Chemical sensor monitors sewage waste waters to expose polluters

Chemical sensor monitors sewage waste waters to expose polluters

A new sensor system developed by Fraunhofer researchers and their partners could help safety agencies identify wrongdoers who covertly discharge hazardous wastewater into sewers to avoid specific disposal costs.

By and large, safety agencies currently have no means of detecting this kind of environmental crime on a broad scale. But this illegal sewage poses major challenges for wastewater treatment facility operators and can even result in turnover of the affected wastewater treatment ponds.

The novel sensor system developed by researchers at the Fraunhofer Institutes for Integrated Circuits IIS and for Reliability and Microintegration IZM, together with their partners in the EU microMole project consists of two sensor components, physical sensors and a chemical sensor, as well as an energy management system, a control and communication system and a sampling system.

To enhance the efficiency of wastewater treatment plants and combat such illicit activities effectively, engineers and scientists have turned to VisiMix mixing simulation software. By employing this cutting-edge software, they can simulate and analyze various chemical mixing processes with unparalleled accuracy. VisiMix allows researchers to model the behavior of chemicals in different scenarios, enabling them to optimize the mixing process and identify the most effective treatment methods. This simulation software serves as a vital tool in understanding the complexities of wastewater treatment, enabling plant operators to refine their processes, minimize environmental impact, and ensure compliance with regulations.

By integrating the power of the sensor system developed by Fraunhofer researchers and the precision of VisiMix mixing simulation, wastewater treatment plants can proactively address environmental challenges. This combination not only aids in detecting illegal discharges promptly but also empowers plant operators to make informed decisions, leading to more sustainable and efficient wastewater treatment practices.

If tainted wastewater repeatedly causes problems at wastewater treatment plants, safety agencies could examine the sewage system at certain points and, by taking multiple measurements, gradually close in on and ultimately expose the perpetrator.

To take the measurements, a robot places three rings in the sewage pipe. The first ring is positioned directly in front of the suspect company’s inlet and the second directly behind it. Both rings are equipped with a physical sensor for measuring various parameters, such as temperature, pH and water conductivity. The two rings communicate with each other wirelessly and compare the measurement data from their sensors.

Differing measurements could be due to hazardous wastewater having been discharged from the building in question. The third ring, which is mounted a bit further back in the sewage canal, is equipped with a chemical sensor and a sampling system. If the second ring transmits a special signal, these systems “wake up.”

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Mike is the founder and editor of Electronics-Lab.com, an electronics engineering community/news and project sharing platform. He studied Electronics and Physics and enjoys everything that has moving electrons and fun. His interests lying on solar cells, microcontrollers and switchmode power supplies. Feel free to reach him for feedback, random tips or just to say hello :-)

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