Using IoT to Increase Environmental Security in Rivers
Volue Industrial IoT has in recent years worked to develop IoT solutions that are adapted for use in watercourses and demanding outdoor conditions.IoT technology can be used as a cost-effective method to ensure access to valuable data. With IoT, it’s possible to obtain many different types of data, e.g. water quality and level in rivers and dams.
Published
Oct 26, 2022
Environmental monitoring with IoT at the power company Sira Kvina in Norway
Knaben in Kvinesdal has been an important mine for molybdenum, a key component of weapons production during World War 1 and 2. This has left behind large amounts of mining sludge containing pollutants.
The mining sludge creates problems with overgrowth of the area and the pollutants are dangerous for plants and wildlife. The power company Sira Kvina, with support from the Norwegian Environment Agency (Miljøverndirektoratet), has taken the initiative to remove environmentally hazardous mining sludge along the river, a clean-up work that started in the spring of 2022.
During the work, leakage of sediments out into the river has to be reduced to a minimum to prevent pollution.
To monitor sediment emissions, Sira Kvina IoT is using services from Volue. Continuous surveillance of turbidity ensures that the construction work prevents emissions of sediments from the mining sludge into the river.
By using IoT, you get a cost-effective method for monitoring different parameters in the river. It's easy to assemble, requires little maintenance – and provides valuable data. The measurement campaign will run from spring to autumn, every year until the work is completed.
The new capabilities of IoT don't always have to mean measurements from low-precision sensors. It may also mean that one can more easily obtain measurements from low-precision sensors or obtain measurements from good sensors where one has not had measurements before or increased the measurement density in already existing networks.
Birgitte Centeno Austefjord Sales Engineer, Volue Industrial IoT
Great potential with IoT
There are great opportunities for using IoT in watercourses. Monitoring water levels can provide valuable information about water flow to power producers to plan and optimize production. At a lower cost per measuring point relative to traditional measuring stations, it opens new areas where measurements can give value.
Contact us if you want to find out what challenges IoT can solve for you.