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Project title

n/a

Primary Funding Agency

Environmental Protection Agency

Co-Funding Organisation(s)

n/a

Lead Organisation

National University of Ireland Galway (NUIG)

Lead Applicant

Michael Rodgers

Project Abstract

The mobile research monitoring and control (MRMC) infrastructure will allow for the real-time monitoring of wastewater treatment systems providing substantial, accurate and precise research data on their performance. The unit will be transportable in a van and suitable for leaving on-site for a study period of a minimum of 3 days. The collected research data will be used to analyse and optimise the performance of the treatment systems to ensure high water quality in receiving waters. The MRMC facility will be of immense benefit in ensuring proper assessment and operation of wastewater treatment systems in Ireland. It will greatly increase the international journal paper output of members of the applicant?s research team and their collaborators. It could also form the basis of a commercialisation project. 1. MRMC infrastructure will be designed and constructed around state-of-the-art equipmentThe MRMC infrastructure will comprise a central control unit (CCU) with water quality measuring devices and controls (mentioned below). The CCU comprises state-of-the-art equipment from leading manufacturers and process companies (e.g. Foss, Lange, Suez and Veolia etc) with an open ended hardware and software architecture to facilitate additional probes, sensors and controls i.e. additional analogue/digital cards, and plug and socket type connections that will improve the mobility and flexibility aspects of the infrastructure. 2. The MRMC system measurements will include: flow, temperature, power, turbidity, pH, dissolved oxygen, oxidation reduction potential, ammonium nitrogen, conductivity, nitrate-nitrogen, nitrite-nitrogen, orthophosphate, carbon, carbon dioxide, methane, hydrogen sulphide and chlorine in on-site wastewater treatment systems (WWTS).The combination of some or all the above parameters will give a comprehensive overview of the performance of the wastewater treatment system in question. The MRMC infrastructure will allow for the real-time measurement of these parameters for a range of WWTSs. This will be a cost-effective, efficient measuring system that will substantially increase the quality and quantity of data that can be gathered on-site at the WWTS. 3. All sensors and control equipment in the MRMC system will be accessed/ driven by proprietary software e.g., PLC software and LabVIEW PLC software and LabVIEW with analogue/digital cards will be used to send signals to the control equipment e.g., samplers and analysers and receive information from the measurement sensors and probes. 4. The resulting data will be stored in the MRMC system for analysis and synthesis. It will be displayed using a human machine interface (HMI) that will be accessed by wireless technology from NUI Galway. The CCU will have data storage facilities. On-site access to the data will be via a HMI on the CCU. Due to the remote location of wastewater treatment systems, remote access will be possible using the PLC software and broadband technologies. Researchers at the team at NUI Galway have experience at setting up these remote connections.

Grant Approved

€80,000.00

Research Hub

Natural Environment

Research Theme

Protecting our Water Resources

Start Date

26/03/2008

Initial Projected Completion Date

26/12/2008