Periodic Reporting for period 1 - CleanWaterPathfinder (Autonomous robotics and digital TWIN to improve water network performances)
Reporting period: 2024-03-01 to 2025-02-28
Non-revenue water (NRW) is a major problem for water utilities. According to the International Water Association, 126 billion m3 of water is lost each year worldwide. Of this, 32 billion m3 of treated water is lost each year, through leakage from water pipes. Conservatively valued at €0.31/m3 (especially given the recent energy price increases), the value of water lost due to pipe leakages equals to €10 billion/year. The reason behind this huge water loss is our aging water infrastructure. A large part of the EU and North American water pipelines which were installed during the 50s-70s, need to be replaced; however, the current pipeline renewal rate (0.6%-0.8%/year) is insufficient, and utilities face important budget issues to increase this rate. At the heart of this problem lies the lack of knowledge of pipe condition, as the structural condition of pipes of the same age can vary greatly due to several of factors (soil, water quality, etc…).
Our project aims to revolutionize the management of water supply networks and save a sizeable part of the cost of Non Revenue Water mentioned hereabove, through the development and commercialization of a robotic inspection system tailored for water pipelines.
The proposed robotic inspection system offers a comprehensive solution that combines advanced robotics, sensing capabilities, and data analytics. Our solution autonomously navigates inside the pipeline and, without disrupting its’ operation, inspects the structural condition of the pipeline (corrosion, cracks), searches for water leaks, and analyses the quality of the drinking water. The path of the robots inside the pipeline and the measurements taken, are geo-referenced, enabling the development of the Digital Twin of the water network.
The Digital Twin platform will allow our customers to visualize the layout of their pipeline networks, identify the exact pipe sections in risk of failure, enabling them to better program their pipe maintenance & renewal activities.
There is a sizeable expected impact on reduction to water losses with up to 243 millions m3 possibly saved over the next 6-year period with a cash equivalent of around 80 millions euros saved by utilities as a cost of water distributed by them.
Our project aims to revolutionize the management of water supply networks and save a sizeable part of the cost of Non Revenue Water mentioned hereabove, through the development and commercialization of a robotic inspection system tailored for water pipelines.
The proposed robotic inspection system offers a comprehensive solution that combines advanced robotics, sensing capabilities, and data analytics. Our solution autonomously navigates inside the pipeline and, without disrupting its’ operation, inspects the structural condition of the pipeline (corrosion, cracks), searches for water leaks, and analyses the quality of the drinking water. The path of the robots inside the pipeline and the measurements taken, are geo-referenced, enabling the development of the Digital Twin of the water network.
The Digital Twin platform will allow our customers to visualize the layout of their pipeline networks, identify the exact pipe sections in risk of failure, enabling them to better program their pipe maintenance & renewal activities.
There is a sizeable expected impact on reduction to water losses with up to 243 millions m3 possibly saved over the next 6-year period with a cash equivalent of around 80 millions euros saved by utilities as a cost of water distributed by them.
The Cleanwater Pathfinder program relies on 4 technical work packages. Two of them are related to developing the embedded system that gives the Pathfinder its “intelligence” by enhancing the depth and quality of data collected (WP3) and making sure the GPS-free robot is able to map its course in the pipe (WP4). The third one focuses on integrating the whole set of technical elements into an integrated robotic solution able to run a field mission and, finally, the last part is about deploying the device in the field and from those deployment building up industrialisation and sales readiness of the solution.
Over those first 12 months, we have obviously focused on the three technical developments.
Concerning the development of the robot’s data collection system, there are two main axes. Firstly, integrating adequate ultrasound sensors in order to provide accurate residual thickness measurement of pipes. As of M12, we have gone through testing a first set of sensors and successfully selected one that is best adapted to our very specific conditions of use. We have then developed the first electronic card and integrated it on-board the Pathfinder robot for a first set of “real-life” test that were also successfully completed in this first year.
The second type of data collected is acoustic signal (in order to identify leaks) using a hydrophone. After two series of tests, a hydrophone adapted to our intervention conditions was identified, with accurate noise cancellation and sensitivity to the relevant frequencies. It was tested on leak simulation and signal reading was able to successful pick up on the simulated leak zones.
Concerning the water network mapping system, a first version of the pipeline route establishment software was successfully delivered at M6 and v2 is well-underway, integrating new types of data to improve the data fusion algorithm and deliver higher accuracy of reconstitution.
Finally, in the last work package dedicated to fine-tuning of the solution and integration, focus was set in M12 on optimising resilience and autonomy of the device, in order to secure our field trials. As a result, our autonomy (in distance completed) has tripled during the program. The improvement of the mission software has also brought much more stability to the device and better control, enabling a higher quality of data collected (distance, image, ultrasound).
Finally, field trials organisation started with some key French utilities and first ones are planned in the coming months.
Over those first 12 months, we have obviously focused on the three technical developments.
Concerning the development of the robot’s data collection system, there are two main axes. Firstly, integrating adequate ultrasound sensors in order to provide accurate residual thickness measurement of pipes. As of M12, we have gone through testing a first set of sensors and successfully selected one that is best adapted to our very specific conditions of use. We have then developed the first electronic card and integrated it on-board the Pathfinder robot for a first set of “real-life” test that were also successfully completed in this first year.
The second type of data collected is acoustic signal (in order to identify leaks) using a hydrophone. After two series of tests, a hydrophone adapted to our intervention conditions was identified, with accurate noise cancellation and sensitivity to the relevant frequencies. It was tested on leak simulation and signal reading was able to successful pick up on the simulated leak zones.
Concerning the water network mapping system, a first version of the pipeline route establishment software was successfully delivered at M6 and v2 is well-underway, integrating new types of data to improve the data fusion algorithm and deliver higher accuracy of reconstitution.
Finally, in the last work package dedicated to fine-tuning of the solution and integration, focus was set in M12 on optimising resilience and autonomy of the device, in order to secure our field trials. As a result, our autonomy (in distance completed) has tripled during the program. The improvement of the mission software has also brought much more stability to the device and better control, enabling a higher quality of data collected (distance, image, ultrasound).
Finally, field trials organisation started with some key French utilities and first ones are planned in the coming months.
At the current stage, Cleanwater Pathfinder is already a differentiated solution as it delivers a “all-in-one” tool combining extensive condition assessment of the pipe, leak identification and mapping of the inspection route. Combining those elements, utilities testing the solution can already get a better idea of their pipe condition than they were able to until now.
Further work is going to bring further accuracy to all those set of data and bring the overall solution to a level that will enable utilities to accurately schedule renewals and repairs over their 5 or 10-year budgeting plans.
In order to facilitate access to market, it is going to be critical to carefully choose the field trials zones and mission profiles so that they both contribute to optimizing the solution and also facilitate access to market by bringing a good breadth of inspection mission profiles that can be expected from our solution.
Further work is going to bring further accuracy to all those set of data and bring the overall solution to a level that will enable utilities to accurately schedule renewals and repairs over their 5 or 10-year budgeting plans.
In order to facilitate access to market, it is going to be critical to carefully choose the field trials zones and mission profiles so that they both contribute to optimizing the solution and also facilitate access to market by bringing a good breadth of inspection mission profiles that can be expected from our solution.