Researchers at RMIT University have designed an early fault detection (EFD) system for energy networks that is being used to help prevent bushfires and blackouts in North America, Europe and Australia. IND Technology, the company that commercialised the innovation, is seeking funding from the Federal Government to assist with rolling out the EFD system across all single-wire earth return (SWER) […]
Instrumentation, Control & Monitoring
New flow meter detecting dangerous methane leaks
Kody Cook Asset management, Gas, Instrumentation, Control & Monitoring, Sponsored Editorial 0Engineers monitoring natural gas compressors for dry seal leaks of toxic, combustible methane (CH4) gas will find the ST75 Series Thermal Mass Flow Meter from Fluid Components International (FCI) provides them with precision CH4 gas monitoring to detect hazardous, non-compliant and costly gas leaks. The compact ST75 Series Air/Gas Flow Meters offer accurate, repeatable CH4 measurement to meet environmental regulations, […]
Gaining insights into critical utility assets
Utility Journalist Asset management, Instrumentation, Control & Monitoring, Sponsored Editorial, Water, Water and Wastewater Treatment 0Non-destructive testing equipment refers to an array of inspection techniques that allow operators to gain information about an asset, system or component without damaging it. In the utility industry, non-destructive testing equipment is regularly used to provide valuable insights into critical infrastructure when treading carefully is of the utmost importance. When it comes to inspection, testing and non-destructive testing (NDT) […]
Improving Sydney Water’s asset maintenance with data-led solutions
Utility Journalist Asset management, Instrumentation, Control & Monitoring, Sponsored Editorial, Water 0By Gregg McCallum, Utilities Enterprise Manager, Nearmap Sydney Water, Australia’s largest water utility, is streamlining its asset maintenance processes and improving efficiencies across its complex waste and water networks, with help from innovative digital solutions. From proactively identifying and scheduling repair needs and resolving customer complaints, to ensuring compliance with regulations — Sydney Water delivers its services safely and reliably […]
Transforming water quality in remote regions of the Northern Territory
Utility Journalist Features, Instrumentation, Control & Monitoring, Projects, Water, Water and Wastewater Treatment 0In response to water security concerns in the remote First Nations community of Laramba, Power and Water Corporation delivered a new water treatment plant to address the urgent need to improve water services in remote Aboriginal communities. Located some 200 km North-west of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory, the remote community of Laramba has long faced the challenge of […]
Modular and compact drinking water monitoring systems
Utility Journalist Instrumentation, Control & Monitoring, Sponsored Editorial, Water, Water and Wastewater Treatment 0Water quality is a critical factor for human well-being, environmental sustainability, agricultural prosperity, and the overall appeal of water bodies. Because our drinking water is ultimately sourced from the environment, it is necessary to eliminate impurities and ensure that the water conforms to the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines. In Australia, addressing diverse challenges such as drought, salinity, bushfires, floods, aging […]
Helping councils navigate new waters in regulations
Utility Journalist Asset management, Instrumentation, Control & Monitoring, Sponsored Editorial, Water 0As legislation and community awareness surrounding water quality gather pace, the demand for comprehensive monitoring and testing systems has never been greater. Here, Peta Thiel, head of Research Laboratory Services discusses the benefits and importance of reliable filtration media testing. With Australia undergoing a transformative period in water management, a Melbourne laboratory at the forefront of helping local authorities conform […]
How pressure transient monitoring benefits water supply networks
Utility Journalist Instrumentation, Control & Monitoring, Sponsored Editorial, Water, Water and Wastewater Treatment 0In the dynamic world of water supply management, pressure transient monitoring stands out as a pivotal tool for maintaining the integrity and efficiency of water networks. This innovative approach serves not only to enhance the longevity of water supply assets but also to significantly uplift community experiences by ensuring reliable and uninterrupted water supply. Locating the source of transients One […]
Going with the flow…meter
Utility Journalist Instrumentation, Control & Monitoring, Sponsored Editorial, Water 0Advanced flow meter devices play a vital role in utilities, enabling precise monitoring and control of fluid and air flows. They allow for the accurate measurement of flow rates, enable efficient process optimisation, enhance the safety of operations, and are key to optimising resource allocation and reducing waste. For more than 50 years, AMS has been supplying instrumentation, calibration equipment, […]
CAPS announces partnership with Mitsubishi
Steph Barker Asset management, Company news, Electricity, Instrumentation, Control & Monitoring, Sponsored Editorial 0In a strategic move that reinforces the company’s commitment to excellence, CAPS Australia is proud to announce its collaboration with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Engine System Asia (MHIES-A) as the official Australian distributor for the esteemed Mitsubishi MGS Generator Series. The partnership was solidified during an official signing ceremony held at CAPS Australia’s headquarters in Perth, where representatives from MHIES-A were […]
Sydney Water shares results of smart metre rollout
Kody Cook Asset management, Company news, Instrumentation, Control & Monitoring, News, Projects, Smart meters, Spotlight, Water 0Sydney Water has rolled out a $2 million pilot smart meter program, which has already reduced the average bill by $70 for residents across Liverpool, Beecroft, Bellevue Hill and Kenthurst, where 7,500 smart meters were installed. Residents saved 28,000L of water between April and November 2023 after Sydney Water sent 313 early leak detection notifications. Sydney Water’s Head of Customer […]
Combating water scarcity with digital water metering
Utility Journalist Disaster Management, Instrumentation, Control & Monitoring, Projects, Sponsored Editorial, Sustainability, Water, Water and Wastewater Treatment 0With the arrival of El Niño comes pressing concerns for water security and inevitable water restrictions as utilities are faced with the challenge of limited water supply. Equipping consumers with water consumption data allows them to keep a close eye on their water usage, and reduce water waste at a time when every drop counts. As we approach the hot […]
Single or multistage blowers: maximising efficiency
Kody Cook Instrumentation, Control & Monitoring, Sponsored Editorial 0Among centrifugal compressors and blowers, single stage is on average 20–29 per cent more efficient than multistage. This is because, as the name suggests, multistage machines achieve the required pressure in multiple stages widening the opportunity for leakage, whereas single stage machines achieve this in a single step. The Next Turbo Technology integrally geared, single stage centrifugal blower, manufactured in […]
Unitywater announces stake acquisition of tech company
Kody Cook Company news, Digital Utilities, Instrumentation, Control & Monitoring, News, Water 0Continuing the growth of its commercial investment portfolio, Unitywater has this month acquired a minority stake in Australian business Detection Services Group. Unitywater has announced the acquisition of a minority stake in Detection Services Group, which is expected to accelerate the utility’s adoption of advanced technology for managing its pipeline networks. The acquisition is also expected to further diversify Unitywater’s […]
Water Corporation deploys new acoustic leak detection system
Kody Cook Digital Utilities, Instrumentation, Control & Monitoring, News, Pipelines, Spotlight, Water 0In an Australia-first project, cutting-edge distributed acoustic sensing technology is being deployed beneath Perth’s CBD by Water Corporation to detect leaks in the water network. The project, by Perth-based Terra15 Technologies, turns existing fibre-optic cable in the city into a giant acoustic leak detection network to detect water leaks before a pipe bursts. Laser light is pulsed through a thin […]
Safe and accurate monitoring for gas control systems
Kody Cook Gas, Instrumentation, Control & Monitoring, Sponsored Editorial 0The close control of toxic and/or combustible gases requires specialised technology for the continuous monitoring of analysers to ensure their safe and effective use, protecting employees and ensuring end-product quality. Validation of uninterrupted flow to the analsyer is necessary to alert system operators should the analyser fail to measure or operate for a range of reasons, including blocked sample tubes, […]
Annual NSW bushfire prevention program complete
Yasmin Isaacs Condition Assessment, Instrumentation, Control & Monitoring, Maintenance, News, Projects 0Transgrid has carried out safety management procedures such as helicopter inspections, thermographic surveying and network maintenance over thousands of kilometres to help prevent bushfires within New South Wales. As part of the program, Transgrid performed helicopter inspections, aerial imagery, 3D laser scanning, thermographic surveying, vegetation management and network maintenance to help local communities prepare for the upcoming summer. Transgrid’s 2023 […]
New leak detection system for Stanthorpe water network
Yasmin Isaacs Instrumentation, Control & Monitoring, News, Spotlight, Water 0Southern Downs Regional Council, Unitywater and software provider TaKaDu are partnering to roll out a 12-month leak detection trial in Stanthorpe, which is expected to help the town manage a more sustainable water supply. This software, which has saved Unitywater $35 million and 11 billion litres of water in the last decade, aims to reduce water loss, identify leaks before […]
Smart meter rollout to help Toowoomba to Warwick Pipeline
Kody Cook Asset management, Instrumentation, Control & Monitoring, News, Pipelines, Smart meters, Spotlight 0A major smart meter rollout is set to be part of the Toowoomba to Warwick Pipeline project following a demonstration of the technology by Southern Downs Regional Council in Stanthorpe. Around 9,000 meters will be installed throughout Warwick, Allora, Yangan, Killarney, Dalveen, Leyburn, Wallangara and Pratten, which will provide real-time data on water volumes used and pipe flow rates, to […]
Property Managers’ Answer to Water Challenges
Kody Cook Asset management, Instrumentation, Control & Monitoring, IOT, Maintenance, Sponsored Editorial 0Smart metering is helping facility and property managers face the challenges of understanding water usage and reducing costs. If left unchecked, leaks and inefficient water use can result in poor ESG outcomes, high water bills, and building damage – it can also destroy a good NABERS Water rating. Smart meters use a data display and analysis system like UtiliOS, which […]
Smart water metering: business transformational, not just remote meter reading
Utility Journalist Digital Utilities, Features, Instrumentation, Control & Monitoring, Projects, Smart meters, Sponsored Editorial, Sustainability, Water, Water and Wastewater Treatment 0When examining a Smart Water Metering (SWM) project, the initial focus is often the smart meter, communications and meter management software. However, Taggle Systems has found long-term project and business success is driven by other considerations. Sure, within a SWM project the meter metrology, battery life, telemetry and ultimately the data delivery by the Meter Data Management Systems (MDMS) are […]
Toowoomba Council turns the tap on for smart water meters
Utility Journalist Digital Utilities, Features, Instrumentation, Control & Monitoring, Projects, Safety and Training, Smart meters, Sustainability, Water 0Toowoomba Regional Council (TRC) is in the process of implementing an automated water meter reading system that helps conserve water, supports operations and improves the customer service experience for its customers throughout the region. External consultants were engaged, a proof of concept trial was undertaken and in March 2023, the first of the smart water meters were installed. As a […]
Virtual asset assessment: digital intelligence solving network challenges
Utility Journalist Asset management, Digital Utilities, Disaster Management, Features, Instrumentation, Control & Monitoring, Projects, Renewable Energy, Safety and Training, Sponsored Editorial, Sustainability 0Utilities across Australia and the globe are increasingly turning to the potential of digital data and digital intelligence to assess the condition of assets. The use of digital technologies and data analytics is disrupting traditional business models, changing the way linear assets are designed, built, inspected, and operated. The COVID-19 pandemic, technological advancements, and regulatory changes, as well as the […]
Achieving renewable-first controls
Utility Journalist Civil Construction, Digital Utilities, Instrumentation, Control & Monitoring, News, Renewable Energy, Solar, Sponsored Editorial, Sustainability, Wind 0By Daniel Watson, Automation Solutions Innovator, Yokogawa Distributed energy resources such as solar and wind are pivotal for reaching net zero energy goals, however, the intermittent nature of these renewables can cause an influx of many un-coordinated distributed energy resources that can threaten the reliability of a power grid. However, the solution lies in intelligent and advanced control platforms that […]
Four practical ways to implement effective compliance programs
Utility Journalist Asset management, Digital Utilities, Features, Instrumentation, Control & Monitoring, Sponsored Editorial, Stakeholder Engagement 0The utility sector is one of the most regulated in the country, if not the world. The quantity and complexity of regulation applying to the industry is increasing daily, as are the penalties for non-compliance. Compliance is moving from an abstract concern to an area requiring direct and focused attention. This article explores four practical ways that leaders in utility […]
The role of digital connectivity in industry 4.0
Utility Journalist Digital Utilities, Features, Instrumentation, Control & Monitoring, IOT, Sponsored Editorial 0By now, many of us have heard the term Industry 4.0. The promises of using technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), big data analytics, and artificial intelligence (AI) to create a more interconnected, automated, and intelligent operational environment are inspiring and exciting. With this in mind, connectivity is the foundation layer and first step to digital transformation. Connectivity […]
Think you know how to work near gas pipelines? Think again
Utility Journalist Asset management, Features, Gas, Instrumentation, Control & Monitoring, Pipelines, Projects, Sponsored Editorial, Sustainability 0Safety is vital when working near gas pipelines, which in the worst case can result in death or injury. Here, Australia’s largest pipeline operator APA outlines some common mistakes people make when working near its 15,000km of transmission pipelines. APA owns and operates networks that deliver half of the natural gas used in Australia. Work conducted by other utilities is […]
Innovative new excavator GPR technology
Utility Journalist Asset management, Civil Construction, Digital Utilities, Features, Instrumentation, Control & Monitoring, Sponsored Editorial 0Across Australia and the globe, EJ is relied upon to design, manufacture and distribute exceptional access solutions for vital infrastructure projects. These projects support the stormwater, wastewater and telecommunications networks necessary in modern society. Fully integrated into an excavator bucket, the LDR Excavate brings RodRadar’s unique high-resolution, ground-penetrating radar imaging into the operator’s cabin during excavation and earthworks projects. Available […]
Local water utilities trialling W-Lab technologies
Tayla Oates Asset management, Civil Construction, Instrumentation, Control & Monitoring, Sponsored Editorial, Sustainability, Water, Water and Wastewater Treatment 0W-Lab is a technology program, created in partnership with the Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA), Isle Utilities and ThinkPlace, to identify the key challenges and to unite the local water industry in strategic problem solving. A W-Lab Roadmap was originally created in 2020 to present solutions to the local water industry, using innovative technologies. This roadmap was revitalised and […]
Balancing act: future-proofing Australia’s electricity network
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New flow meter detecting dangerous methane leaks March 4, 2024
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The power of single stage blowers February 13, 2024
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