Water treatment digitisation: getting the right data from field device

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Water utilities face growing pressure to balance environmental compliance with efficiency and cost control. While higher-level digital systems provide greater visibility, overlooked field devices such as valves can create data gaps that affect performance, reliability and maintenance. Greg Wainhouse, Regional Business Development Manager – Industrial Water, North Europe at Bürkert, explains why capturing the right device data is more important than simply collecting more.

Across the UK and Europe, water utilities are under increasing pressure to improve environmental compliance while controlling costs and optimising plant performance. Digitisation is an important part of this process, helping operators gather information and identify opportunities for improvement.

However, despite the volume of data generated by modern water treatment plants, gaps can remain at critical points in the process. The challenge is therefore not necessarily a lack of data, but ensuring that the right information is captured at the right level.

Digitising field-level devices

Within the automation pyramid, enterprise systems and SCADA provide visibility of overall plant performance while PLCs convert process information into data that can support operational decisions. Investment often focuses on these higher levels, however, potentially overlooking the field devices that generate much of the underlying information.

Valves, sensors and flowmeters may already be connected to digital systems, but not every device will be integrated. Given the number of field devices across a treatment plant, the cost of connecting them all can also make comprehensive digitisation impractical.

Yet relatively inexpensive components can have a significant impact on plant-wide performance. For example, a wastewater sensor costing more than £50,000 could be disabled by a maintenance problem caused by the failure of a £100 solenoid valve. Providing digital feedback from the valve could help identify deterioration before failure, supporting preventative maintenance and protecting the availability of the wider system.

Valve data and water analysers

A detailed audit of the automation architecture can help identify which field-level devices provide valuable information. This should include process instrumentation such as water analysers.

Water analysis often involves extremely small sample volumes, so this data may not contribute directly to overall plant performance metrics. However, it can be critical to compliance and process quality.

Valves control the flow of samples and reagents within these systems. A failure to open or close, partial stroke or deterioration in switching performance can affect the accuracy and repeatability of analysis. This could compromise measurements such as chlorine or turbidity and potentially create compliance issues.

From feedback to diagnostics

Standardised NAMUR analogue signals can provide PLCs with basic information about valve and analyser status, including whether a dosing valve is open or closed and whether an instrument has developed a fault.

More advanced position control devices can provide continuous or proportional position data, stroke timing and confirmation of commanded position. Using integrated position sensing and digital industrial communications gives control systems a more detailed view of valve behaviour.

Bürkert’s ValveInsight service takes this further by using the valve itself as a source of diagnostic information. The technology analyses the behaviour of an electrodynamic actuator, monitoring changes in the electrical characteristics generated as the actuator moves.

This provides detailed information about valve stroke and switching behaviour, helping identify faults or deviations that may not be apparent from basic position feedback alone.

For water analysis systems, this can support earlier detection of problems, improve maintenance response and provide additional process documentation. ValveInsight algorithms are also available as open-source software through GitHub, allowing integration into higher-level control systems and adaptation to specific analysis conditions. The functionality is included with Bürkert’s Whisper Valve technology.

Returning to the wastewater sensor example, monitoring the solenoid valve’s performance could identify gradual deterioration before it results in sensor failure. This is particularly valuable as equipment ages and resources for condition monitoring become more limited.

Valve Insight — ValveInsight capabilities are included in Burkert’s Whisper Valve technology.

Avoiding data overload

Effective digitalisation of water treatment plants is not about collecting the maximum possible amount of information. It is about identifying which data points provide genuine operational value and ensuring that the information is delivered with sufficient speed and accuracy.

Valves, sensors and analysers can all provide important data at both macro and micro levels. By auditing field devices and selecting the appropriate level of feedback and diagnostics, water utilities can improve maintenance, support compliance and gain greater insight into plant performance without creating unnecessary data overhead.

For further information, contact:

Kirsty Miller
Bürkert Fluid Control Systems
Tel: +44 (0)1285 648761
Email: kirsty.miller@burkert.com
Web: www.burkert.co.uk

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Burkert Fluid Control Systems

01285648720
sales.uk@burkert.com
http://www.burkert.com/
Fluid Control Centre 1 Bridge End Gloucestershire Cirencester GL7 1QY GB

About us

Bürkert is present in thirtyfive countries around the world. We also work with a large network of distributors and partners, which means we are as close as possible to our customers. This global presence ensures full service and support to all of our customers in every country around the world. Research is the lifeblood of our company.

At Bürkert, we are never satisfied with the status quo and are continually seeking new technologies and solutions for our customers. Every year, our people develop new and highly advanced products and solutions, ranging from integrated process measurement and control units to the most sophisticated systems used in pharmaceutical research. To be a market leader, we are also an R&D leader.

Therefore, our investment in research & development is one of the highest in our industry. In our research centres in Germany and France, 150 people are committed to working for a common future for our company and our customers. We are committed to offering our expertise wherever it is needed, anywhere in the world. This global presence ensures that our advances in fluid control technology are also global.

What we do in a nutshell

Manufacture of process equipment. One of the few manufacturers to provide solutions for the complete control loop.

Where we supply to

UK Ireland, Europe

Industries we supply to

Food and Beverage, Pharmaceutical Cosmetics Toiletries, Water and Wastewater

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