Mad Science: Making Water Smarter

A fun and educational video detailing how IBM is helping to monitor the health of the Hudson River through the REON partnership with the Beacon Institute and Clarkson University.

Lab in a box “Lunch Box”

The Lunch Box technology was showcased at our IBM stand at the recent BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition which took place in the RDS in January.

ABOUT The Autonomous Phosphate Sensor – Or THE “LUNCH BOX – LAB in BOX”

Background

• Environmental water pollution affects human health and reduces the quality of our natural water ecosystems and resources. As a result, there is great interest in monitoring water quality and ensuring that all areas are compliant with legislation.
• Ubiquitous water quality monitoring places considerable demands upon existing sensing technology. Combined the challenges of:

• system longevity
• autonomous operation
• robustness
• large-scale sensor networks
• operationally difficult deployments
• unpredictable environments

These collectively represents a technological barrier that has yet to be overcome.

• Ubiquitous sensing envisages many aspects of our environment being routinely sensed. This will result in data streams from a large variety of heterogeneous sources, which will often vary in their volume and accuracy.

The IBM challenge :To develop a networked sensing infrastructure that can support the effective capture, filtering, aggregation and analysis of such data. This will ultimately enable us to dynamically monitor and track the quality of our environment at remote multiple locations.

THE LUNCH BOX Research SOLUTION – mini lab in a box

An example of such a system is the phosphate sensor which has been developed at the CLARITY Centre, in Dublin City University (DCU)  and IBM. (details of how it works on next page)

The Microfluidic technology in the box provides a route to the development of miniaturised analytical instruments that could be deployed remotely, and operate autonomously over relatively long periods of time (months–years).

This sensing technology, is in combination with

• low power

• reliable wireless communications platforms
• can link the sensors and analytical devices to online databases and servers
• form the basis for extensive networks of autonomous analytical ‘stations’ or ‘nodes’ that will provide high quality information about key chemical parameters that determine the quality of our aquatic environment
• The system must also have sufficient intelligence to enable adaptive sampling regimes as well as accurate and efficient decision-making responses

FUTURE:

As in-situ deployments of sensor networks become more widespread and reliable, and satellite data becomes more widely available, information from each of these sources can complement and validate the other, leading to an increased ability to rapidly detect potentially harmful events, and to assess the impact of environmental pressures on scales ranging from small river catchments to the open ocean.

The Box

This project is based on the development of an autonomous sensor for monitoring phosphate in lake and river water in-situ.

The goal is to design, build and validate a sensor that is sensitive, low-power, low cost and, most importantly, robust.

To tackle these design challenges a new concept of discrete metered fluid injection was developed.

This concept combines robust solenoid metering pumps with a microfluidic lab-on-a-chip. Separate pumps can inject a precise volume of reagent and sample into the lab-on-a-chip.

The layout of the microchannels within the chip direct the flow from the pumps to achieve precise mixing and the subsequent presentation of the reacted sample to a spectrophotometer for an absorbance measurement.

This concept is scalable allowing pumps for dispensing calibration and cleaning solutions to be integrated into the design.

A prototype analyser [the LUNCH BOX]was built to validate this concept.

It is completely autonomous and self calibrating.

It contains enough reagent, calibration and cleaning solution to carry out 4000 phosphate assays.

The unit powered by a 12V lead-acid battery is equipped with a GSM modem to transmit data collected, thus allowing it to be deployed at a remote location.

Advantages

Sensitivity. In laboratory benchtop trials the sensor demonstrated a limit of detection of 0.3 mg/L phosphate and a linear range up to 5 mg/L.

Low power. Although the current draw of a solenoid is high, the duty cycle is short. The pumps used draw 330 mA for 1 second. Each time a pump is cycled it dispenses 20 uL.

Robustness. When validated against a commercially available phosphate monitor the prototype was capable of providing high quality data over period of almost 40 days at an hourly sample rate.

Water Quality and Flooding

Innovative environmental solutions

IBM centre of excellence in water management

Water Quality & Flooding

Sensor networks, smart metering and advanced computing and analytics are helping to ensure the flow of clean, plentiful water around the planet. In Ireland the IBM Centre of Excellence in Water management has worked on a number of innovative projects including SmartBay. Continuous real-time monitoring from a network of sensors can give us an early warning on possible problems and can give stake-holders enough information to take action.

IBM are monitoring and integrating data from various water quality sites throughout Ireland. During the recent flooding in Cork the release of water from the Inniscarra dam resulted in large amount of sediment being released. IBM has installed an autonomous real-time water quality sensor in the Inniscarra region. A snapshot of this rapid change in water quality can be seen in the graph below.

Rapid change in water quality! In Cork IBM are monitoring and classifying particles that fall into different categories, protozoas, spore-shaped and rod-shaped. In essence this graph shows the sensors particle count rise sharply which shows a rapid change in water quality. This occurred between 4am and 5am on November 20th.

Smarter planet involves integrating instruments and adding intelligence to this integration. As we sense more of the world software solutions like SmartBay allows us to integrate disparate sensor data to make more informed decisions.

Contacts: Jer Hayes [hayesjer@ie.ibm.com], Stephen Hearn [stehearn@ie.ibm.com], Warren Lynam [lynamwa@ie.ibm.com], Robert McCarthy[rjmccarthy@ie.ibm.com ].

Smart Water Technologies To Be a $16.3B Industry by 2020

Electricity gets all the attention when it comes to the smart grid, but not to be ignored is also what a smart grid can do for water consumption. Americans consume twice the world average in water, massive amounts are wasted in households, manufacturing, agriculture, and landscaping – massive amounts that could be conserved through proper monitoring and accounting. Luckily, water footprints are getting increased attention, and a water grid is being zeroed in on by businesses such as IBM who is working on boosting technology behind everything from high tech water pollution sensing to water footprint accounting. . In fact, the water grid could be the next big business concept, set to be a $16.3 billion dollar industry in the next 10 years.

Full Story: http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/11/smart-water-technologies-to-be-a-163b-industry-by-2020.php

24th November – Green Sigma Event at Innovation Centre, Dublin

Green Sigma Event

Date: Tuesday 24th November 2009.

Venue: Innovation Centre, Building Six, IBM Technology Campus, Dublin 15.

Register at : http://www-05.ibm.com/ie/events/sigma_green/index.html

Green Sigma is an end-to-end solution aimed at reducing energy usage, water usage, carbon emissions and waste generation throughout a company’s operations, which in turn will save it money.

Agenda

9.00am

Registration & Coffee

12:30

Introduction & Welcome Robert McCarthy – IBM Innovative Environmental Solutions ManagerEnergy Management & Current Performance of Large Industry John O’Sullivan, Large Industry Support, SEI Green Sigma Energy – How to Deliver Real Savings across your complete Business, Facilities, IT and Business Process Energy Niall Brady – IBM WW Technical Development Manager IT Energy Savings Case Study Stephen Boden – IBM IIC Data Centre Services Consultant Metering & Monitoring Gary Carroll, CEO EpiSenor Ltd. Light Lunch and Refreshments

November 2009 – IBM, EPA Ireland Team For Smarter Water Management

IBM and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Ireland are teaming up to enable smarter water management across more than 130 of Ireland’s beaches and lakes.

Working together with An Taisce, the National Trust for Ireland, the organizations are collecting and analyzing large amounts of complex environmental data from Ireland’s coastline and lakes on water quality, tides, weather forecasts and more. That information is then made easily available to the general public at an online portal, Splash. Currently live in Ireland with plans for global expansion, Splash has already benefited thousands of visitors from nearly 40 countries.

Full Story: http://www-03.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/28740.wss

October 2009 – IBM and the Marine Institute Ireland (MII)

October 2009 – IBM and the Marine Institute Ireland (MII) have completed the SmartBay pilot information system to monitor wave conditions, marine life and pollution levels in and around Galway Bay. The real-time advanced analytics pilot is turning mountains of data into intelligence, which is paving the way for smarter environmental management and development of the bay.

The vision for SmartBay is a marine research infrastructure of sensors and computational technology interconnected across Galway Bay, which would collect and distribute information on coastal conditions, pollution levels and marine life. The monitoring services, delivered via the web and other devices, benefits tourism, fishing, aquaculture and the environment. The pilot, which includes a move from manual to instrumented data gathering, will allow researchers to deploy quicker reactions to the critical challenges of the bay, such as pollution, flooding, fishing stock levels, green-energy generation and the threats from climate change. through the application of knowledge,” said Dr Peter Heffernan, CEO, MII.

Full Story:  http://www.idaireland.com/news-media/featured-news/cloud-computing-meets-wat/index.xml

Video of SmartBay

Video of SmartBay

If the well runs dry- European Environmental Agency Signals Report 2009

Impact of climate change

Extremes of heat and drought, rain and flooding are affecting many parts of Europe.

Last summer, while Spanish daily newspaper El Pais ran photographs of dry riverbeds, the Guardian in Britain ran alarming headlines about floods. While the local government in Barcelona made plans to import water by ship, the British government assessed its flood defences.

There are many causes but climate change is expected to increase both the frequency and the severity of these events.

Even if we do reduce emissions, the historic build up of greenhouse gases will result in some level of climate change – so there will be impacts. Therefore, we will need to adapt – that means assessing our vulnerability and acting to lessen it. This analysis focuses on water issues mainly drought.

Managing our water resources

‘It is often over 40 degrees here in the summer and the humidity can be very high,’ Baris says from Istanbul. ‘The local authorities are much better at warning us now and they can usually tell us how long the water will be off – so we can make plans. But, they don’t seem to be doing much to deal with the shortage itself – they can’t make it rain more, I suppose,’ he said.

However, regional and national authorities in Turkey, and all over Europe, could better ‘manage’ water resources. This means taking action to reduce and manage demand instead of simply trying to increase the supply of water.

The Water Framework Directive (WFD), the defining piece of legislation on water in Europe, obliges Member States to use pricing (charging money) for water-related services as an effective tool for promoting water conservation. Indeed water pricing is one of the most effective methods of influencing water consumption patterns. However, effective water management must also include efforts towards reducing water losses and information on water-efficiency.

Planning for the Future

A recent EEA report points out that only seven of the 32 EEA countries have actually adopted National Adaptation Strategies for climate change so far. However, all EU Member states are busy preparing, developing and implementing national measures based on the observed situation in each country.

The joined-up thinking necessary for effective adaptation is not well developed but the process is starting.

Greenhouse gases are causing our climate to change. Southern Europe is expected to become warmer and drier while the North and North West will most likely become milder and wetter. Overall global temperatures will continue to rise.

EU Member States agree that global temperature increases should be limited to 2 degrees above pre-industrial levels, in order to avoid severe changes to our climate.

This is the main goal of the EU’s ‘mitigation’ effort. Mitigation efforts are focused on cutting emissions of ‘greenhouse’ gases and thereby limiting temperature increases to 2 degrees requires as much as a 50% reduction in global gas emissions by 2050.

However, even if emissions stop today, climate change will continue for a long time due to the historical build up of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Impacts are already clear in the arctic, for example. We must begin to adapt. Adaptation means assessing and dealing with the vulnerability of human and natural systems.

Ireland can be a green power leader – EPA

The Environmental Protection Agency has said Ireland has a real opportunity to become a world leader in renewable power.

Ireland can evolve into a net exporter of energy rather than importing the vast majority of its requirements as it does now, the EPA said.

There are significant economic opportunities for Ireland to become a low carbon and greener economy, the agency said.

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The Government has said it is in the process of developing a green economy.

However, according to EPA’s Director General Dr Mary Kelly, fundamental change is required to achieve that goal.

She has identified energy supply, transport, agriculture and the residential sector as areas requiring radical restructuring.

However, she also stated there were signs of green shoots appearing on the economic landscape.

Dr Kelly added that sustained investment in environmental infrastructure is also required, such as in wastewater treatment, drinking water, river basin control and waste management.

She said in more straitened economic circumstances it becomes even more important to ensure that investment guarantees Ireland achieves European standards, rather than continuing to play catch-up.

http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/0403/energy.html