HWM News - www.hwm-water.com

Wireless utility monitoring products from HWM’s Radio-Tech brand have been used by Verco Advisory Services to reduce a major UK food producer’s water consumption by almost 10% and gas consumption by over 5% in 5 months, with projections showing savings of around £1m in only 2 years.

Wireless utility monitoring offers proven value and return on investment

When implementing sustainability improvements, companies need reliable, traceable data to target their efforts effectively and efficiently. It can, however, be difficult to rationalise the expenditure and disruption of installing such a system against results that may seem too speculative or distant. The speed of return on investment from wireless monitoring is substantially quicker than for hardwired systems, and the costs can be easily identified up front to ease and simplify the specification process: there are no potential wiring or access problems when the battery-powered devices can simply be fixed into place, meaning the most appropriate equipment within budget can be identified and used from the very beginning.

Verco, the energy management consultancy, has been working with its client for several years, focussing in 2012 on improving the company-wide sub-metering of resource consumption across its 15 UK sites. To do this, Verco has used Ecochirp transmitters and Wi5 data concentrators from HWM’s Radio-Tech range, which have been installed to enable rapid, centralised data collection from all areas of the business. The wireless devices were chosen largely because of their modular nature, integrating easily with the Carbon Desktop energy management system and requiring minimal ongoing maintenance and management. Easy to specify, install and expand, they have proven to be effective at providing a visible return on investment in the fastest possible timeframe.

Energy and water consumption can be reduced with effective metering and monitoring

Radio-Tech is one of the UK’s leading names in remote energy monitoring and smart metering products. The company’s small, battery-powered transmitters are coupled with their ‘Wi5 data concentrator’, which collects local readings wirelessly before sending all the information back via GPRS to the user’s choice of computer or server. For Verco, this approach has provided a quick return for evidence of real savings: a tangible reduction in consumption through targeted measures, significantly reduced spend on utilities and a more thorough and detailed picture of the company’s resource usage throughout its business operations and locations.

Comments (0) »

The latest wireless dataloggers, sensors and machine-to-machine (M2M) telecommunication units for building monitoring and smart metering will be on display at The Facilities Show 2013, with both HWM and their newly-acquired partner ASL Holdings exhibiting.

HWM and ASL Bring Wireless Monitoring and M2M Comms to The Facilities Show 2013

HWM manufactures cost-saving water management, energy monitoring and smart metering products with a range of wireless communication options to ensure the most appropriate system for any given location or budget. The company’s recently launched COMLog commercial datalogger and OmniColl urban data management system will be on display, with visitors’ attention drawn to the latest innovations in cost management, alarm response and remote programming features.

ASL Holdings Ltd, which joined HWM in March, has been a leader in machine-to-machine communications technology for over a quarter of a century. Its products are incorporated into a vast array of remote data monitoring applications, including smart electricity and solar power meters. With unparalleled experience in GSM communications, the company currently manages over 200,000 SIM connections.

With HWM and ASL now working together, existing and future customers can expect to see new levels of expertise, ease of use and functionality brought to the facilities management and building monitoring market.

Comments (0) »

HWM-Water Ltd is pleased to welcome ASL Holdings Ltd (ASL) to its group of companies following the acquisition of ASL by Halma plc. HWM-Water Limited, is a global leader in the manufacture of data loggers and leak detection products for the water industry, within Halma’s Environmental & Analysis sector. Existing management will remain in place with Bill Berry continuing in his role as Managing Director of ASL. Bill will join the board of HWM-Water Ltd, led by Rob Fish, to grow the combined operation of HWM and ASL for remotely monitored assets via the mobile telephone network.

ASL, based in Northampton, UK, designs and manufactures machine-to-machine (M2M) communication products which are incorporated into SMART electricity and solar power meters for remote data monitoring and a range of other applications in the utility, transport and retail sectors. ASL currently manages over 200,000 SIM connections.

HWM-Water Ltd, based in Cwmbran, South Wales, produces cost saving water and energy management solutions for a wide range of customers which include the majority of water customers in the UK and around the world. The Radcom data logger within HWM’s product portfolio provides 24 hour flow monitoring via the GPRS mobile telephone network. HWM has recently secured a number of high volume remote telemetry unit framework projects with UK water companies and now has over 30,000 SIM connections sending data up to 96 times per day.

Rob Fish, Divisional Managing Director of HWM-Water Ltd, says “This is a great acquisition for Halma and a good fit with HWM-Water Ltd. Both businesses now have a well-established M2M credibility in their respective sectors and there is great growth potential in existing and new market sectors. I look forward to working with Bill and his team to grow the businesses together and to provide a stronger value proposition for our customers and business partners.”

Comments (0) »

HWM has recently introduced innovative improvements to its MultiLog and LX telemetry data loggers that offer new benefits to users, particularly with regard to remote maintenance, programming and alarm response. Once installed, the devices do not need to be physically accessed again for up to 5 years, but can still have settings changed and software updated through their integrated telemetry.

HWM adds 2 way communication, remote programming and alarm response features to dataloggers

The two-way communication feature enables customers to update and upgrade their dataloggers remotely. This removes the requirement for expensive and time consuming site visits, and effectively makes the loggers “future proof” by ensuring that customers receive the immediate benefit of any new functionality.

In addition to remote upgrading, users can now reprogram the settings on their HWM loggers from any internet enabled device, again removing the need to physically extract the logger from the ground to do so. Alarm trigger points and reporting intervals can now be changed from the comfort of the home or office, which enables the user to always have the most appropriate settings without spending time or money visiting the installation.

HWM has also introduced an innovative accelerated dial-in feature that responds to an alarm condition. When an alarm is triggered, the logger automatically begins to transmit data more frequently to enable a more detailed analysis of the situation. Alerts can be sent to up 16 specified telephone numbers, which enables prompt and effective action to be taken. This intelligent alarm response can be particularly useful when, for example, the logger is connected to a SonicSens ultrasonic level measurement device over an open channel or sewer overflow. As levels rise above the alarm threshold, the increased data transmission rate will assist the response team in monitoring the rate of increase and potential flood risk during the incident. When the level falls below the alarm trigger threshold, the logger automatically returns to its normal dial-in parameters, as set by the user.

HWM data loggers already play an important role in monitoring the environment and identifying wastage in order to minimise negative environmental impact. By enabling users to upgrade firmware and change settings “over the air” instead of having to drive to the site, and by providing accelerated monitoring in response to alarms, the equipment is now more environmentally friendly than ever before.

Comments (0) »

Wireless technology leader HWM has launched an innovative network monitoring system that uses battery-powered radio transmitters to collect data without any wires, mains power or expensive communication charges. The OmniColl system is a wireless infrastructure network for remote sensors and dataloggers, linked to a sophisticated online viewing platform that offers more and costs substantially less than a conventional data logging system.

In order to manage water and energy consumption effectively, it is necessary to monitor what, where and how resources are being used; it is only by accurately measuring and monitoring usage that efficiencies can be identified and savings made. In addition, recognising and reacting to potential network events such as leakage or overflow as quickly as possible allows issues to be addressed before they become major incidents.

OmniColl from HWM offers remote network monitoring and datalogging without wires or hidden costs

The OmniColl system efficiently collects, orders and presents data for quick and easy analysis, enabling potential cost savings and network events to be identified almost immediately. It uses a modular, radio-based communications platform to provide rapid data transfer at minimal cost, with the ability to integrate many different measurement parameters. The system can automatically collect data from thousands of monitoring points every fifteen minutes for up to ten years, without any wired connections or even mains power. Its unique infrastructure design eliminates many of the costs traditionally associated with a communications network, such as installation, wiring and ongoing data transmission charges. This makes it a highly cost effective and convenient platform which maximizes the user’s return on investment of time, effort and expense.

OmniColl is suitable for all currently available sensors, allowing for a huge range of versatility. For example, the same system can be used to monitor usage in a District Metered Area (DMA), identify leakage, control pressure, read meters, analyse building performance, provide energy efficiency modelling and track rising or falling water levels. Collected readings are sent securely by GPRS, SMS, Wi-Fi or Ethernet to HWM’s DataGate portal, where they can be forwarded directly to a third party software system, or viewed from any internet-enabled device using the secure HWM Online graphing, reporting and alert management website. Amongst the wide range of data management tools available, users can view, compare, chart and create custom fleet reports. Automatic alarms can also be configured to send alerts to specified phone numbers and email addresses when pre-set alarm conditions are met.

The OmniColl system is designed to give businesses a near real-time view of their resources without the shadow of hidden costs. No wiring, no mains power, and no data fees enable customers to log more for longer for less, making this HWM’s most cost-effective remote monitoring and datalogging platform to date.

Comments (0) »

Flooding, both predicted and sudden, has become an increasingly common phenomenon in recent years. Many suffering localities have been un- or under-prepared, with little reason to believe they were at risk until it was too late. A reliable and cost-effective advance warning system that continuously monitors rivers, storm drains and overflows for rising water levels can save lives and protect property, alerting authorities and communities to impending danger.

The SonicSens 2 battery-powered ultrasonic level and flow sensor, from specialist manufacturer HWM, offers non-contact, accurate, remote and wireless monitoring of water levels and flow rates. The ultrasonic sensor precisely measures the distance to (and therefore level of) the water surface, and can automatically send alerts to up to 16 phone numbers when the level reaches specified thresholds. When an alarm condition activates, it can also provide accelerated dial-in functionality, allowing users to quickly access detailed, relevant and timely new information when they have to.

SonicSens ultrasonic level sensor from HWM for early flood warning systems

For early flood warning systems, the device’s versatile telemetry options, robust construction and long battery life make SonicSens 2 particularly well-suited: not requiring any ongoing maintenance or supporting infrastructure, it is perfect for “fit and forget” operations in hard to access locations. Once installed, it will continue to function as programmed without the need for local access, upkeep or interaction.

The system is supplied with user-friendly PC-based software that significantly speeds and eases the installation and setup process. The intelligent sensor features adjustable range settings, a variable dead band or blanking distance, self-diagnostics and an alarm condition in the event of echo loss. Intrinsically safe and ATEX versions are available for use in potentially hazardous environments, and a second channel capability (digital or analogue) allows for additional temperature, pressure (depth) or flow logging via an external device.

The SonicSens 2 includes both the intelligent ultrasonic sensor and a Multilog LX telemetry data logger, which transmits the data via SMS or low cost GPRS. Two-way connectivity enables the unit to be reprogrammed remotely without the need for expensive and time-consuming site visits – really improving convenience and cost-efficiency for hard to access locations.

New alarm conditions such as rate-of-rise have been added, which can now trigger an alert to up to sixteen specified telephone numbers. When an alarm condition is activated, SonicSens 2 can provide accelerated dial-in functionality, which allows data to become rapidly available during these events. This will ensure that operators have detailed information with which to quickly assess the situation and promptly respond to changing levels.

HWM has used specifically-designed low-power electronics for the SonicSens 2 to give it a five year battery life expectancy, which is particularly useful when flow or level sensing is required in remote, hard to reach locations. A low cost extended battery pack is also available to maintain this five year battery life even when the device is transmitting data every 15 minutes.

2 Comments »

As the summer starts to feel like a distant memory, and Christmas displays start dominating shops all too quickly again, thoughts also turn towards preparing for what has recently been a disruptive time of year. Recent winters have seen heavy snowfall around the country, making travel treacherous and severely impacting many businesses. For water companies and other utilities, it has, for example, made active meter reading a very difficult task, with meters often hidden securely behind several inches of snow and ice. Essex & Suffolk Water, however, has found that HWM’s SMART Log wireless AMR system allowed its technicians to continue to collect meter readings and historic consumption data from their Domestic Consumption Monitors simply by driving – carefully – along the road.

SMART Log from HWM is a wireless AMR system that allows drive-by meter readings even in the worst weather conditions

When the snow fell back in December 2010, William Salmon (Demand Planning Technician for Essex & Suffolk Water) decided to conduct an experiment and set out in his van. Normally, the hardened shell of snow and ice would make accessing and reading those meters virtually impossible. The SMART Log system, however, turns any existing pulse-enabled water meter into a digital, virtual smart meter capable of transmitting a month’s worth of collected data over 100m distances in just a few seconds. So William, safe and relatively warm inside his van, carefully negotiated his way along the frozen roads to see if he could still complete his task:

“The weather conditions during this time were terrible, we had heavy snow, with temperatures close to minus 10 degrees C,” he reported.

“To my surprise – and relief – all the data from the SMART Logs we had in the area was successfully downloaded with the speed and success rate we have been used to in calmer weather.

“Even the antenna on the van had frozen over in the end!”

Now, two years later, Essex & Suffolk Water currently has around 1500 SMART Logs in place for their Study of Water Use project, automatically reading meters and transmitting the data to passing patrol vehicles in all conditions. The company uses this consumption data to monitor water demand in targeted areas, and estimates that the new system is on average 5-10 times quicker per property than traditional meter reading methods; this includes the time taken for technicians to check the data in case any immediate remedial action is required.

The SMART Log system stores consumption and event history records for wireless data transfer to drive-by patrols. The data can then be used to determine accurate billings and develop tariff models, identify back-flow and even detect customer-side leakage. The wireless technology sends a ‘beacon’-type message every two seconds to initiate the connection as soon as possible, allowing rapid data transfer and effective drive-by speeds of up to 30mph (when driving conditions allow). SMART Log is also considered a viable and cost-effective alternative to GPRS or SMS dataloggers for commercial applications.

Comments (0) »

New Technology Reduces Town’s Water Loss by 12.6%

Mogi Mirim, a municipality in the state of São Paulo in Brazil, has recently invested more than £4m in sanitation and water resources. This includes purchasing equipment to improve the infrastructure and operation of the city’s water and sewage system, in order to enhance the standard of service provided to the population.

With funding from the municipality, the city’s Autonomous Service for Water and Sewerage department (SAAE) has purchased a range of vehicles and equipment to improve the water network. Recent purchases include sophisticated acoustic technology from UK company HWM that monitors for, identifies and then pinpoints the location of leaks in underground water pipe networks.

Permalog+ is the world’s most popular leak noise logger, with hundreds of thousands deployed on water networks throughout the world. The small, battery-powered devices listen to noises travelling through pipes and can recognise the distinct sound that water makes when it escapes under pressure. The result is that any existing or new leaks, even if not outwardly visible above ground, are very quickly identified by the Permalogs and relevant personnel alerted so that further investigation and repairs can take place as soon as possible.

Leak Detection Equipment from HWM Helps Town of Mogi Mirim, Brazil, Reduce Water Loss by 12.6%

To pinpoint the exact leak location on-site, the MicroCorr Touch leak noise correlator is used to show operators exactly where the problem is, accurate to centimetres. The correlator works by measuring the time difference at which leak noise is received by sensors deployed onto the pipe both sides of the suspected leak. Leak noise travels at a constant velocity that depends on the material and diameter of the pipe. As a result, the time difference between the arrival time of the leak noise at each sensor, combined with the velocity, enables the exact position of the leak to be quickly and accurately calculated.

Whilst the principle of correlation has remained unchanged since HWM developed the world’s first correlator over thirty years ago, the technology behind it has advanced considerably. In addition to using highly sensitive accelerometers on the pipes for accurate acoustic detection, the MicroCorr Touch features a high-visibility colour touchscreen and intuitive, menu-driven software to make it as easy as possible to enter data and view results in all conditions. The system also incorporates a unique automated filtering intelligence system (AFIS) to automatically run 55 different filter combinations on the data until the clearest and most accurate result can be displayed. Tests have shown that AFIS significantly improves leak pinpointing on a wide range of different pipe materials and sizes, making it arguably the easiest to use and most accurate correlator the company has ever produced.

It is very time consuming, expensive and disruptive for a water company to excavate a section of buried water pipe only to discover that the leak is somewhere else. Therefore, as a final check that the leak has been successfully identified and located, SAAE uses HWM’s Xmic electronic ground microphone to amplify the leak noise, acting as a final confirmation before digging down to make the necessary repairs. Using the latest acoustic amplification technology, Xmic displays results graphically on a hand held screen to confirm the leak position. This combination of technologies and approaches drastically reduces the number of “dry holes” that could be dug before the leak can be repaired.

The Permalog+ from HWM can detect even 'invisible' leaks in underground water pipes by precise acoustic measurement

Pauloroberto Silva Jnr, who leads the technical division of water distribution management for SAAE, recognises the improvement that HWM’s groundbreaking leak detection equipment has already made to the municipality’s water supplies: “Following our investment in water loss equipment, the Permalog+ leak noise sensors and MicroCorr Touch correlators have already enabled the SAAE to find more than 100 leaks that were invisible before”, he said, which has resulted in a recorded 12.6% reduction in water loss percentage since the new technology has been in use.

SAAE is also benefitting from other substantial cost savings as a result of introducing such an effective leak detection programme. Previously, the municipality had to operate its water treatment plant for twenty-three hours a day to meet demand. After successfully identifying and repairing so many leaks, Silva reported that they are now able to reduce uptime by three hours per day, which has in turn reduced electricity consumption by over 10%. The new equipment has therefore not only already produced an excellent monetary return on investment, it has also helped Mogi Mirim reduce its carbon footprint and environmental impact.

15 Pressure Reducing Valves (PRVs) have also been installed around the city, and new pipes and fittings brought in to reduce the frequency of maintenance operations required on the network. As the city prospers and grows, SAEE will also be constructing a new water storage facility to meet the increased demand throughout Mogi Mirim. Also planned is a collector sewer stream in nearby Bela Vista which will connect to the existing sewage treatment plant. Land bordering the water treatment facility has also been purchased which will enable its future expansion and double the current capacity.

According to Evandro Trentin, the administrative and financial director of SAAE who manages the water and sewage infrastructure at Mogi Mirim, these investments have already proved their worth because of the resulting improved the quality of life for everyone in the area.
“Our sanitation and water resources need a great deal of attention and we are determined to improve them. Over the coming years, the investments we’ve made will ensure that we can meet the increasing demand for water in the region.” Having already secured the city’s water systems for over 50 years, Mogi Mirim’s SAAE looks set to continue its good work and improve its services for the population with intelligent investments embracing the future of water management.

Comments (0) »

HWM has launched the SonicSens 2 ultrasonic level and flow sensor, which builds on the success of its predecessor with enhanced functionality, ease of use and extended remote telemetry options. The versatile, battery-powered device is ideal for remotely monitoring open channels, combined sewer overflows, storage tank levels, storm drains and flood warning systems.

HWM Launches SonicSens 2 ultrasonic level and flow sensor with enhanced remote communications options

One major benefit of ultrasonic measurement is that it is non-contact: this means it is non-contaminating and requires little to no maintenance. This, combined with versatile telemetry options, robust construction and long battery life make SonicSens 2 well suited to “fit and forget” operations in hard to access locations. Once installed, it will continue to function as programmed without the need for local access, maintenance or interaction.

The system is supplied with user-friendly PC-based software that significantly speeds and eases the installation and setup process. Integrated level to flow conversion software enables the operator to easily configure the device to measure flow rates by selecting from a preset list of channel types and simply entering the dimensions.

The intelligent sensor features adjustable range settings, a variable dead band or blanking distance, self-diagnostics and an alarm condition in the event of echo loss. Intrinsically safe and ATEX versions are available for use in potentially hazardous environments, and a second channel capability (digital or analogue) allows for additional temperature, pressure (depth) or flow logging via an external device.

The SonicSens 2 includes both the intelligent ultrasonic sensor and a Multilog LX telemetry data logger, which transmits the data via SMS or low cost GPRS. Two-way connectivity enables the unit to be reprogrammed remotely without the need for expensive and time-consuming site visits – really improving convenience and cost-efficiency for hard to access locations.

New alarm conditions such as rate-of-rise have been added, which can now trigger an alert to up to sixteen specified telephone numbers. When an alarm condition is activated, SonicSens 2 can provide accelerated dial-in functionality, which allows data to become rapidly available during these events. This will ensure that operators have detailed information with which to quickly assess the situation and promptly respond to changing levels.

HWM has used specifically-designed low-power electronics for the SonicSens 2 to give it a five year battery life expectancy, which is particularly useful when flow or level sensing is required in remote, hard to reach locations. A low cost extended battery pack is also available to maintain this five year battery life even when the device is transmitting data every 15 minutes.

Comments (0) »

The new COMLog smart metering datalogger from HWM’s Radio-Tech range makes energy and water monitoring easier and more convenient with the latest technology, wireless communication options and innovative data handling. With the UK Government’s Smart Metering Initiative requiring all homes and businesses to have smart meters installed by 2020, this new cost-effective commercial data logger is designed to fit the bill for almost any installation.

New COMLog commercial data logger for energy and water use monitoring

Compatible with any volt-free pulsed output meter, the COMLog does everything smart meter should – with added user benefits. Efficient GPRS telemetry transmits the data quickly and at low cost, and the specifically-designed low power electronics mean a battery life of over 5 years for the compact device when transmitting every 8 hours. Data output is designed to be easily integrated into 3rd party software suites directly by GPRS, via API HWM’s DataGate data transfer and fleet management portal, or viewed and analysed with the web-based HWM Online system.

The tough ABS moulded casing is IP68 rated, and inside the technology offers benefits unique in the marketplace: fast logging down to 1 second intervals for detailed consumption analysis, a comprehensive range of alarm conditions, fail-safe SMS data transmission in the event of GPRS downtime, and two-way communication for remote programming and upgrading.

A range of accessories enhance the COMLog’s features and functionality even further when required: with an external battery pack, the 5-year battery life can be maintained at 15 minute data transmission intervals.

Comments (0) »