Pioneering research and skills
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
Pipeline power Award-winning technology developed by Syrinix, a company set up to commercialise EPSRC-sponsored research at the University of East Anglia, has developed ‘listening’ technology that can help reduce the 3.3 billion litres of treated water lost every day in the UK by making maintenance more cost-effective. The technology uses vibro-acoustic signals from the water mains pipe and analyses these sounds to enable leaks to be detected in their early stages and pinpoint their location. James Dunning, chief executive of Syrinix, says that a small leak makes a distinctive sound which changes as it increases in size and severity. TrunkMinder analyses information from sensors located along the pipeline. It is able to identify the signals created by leaking water and monitor these over time creating a body of intelligence about the health of the network. To download the Growth Stories app visit www.epsrc.ac.uk/growth
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