Periodic Reporting for period 1 - I-SOFT (Intelligent Electrochemical Cooling Water Softening System)
Période du rapport: 2019-03-01 au 2019-06-30
Recently, electrochemical softening has appeared as a non-expensive and clean alternative. However, its widespread use is being ballasted by the lack of reliable monitoring systems, which optimizes the energy supplied to prevent corrosion. I-SOFT is a ground-breaking approach to on-line monitor the scaling events in the CT system with an innovative feedback control that regulates the power supply output, providing a full and highly accurate removal of scale and bio-fouling without promoting corrosion.
To take this innovation to the market, from February 1st until May 31th, 2019, UET carried out an extensive feasibility study for their innovative and intelligent electrochemical cooling water softening system. The objective was to address the feasibility of technical activities to ensure I-SOFT validation on different pilot trials, and enforce commercialization and exploitation strategy of the project by means of a FTO Analysis, a detail business plan and a financial feasibility assessment.
We developed a business feasibility assessment involved contacting key customers, end-users, and potential partners. In-depth interviews were carried out with all of these parties. This built up a picture of the customer pains, and the market where UET would enter. At first approximation, it is clear that the cooling tower water market is expanding, and the dependent users are critically unsupported by the current solutions.
Finally, we carried out a financial assessment in which we performed an in-depth cost/benefit analysis and we evaluated the total investment requirements to bring I-SOFT to the market.
For all that reasons, we conclude that the I-SOFT project is feasible and go therefore ahead with a Phase 2 preparation.