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

Informations projet

NOLEAK

N° de convention de subvention: 769998

DOI

10.3030/769998

Projet clôturé

Date de signature de la CE 16 Mai 2017

Date de début 1 Mai 2017

Date de fin 31 Août 2017

Financé au titre de

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

Coût total

€ 71 429,00

Contribution de l’UE

€ 50 000,00

Coordonné par

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)

Période du rapport: 2017-05-01 au 2017-08-31

Résumé du contexte et des objectifs généraux du projet

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.

Travail effectué depuis le début du projet jusqu’à la fin de la période considérée dans le rapport et principaux résultats atteints jusqu’à présent

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.

Progrès au-delà de l’état des connaissances et impact potentiel prévu (y compris l’impact socio-économique et les conséquences sociétales plus larges du projet jusqu’à présent)

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.

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