Press Releases

Kurita Water Industries Ltd. (Head Office: Nakano-ku, Tokyo; President: Michiya Kadota) has launched a system called S.sensing TS that enables automatic monitoring of processing conditions in sedimentation tanks during the sedimentation process of wastewater treatment. The system uses AI* to continuously determine whether the processing status is normal or abnormal instead of human staff, and estimates and presents the causes of any anomaly. By using this system, it is possible to quickly identify the causes of any problem and take appropriate measures. In addition to ensuring the stable operation of wastewater treatment, the system also contributes to reducing CO₂ emissions and waste through optimal sludge concentration management.

■Background
If the concentration of sludge is insufficient in the sedimentation process of wastewater treatment, the amount of sludge supplied will increase, which will increase the operation time of the dehydrator and increase the consumption of power. In addition, many dehydrators dehydrate by squeezing the sludge, and if the sludge concentration is low, sufficient pressure will not be obtained. This in turn will increase the moisture content of the dehydrated sludge and increase the amount of waste.
Up to now, facility staff have managed the sedimentation process using visual inspection or interface sensors in order to ensure proper interface management and concentration management in the sedimentation tank. However, specialized technicians and skilled personnel were needed to identify whether the process status was normal or abnormal, identify the causes of any problems, and take appropriate measures, and securing human resources was an issue.
In response to these challenges, Kurita has developed an automatic monitoring system equipped with an AI-based anomaly detection function.

■Product Characteristics
S.sensing TS is an automatic monitoring system that uses AI to continuously analyze the conditions in the sedimentation tank by measuring the distance from the water surface of the sedimentation tank to the sludge deposition layer and the state of floating particles using an ultrasonic sensor. Facility staff can check the analysis results remotely online, and when an error is detected, the system sends an email notification. Since the AI automatically monitors conditions continuously, labor requirements for operational management of the sedimentation process can be reduced. In addition, S.sensing TS automatically analyzes and presents the causes of the anomaly, so that even if the staff member is not a technician or skilled person, he or she can easily identify the cause and take appropriate actions.
Kurita has improved the accuracy of machine learning based on a large amount of event data such as settling defects and sludge stirring accumulated at various sites, and has been able to optimize operational management by increasing the accuracy of AI decisions. By stabilizing the sedimentation process and the concentration of sludge, the operation time of the dehydrator is shortened, and the moisture content of the dehydrated sludge can also be reduced, which contributes to the reduction of CO₂ emissions and waste.

■Future Outlook
In its medium-term management plan, MVP-22 (Maximize Value Proposition 2022), the Kurita Group places CSR at the core of its management and focuses on creating shared value with society. Going forward, Kurita will promote the development of S.sensing TS and contribute to the realization of a sustainable society by making wastewater treatment operations more stable and reducing CO₂ emissions and waste as a result.

Supplementary Materials

S.sensing TS Application Image