The search for water leaks is now more efficient, thanks to cosmic rays
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Web Content Article · written-by LUCIA ALGISI on-date Jun 19, 2024 11:15 AM
2024-06-19 Press_Hera_ESG.jpg For the fourth consecutive year, the Group is on the podium of the overall index ranking, which rewards Italian companies that stand out for integrating ESG factors...
Comunicati stampa: Hera Spa Price sensitive -
Web Content Article · written-by LUCIA ALGISI on-date Jun 11, 2024 1:21 PM
2024-06-11 The Hera Group, through its subsidiary operating in the natural gas distribution sector, strengthens its presence in the area served centrata This morning, at the Hera Group’s...
Comunicati stampa: Hera Spa M&A Price sensitive -
Web Content Article · written-by Mario Egidio on-date May 26, 2024 12:35 PM
Comunicati stampa: Sustainability Research and Development Financial Results Products/Services M&A Shareholders’ meeting -
Web Content Article · written-by LUCIA ALGISI on-date May 15, 2024 11:00 AM
2024-05-15 Kindly note that as of today the minutes of the Shareholders Meeting held on 30 April 2024, as well as the articles of association containing the amendments approved by the...
Comunicati stampa: Shareholders’ meeting Price sensitive Hera Spa -
Web Content Article · written-by LUCIA ALGISI on-date May 15, 2024 10:22 AM
Through its subsidiary Inrete Distribuzione Energia, the Group was awarded the tender for the gas distribution plants and network serving the municipality of Argenta in Ferrara area
Comunicati stampa: Price sensitive M&A Hera Spa -
Web Content Article · written-by LUCIA ALGISI on-date May 14, 2024 9:37 AM
2024-05-14 The consolidated quarterly report at 31 March shows improvement in the main operating and financial indicators. The Group’s financial solidity and commitment to sustainability and the...
Comunicati stampa: Price sensitive Financial Results Hera Spa -
Web Content Article · written-by ANDREA GUERCI on-date Apr 29, 2024 6:29 PM
The Group continues along its path of uninterrupted growth, closing 2023 with record performance in the main operating and financial indicators, thus constantly creating value for its stakeholders.
Comunicati stampa: Shareholders’ meeting Hera Spa Price sensitive SOTTOSCRIZIONI ALERT: Price sensitive press release -
Web Content Article · written-by LUCIA ALGISI on-date Apr 24, 2024 4:26 PM
The multiutility confirms itself among Italy’s most outstanding operators, securing the first and third positions, with reference to all macro-indicators, as proof of the very high standards...
Comunicati stampa: Hera Spa Other press releases -
Web Content Article · written-by LUCIA ALGISI on-date Apr 8, 2024 3:42 PM
2024-04-08 Kindly note that the following documents, approved by the Hera S.p.A. Board of Directors, have been made available to the public at company headquarters, on the website...
Comunicati stampa: Other press releases Hera Spa -
Web Content Article · written-by LUCIA ALGISI on-date Apr 2, 2024 2:30 PM
2024-03-29 Thanks to investments totalling approximately 50 million euro, the Hera Group will build a state-of-the-art facility within its own plant complex. Starting from plastic waste that has so...
Comunicati stampa: Hera Spa Other press releases -
Web Content Article · written-by LUCIA ALGISI on-date Mar 27, 2024 10:55 AM
2024-03-27 Kindly note that the following documentation, pertaining to the Shareholders Meeting convened for 30 April 2024, is available to the public at the Company headquarters, on the...
Comunicati stampa: Shareholders’ meeting Hera Spa -
Web Content Article · written-by ANDREA GUERCI on-date Mar 26, 2024 9:44 AM
2024-03-26 img_primopiano_BE2023_870_V2.png The year closed with main financial indicators rising and the targets included in the strategic Plan to 2026 exceeded three years ahead of schedule. The...
Comunicati stampa: Other press releases Hera Spa Price sensitive Financial Results SOTTOSCRIZIONI ALERT: Price sensitive press release -
Web Content Article · written-by LUCIA ALGISI on-date Mar 12, 2024 4:57 PM
2024-03-11 Sustainability, decarbonisation, liveability and biodiversity protection are the keywords of this project, which will be developed in the northern part of the city and will contain a new...
Comunicati stampa: Hera Spa Other press releases -
Web Content Article · written-by LUCIA ALGISI on-date Mar 4, 2024 4:09 PM
We hereby inform you that on March 3, 2024, the Vice Chaiman of the Board of Directors, Mr. Gabriele Giacobazzi, passed away.
Comunicati stampa: Shareholders’ meeting Hera Spa Other press releases -
Web Content Article · written-by ELENA FARRE on-date Feb 12, 2024 6:29 PM
2024-02-13 The Group achieved the leadership band in the CDP questionnaire and was included among “TOP 1%” Multi and Water Utilities of the S&P Global’s Sustainability Yearbook 2024. These...
Comunicati stampa: Hera Spa Other press releases -
Web Content Article · written-by ELENA FARRE on-date Feb 6, 2024 11:39 AM
2024-02-06 With the 7 lots awarded in the tender for the Gradual Protection Service for non-vulnerable household customers, the Hera Group consolidates its position as the sector’s third largest...
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Web Content Article · written-by LUCIA ALGISI on-date Jan 25, 2024 2:07 PM
2024-01-25 With the acquisition of 70% of the Piacenza-based company, the Group reinforces its leadership in the waste management sector. This transaction, at full capacity, is expected to...
Comunicati stampa: M&A Hera Spa Other press releases -
Web Content Article · written-by THOMAS CECCONI on-date Jan 24, 2024 12:09 PM
2024-01-24 Development, resilience and creating shared value for stakeholders are at the heart of the Group’s new strategic document, which foresees investments totalling 4.4 billion to speed up...
Comunicati stampa: Price sensitive Financial Results Hera Spa Other press releases -
Web Content Article · written-by LUCIA ALGISI on-date Jan 19, 2024 2:43 PM
2024-01-22 Corporate events (*) In accordance with art. 2.6.2 (Required Reporting) of the “Rules of the markets organised and managed by Borsa Italiana S.p.A.", please find below our annual...
Comunicati stampa: Shareholders’ meeting Hera Spa Other press releases Price sensitive -
Web Content Article · written-by LUCIA ALGISI on-date Jan 18, 2024 12:19 PM
2024-01-18 The company reaffirms, once again in 2024, its position among the best performers in human resources management, thanks to substantial investments in welfare, training, and skill...
Comunicati stampa: Hera Spa Other press releases
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Hera continues experimentation of the innovative, fast and low-cost contactless system that uses space technology to detect water leaks in the network more quickly and productively
So far, the method used to find leaks in the water mains that run under our streets has been acoustic detection: technicians walk the kilometres of asphalt above the mains and use special devices to locate leakage points.
Now, however, thanks to a system that uses cosmic rays, detection can also be carried out while following the network path in a car, thus proving faster and more profitable.
Cosmic rays: what are they and how can they be used?
Cosmic rays are an innovative method for water leak detection, based on the analysis of neutrons derived from secondary cosmic rays. It follows the same principle used to test whether there is water on Mars, but it can have different applications; for example, it is used in agriculture in the US for targeted irrigation.
In short, this technology exploits non-damaging particles, the neutrons, from space. These continuously impact Earth, generating collisions between secondary beams, the energy of which decreases according to the material that is passed through. In particular, hydrogen in water interacts with neutrons by slowing them down or absorbing them. The amount of water in the ground can therefore be assessed by monitoring neutrons in the air: ground where water is present in a higher percentage will have a greater moderating/absorbing effect on cosmic rays than a drier area.
By analysing the concentration of free cosmic rays, the presence of a water leak can be determined quickly and accurately, saving considerable time compared to traditional methods of investigation. In fact, this system can control a considerably larger network area, because it can travel on any vehicle on which it is mounted.
The search can be carried out by real-time identification, i.e. simply by the passage of the device over the tube and immediate verification of the leakage as soon as the sensor signals a decrease in the number of neutrons, or by deferred search, when the sensor placed on a moving vehicle passes over the area several times and then indicates the wettest spots.
The operator will no longer need to walk the entire water network with the geophone, but can go directly to the points identified on the map.
Experimentation and results
Together with the Department of Nuclear Physics at the University of Padua, we have developed a device that, mounted on a car, allows operators to travel along the network and monitor the concentration of neutrons on the road surface.
The vehicle moves at a speed of 40-50 km/h along the road under which the water network runs and, using cosmic ray analysis, the levels of detected neutrons are shown on a display. When the concentration drops, it is a sign that the neutrons have been retained under the soil by a cluster of water. When this happens, it means that there may be a water leak in that very spot, underground, and technicians can promptly intervene for repairs.
The testing of this technology, which we have been conducting since 2021, has confirmed the scientific soundness of the method: out of several thousand kilometres investigated, the same number of ruptures were found as with the traditional acoustic method, but with the advantage that the cosmic ray method is more productive, since the operator moves around in a car rather than on foot.
With a network of some 30,000 kilometres to check, having this tool allows us to make great strides. In addition, cosmic rays are sensitive to even modest leaks, such as those from pipe joints, which are more difficult to detect accurately.
This technology, which we have implemented thanks to a partnership with the start-up Cosmic and the team at Neptune Srl, is based on an isotope of lithium, lithium-6, which is the element that allows us to detect neutrons. We will continue to use it alongside the classic acoustic method, to locate all possible leaks and increase the level of effectiveness of interventions.
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