The search for water leaks is now more efficient, thanks to cosmic rays
Focus
Focus
Category Facet
Custom Facet
Search Results
-
Web Content Article on-date Nov 9, 2022 3:50 PM
Financial highlights Ebitda* at 875 million euro (+2.4%) Net result* at 248 million euro (-5.6%) Net financial debt at 4,489 million euro, with net debt/Ebitda* at 3.62x Investments increase...
-
Web Content Article · written-by Palvi Andrea Tonziello on-date Nov 9, 2022 12:23 PM
2022-11-09 Despite the complex macro scenario, the Group’s quarterly report at 30 September 2022 shows an increase in Ebitda compared to 2021. Hera’s multi-business model, balanced between internal...
Comunicati stampa: Hera Spa Price sensitive Financial Results -
Web Content Article · written-by Palvi Andrea Tonziello on-date Aug 31, 2023 10:26 AM
Gruppo Hera celebrated the 25th anniversary of Ecomondo with an original fashion show featuring 25 iconic outfits from their collection. The SCART project, known for its creative reuse, showcased...
-
Web Content Article · written-by Palvi Andrea Tonziello on-date Nov 8, 2022 5:10 PM
On November 30th and December 1st, 2022, Hera Group will take part in the fifth edition of the “Southern European Infrastructure Conference”, organized by Mediobanca in Australia. This year's...
Tipologia Evento: Price sensitive -
Web Content Article · written-by Palvi Andrea Tonziello on-date Nov 8, 2022 11:07 AM
Today, the Hera Group, acting through its subsidiary Herambiente Servizi Industriali (HASI), signed a binding agreement for a long-term partnership that provides for the acquisition of 60% of the...
-
Web Content Article · written-by Palvi Andrea Tonziello on-date Nov 7, 2022 3:52 PM
2022-11-07 The binding agreement signed today provides for the acquisition by the Hera Group of 60% of ACR, based in Modena and leader in the remediation and industrial waste treatment sector. ...
Comunicati stampa: Price sensitive Hera Spa M&A -
Hera Group and ACR: the first national operator in remediation and global service activities is born
Web Content Article · written-by Palvi Andrea Tonziello on-date Aug 31, 2023 10:27 AM
Through its subsidiary Herambiente Servizi Industriali (HASI), Hera Group and company A.C.R. have finalized an agreement that marks the birth of Italy's largest operator in contaminated site...
-
Web Content Article · written-by Palvi Andrea Tonziello on-date Aug 31, 2023 10:28 AM
“Tracking waste”- Hera Group’s report on the path of separate waste collection valuing the citizens’ daily efforts - has reached its 13th edition, presenting data for 2021. In 2021, separate waste...
-
Web Content Article · written-by Palvi Andrea Tonziello on-date Oct 27, 2022 4:03 PM
SI Saving is as easy as drinking a glass of water Read the story NO No Sinistra
-
Web Content Article · written-by Palvi Andrea Tonziello on-date Oct 21, 2022 2:22 PM
From 8 to 11 November 2022, Ecomondo, the leading event in Europe regarding the ecological transition with technological and industrial innovation in waste management services and the green economy...
-
Web Content Article · written-by Palvi Andrea Tonziello on-date Aug 31, 2023 10:30 AM
The Trieste waste-to-energy plant has undergone a major renovation, improving its power generation capacity and operational continuity. The project makes the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region's waste...
-
Web Content Article · written-by LUCIA ALGISI on-date Oct 19, 2022 11:36 AM
SI Page update 17 April 2024 NO No Sinistra
-
Web Content Article · written-by Palvi Andrea Tonziello on-date Oct 18, 2022 11:44 AM
See the 2022 Highlights SI Page updated 21 March 2023 NO No /documents/1514726/0/Sustainability+Report+2022+-+Highlights.pdf/d5e745f4-3226-8aca-7378-459e5a20a787?t=1679401862569 Sinistra
-
Web Content Article · written-by ELENA FARRE on-date Oct 18, 2022 11:13 AM
SI NO No 2023 Sustainability Report Sinistra
-
Web Content Article · written-by Palvi Andrea Tonziello on-date Oct 18, 2022 11:07 AM
AWS Certification for Val di Setta potabilization plant SI NO No /-/aws-certification-for-val-di-setta-potabilization-plant Sinistra
-
Web Content Article · written-by Palvi Andrea Tonziello on-date Oct 18, 2022 10:58 AM
SI Cookies disabled - content not available NO No Sinistra
-
Web Content Article · written-by LUCIA ALGISI on-date Oct 18, 2022 10:53 AM
SI Page update 9 April 2024 NO No Find out the Hera Group’s Tax Strategy Sinistra
-
Web Content Article · written-by LUCIA ALGISI on-date Oct 18, 2022 10:45 AM
SI Page update 10 June 2024 NO No Go to our focus Sinistra
-
Web Content Article · written-by LUCIA ALGISI on-date Oct 18, 2022 10:39 AM
SI Page update 6 June 2024 NO No Sinistra
-
Web Content Article · written-by Palvi Andrea Tonziello on-date Oct 18, 2022 10:34 AM
A6JLkfbsk1k immagine no
Asset Publisher
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.
Search Bar
Tag Facet
Search Results
Asset Publisher