Self-powered system for leakage detection in water pipes and self-sealing fissures with natural products

Project Information

NOLEAK

Grant agreement ID: 769998

DOI

10.3030/769998

Project closed

EC signature date 16 May 2017

Start date 1 May 2017

End date 31 August 2017

Funded under

• INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Leadership in enabling and industrial technologies – Nanotechnologies

Total cost

€ 71 429,00

EU contribution

€ 50 000,00

Coordinated by

SIPE SRL
Italy

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - NOLEAK (Self-powered system for leakage detection in water pipes and self-sealing fissures with natural products)

Reporting period: 2017-05-01 to 2017-08-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

It is estimated that 54% of households have experienced mains-related water damage at some point, of which 65 % of all cases were related to pipes. Within Europe, water leaks have been associated with extensive property damage, resulting in insurance premiums as high as €275. Delays in water leak repairs have also been linked to the development of mould in homes, thus posing a health risk to the inhabitants.

Current leak detection methods within the market are not able to self-repair the detected leaks, with the users having to incur extra costs for the repair and replacement of damaged pipes. Most of the detection systems also require external power sources, which results in increased energy demands for the region. There is therefore a need for a smart leak detection system that is able to repair water leaks in an environmentally friendly manner.

The overall objective of the NOLEAK project is to provide a smart, self-powered device that is able to detect, repair and alert the user, once a leak has been detected. NOLEAK will have the added convenience of uninterrupted water supply during leak repairs.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

We have invested over €110,000 towards the development and protection of the novel water leak detection system. A functional prototype has already been achieved, with the system undergoing multiple tests to validate its capabilities. We will demonstrate our novel technology within residential and commercial setups.

We also carried out a comprehensive market study which included investigating the regulatory environments in order to determine the market needs, as well as the most promising markets. We also performed an intellectual property rights analysis and found no infringements.

We established the investment requirements to commercialise NOLEAK, and made financial projections for the project. Based on these results, we concluded that the NOLEAK project is technically and commercially viable and prepared a comprehensive business plan for the commercialisation of NOLEAK.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

From NOLEAK, we anticipate 30% water savings, 50kw/hr power savings per system and an overall reduction in maintenance costs. Adopting NOLEAK will provide additional benefits such as the reduction in property damage, reduced legal liabilities for building owners, and an overall reduction of property insurance premiums.

Successful commercialisation of NOLEAK will provide additional revenue of at least €14 million by 2023, with a creation of employment opportunities for at least 9 people.

noleak-img.png