Digital dissolved oxygen sensor.

Long sensor life without signal degradation and supports connectivity with a multitude of host control systems. 

The release of the Rosemount™ 490A Optical Dissolved Oxygen Sensor has been announced by Emerson. This is a digital Modbus-enabled measurement device designed to enhance operational flexibility, simplify installation and reduce maintenance costs across many industrial applications in the water/wastewater treatment, biopharmaceutical manufacturing, food and beverage processing, and steam power generation industries.

Most dissolved oxygen probes for industrial applications are made for installation in specific and relatively benign conditions. These sensors are often only capable of communicating process values via analogue signals to control systems, and they require frequent calibration to maintain accuracy and avoid sensor drift.

To address these and other issues, the Rosemount 490A provides reliable and accurate dissolved oxygen measurements in demanding environments, while simplifying integration into existing control systems with digital and universal Modbus RTU communication via an accompanying transmitter. In addition to producing accurate readings within just 90 seconds of transition from dry to wet conditions, this versatile sensor is capable of measuring process media in both liquid and gas phases, without requiring separate calibrations.

The Rosemount 490A employs Environmental Protection Agency-approved luminescence-quenching technology, eliminating the need for electrolyte refills to significantly reduce maintenance requirements compared to traditional amperometric sensors. Its two-year sensing cap lifespan further minimises downtime and associated costs, and it can be calibrated in free air.

Additionally, the chemically resistant IP68-rated design ensures reliable performance in challenging environments. Its small form factor, coupled with forward and rear facing 1-inch NPT threaded connections, simplifies installation in a variety of settings.

Unlike amperometric sensors, the 490A uses an optical sensor, which does not consume oxygen or require water flow for accurate measurements. Furthermore, versatile guard cap options provide weighted orientation, anti-fouling protection, and air blast cleaning, catering to a wide breadth of applications.

The sensor is accurate to ±0.1 milligram per litre (0 to 20 mg/L) and ±2% (20 to 60 mg/L), ensuring precise monitoring and control of dissolved oxygen levels. It seamlessly pairs with the Rosemount 1058 digital transmitter, which provides a diverse range of measurement signals for compatibility with numerous host control systems.

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@EmersonExchange @Emerson_News @EMR_Automation @HHC_Lewis #PAuto #Pharma #Utilities

Water quality service extended.

Thames Water Utilities has extended the term of Meteor Communications' Framework Agreement for the supply of water quality monitoring equipment and services for Final Effluent Monitoring.

The Framework extension will run until September 2027, and covers the provision of ESNET monitoring systems with associated calibration, maintenance and data services via the MeteorCloud® platform.

Commenting on the contract extension, Meteor’s MD Matt Dibbs said: “These systems are primarily used to monitor final effluent water quality at wastewater treatment plants. ESNET provides instant, real time, high resolution Final Effluent Water Quality data to enable Thames Water to gain enhanced visibility of their works’ operations, and effectively manage treatment processes.”

ESNET systems can be deployed in minutes and are carbon neutral in operation, with the majority solar powered. As such they represent an extremely cost-effective approach to providing high quality, real-time water quality data from any location.

In response to demand from the water industry, regulators and environmental consultants, Meteor Communications is investing heavily in the resources that deliver remote water quality data. Matt says: “These commitments from Thames Water and others, reflect the confidence that customers have in our ability to deliver real-time data to enhance process efficiency and environmental protection.”

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@thameswater @MeteorComms @_Enviro_News #Environmental #Water #Britain

TOC monitor.

A new generation of TOC monitors for regulatory compliance in pure, ultrapure and WFI water applications has been announced by Swan Analytical. With simple, intuitive controls and rugged components, the new AMI-II LineTOC analysers enhance reliability in the continuous measurement of total organic carbon (TOC).

“The AMI-II LineTOC instruments have been developed to meet a number of important customer needs,” explained Swan’s Russell Culver (Pharma Business Development Manager*). “First and foremost, the monitor enables Pharmacopoeia compliance whilst supporting FDA 21 CFR Part 11, providing a compliant audit trail. However, the instrument is simple to operate, requiring minimal training, even for validation and calibration. Combine this with long-term reliability, durability and the AMI-II LineTOC lowers not just the cost of purchase, but also the cost of ownership.”

TOC derived from organics is one of the most common sources of contamination in ultra-pure water systems, so monitoring is mandatory in the pharmaceutical industry, where UPW is used as a process medium, as a solvent, as an ingredient, as medical water for injection, and within APIs, intermediates and reagents. Continuous monitoring and a fast reliable response time are therefore essential – to detect any contamination, to monitor trends and raise alarms of excursions.

The new AMI-II LineTOC provides reagent-free TOC measurement by conductivity differential before and after UV-oxidation. With a new enhanced display/transmitter the analyser offers a wide measurement range from 0 to 1000 ppb with a resolution of 0.01 ppb in its lowest range. A compact version of the AMI-II LineTOC is also available to facilitate greater flexibility where space is of a premium, making it suitable for integration in water purification systems or distribution skids.

Both versions of the AMI-II LineTOC are supplied as a complete working system, which means that it is not necessary to purchase secondary equipment, such as a calibration module for example. Standard equipment includes three sample bottles that can be utilised during functionality and system suitability tests, or as the repository for grab samples – thereby avoiding the need for laboratory analysis.

Looking forward, Russell says: “We are tremendously excited about the opportunities that exist for this new generation of monitors in a variety of sectors where the continuous monitoring of pure and ultrapure water is either essential or mandatory, or both. For example, with IQ/OQ/PQ validation and full compliance to Global Pharmacopoeias and FDA 21 CFR Part 11, the new AMI-II LineTOC will bring peace of mind to pharmaceutical manufacturers and system providers alike.”

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* Pharma business development Manager. (21/1/2025)

@_Enviro_News @swan_usa #PAuto #Water

Innovation in water monitoring shortlisted.

OTT HydroMet’s XLink datalogger has been shortlisted for the WWEM 2024 ‘Most Innovative Water Monitoring Solution’ award.

XLink is a unique Wi-Fi enabled datalogger with two-way communications capability via IRIDIUM® or Cellular technology. Designed specifically for environmental monitoring, XLink is sensor agnostic, accepting SDI12, RS485 and 4-20mA inputs, and capable of transmitting up to 32 independent measurements. This means that the XLink can log and transmit remote monitoring data for parameters such as water level and flow, water quality, air quality, and meteorological parameters such as wind, precipitation and solar radiation.

“We are delighted that the XLink has been shortlisted for this award,” explained OTT HydroMet’s Dr Liam Goodes. “XLink is much more than just a highly sophisticated datalogger. With built in communications options it is able to exploit low-cost cellular comms, and where cellular is not available, IRIDIUM® satellite is a simple, elegant solution at a cost that many of our customers now find surprisingly low.”

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* WWEM Conference & Exhibition is scheduledat for Birmingham (GB) from 9 –10 October 2024 and those with an interest in remote environmental monitoring can vote for various categories here. 

@OTTHydromet @_Enviro_News #WWEM #Water #Environment

Rugged RTUs.

Red Lion has launched two new programmable Remote Terminal Units (RTUs), VT-MIPM-138-D and VT-MIPM-248-D. Equipped with onboard I/O and designed for uncompromising performance in extreme environments, these industrial controllers are ideal for a wide range of rugged, process-oriented applications in water and wastewater processing, oil and gas production and other advanced automation settings.

The new RTUs deliver maximum standalone control over today’s toughest industrial processes. Automatic datalogging and timestamping, as well as logging of trends, alarms and sequences of events, give operators full visibility on their applications. A robust IEC 61131 programming and configuration environment in Red Lion Workbench provides extensive programming and troubleshooting capability. The unit also supports ISaGRAF for backward compatibility and has a true open system design, with Ethernet TCP, Modbus, Linux® and more.

An ideal platform for water, wastewater and oil and gas processing facilities, the VT RTUs come pre-certified, letting operators add applications as desired, program and configure as needed and scale up easily, from 1 to 1000+ stations. Multi-user connectivity is enabled via 10/100 Ethernet ports, RS232 and RS485 and up to 4 communications ports. Onboard I/O is a mixture of DI, DO, AI and AO. Advanced communication capabilities include report on exception, store and forward and peer-to-peer networking.

“The VT-MIPM-138-D and VT-MIPM-248-D units represent the ultimate RTU upgrade for extreme industrial settings,” said Jacob Colegrove, Product Manager. “For operators moving from an existing Sixnet series, it’s the obvious choice. They share the same footprint, has equivalent I/O count, offer comprehensive data logging and networking functionality, plus programmable features for full flexibility.”

Suitable for hazardous areas and extreme temperatures, the controllers are rated for operating temperatures of -40°C to 70°C and have UL Class I, Division 2, CE, and ABS Type certifications.

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• Red Lion products are marketed in Ireland through Instrument Technology.  

@redlioncontrols @mepaxIntPR #PAuto #Communications

Automation Platform with GenAI to empower workforce, optimise operations.

As part of the release of the Ovation™ 4.0 Automation Platform, Emerson is delivering transformative generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) that will enhance data to inform decisions, helping power and water companies accelerate growth, improve efficiencies and drive more predictive, reliable and resilient performance to their operations. Emerson announced the new Ovation GenAI at its annual Ovation Users Group Conference in Pittsburgh (PA USA).

With the digital transformation of the power and water industries, utilities and municipalities now have vast amounts of rich production, reliability, safety and sustainability data for their operations – yet much of it is fragmented and siloed. Operators require a modern, future-proof computing environment that can confidently mine large and complex data sets and harness the power of GenAI for better, more efficient operational insights.

Emerson’s Ovation 4.0 Automation Platform with integrated and dedicated GenAI deployment, trained on a secure foundation of knowledge-based data, will augment workforce expertise and thought processes to enhance productivity by prioritising and automating tasks. The platform will provide predictive guidance and recommend appropriate actions to increase reliability, improve customer experiences and optimise overall operations.

“While global power operators are experiencing unprecedented demands, we are also on the precipice of technological advances that will forever change how we and our customers work,” said Bob Yeager, president of Emerson’s power and water business. “The digital revolution is generating so much valuable data that our Ovation Automation Platform with GenAI can harvest to create accessible, usable insights to inform smarter and more timely action.”

Through its AI-based capabilities, the new platform will help support:

• Workforce empowerment – AI assistants will work side-by-side with operators of every experience level to optimise workflows for more effective operations and help diagnose issues and suggest or implement control actions to return to normal, safe operating conditions.
• Remote operations – AI will work in tandem with operators at centralised control centres that monitor multiple assets, acting as autonomous guardians that provide prescriptive guidance to help with information processing and decision support.
• Reliable, continuous operations – The Ovation GenAI assistant will predict maintenance requirements, helping to mitigate the impacts of common reliability issues such as faulty sensors, mechanical wear, temperature fluctuations and pressure deviations. In addition, real-time digital twin simulation, coupled with AI models trained on plant-specific historic operations and maintenance, will recognise abnormal conditions to identify how and why processes are diverging from baseline operations.
• Grid optimisation – Facilitated by AI-assisted predictive maintenance, the platform will offer advanced situational awareness that improves decision-making from power generation to delivery, resulting in increased grid stability.
• Security – Robust AI models will be used as a tool to enhance cybersecurity by improving threat detection, response automation, vulnerability management and overall security protocols.

Initially released on Microsoft Azure’s OpenAI service, the Emerson Ovation GenAI will also be available on other large language models that rely on closed, proprietary and secure data sets.

“Today’s most forward-thinking power and water companies will use our new Ovation 4.0 Automation Platform with GenAI to help sort through their vast amounts of data,” Yeager said. “By contextualising data from the intelligent field, edge and cloud to make better, safer decisions, this technology will enable what we call ‘Boundless Automation™’ – breaking down data silos to liberate data and unleash the power of software.”

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See also last week's "Automation Platform for Power and Water Industries is AI ready." (24/7/2024)

@Emerson_News @EmersonExchange @EMR_Automation @HHC_Lewis #PAuto #AI