This project is funded by The Regional Research Fund.
This is a presentation of a research and development project that Aiwell Water is working on together with the City of Drammen. The University of South-Eastern Norway is participating with us.
Here is a film about the project. Explanation follows.
Here is a film about the project. Explanation follows.
The great advantage we have with these new valves is that now we can take large neighborhoods of a city, or even an entire city and change the flow of water in the stormwater network from gravity to siphonic drainage.
Here is a drawing of the plant showing 6 branch pipes (the large water tanks). The water is flowing by gravity into our siphonic valves and from these, the water flows as a siphonic system out into the main line.
The purpose of this project is to show how efficiently siphonic drainage is, compared to today`s gravity drains that are used in stormwater and wastewater systems all over the world.
In order to measure how much water goes through the pipe, the pipe must be 100% filled with water. That is why there is a reverse incline in the picture of the pipe, below. This allows the pipe to completely fill up and then we can measure the amount of water flowing.
In order to measure how much water goes through the pipe, the pipe must be 100% filled with water. That is why there is a reverse incline in the picture of the pipe, below. This allows the pipe to completely fill up and then we can measure the amount of water flowing.
This is not a good idea in the real world of gravity flow pipes because they would be blocked with an accumulation of sand and debris. However, in a siphonic drain system, it is possible to build it this way because when the water flows symphonically, the speed of the water is so high that it cleans out the pipe. Our first system in Drammen had a reverse slope of 1.5 meter over the course of 31 meters. It has worked with no problem since 2017.
On October 18th, we invited engineers from Oslo, Drammen and Asker to participate in a test where we wanted to show how effective siphonic drainage is. The intention was to show the maximum drainage capacity. The capacity we achieved in the pipe with Ø=56mm and a slope 1:100 was from 1 l/s using gravity flow to 7 l/s using siphonic drainage. In the pipe with Ø=80mm and reverse slope, we increased the capacity just over 15 l/s at max. Of course, the capacity varied during the test depending on how many valves were open.
It is not how much we can increase capacity at a test facility that is important. What matters is how much capacity can be increased in a stormwater plant inside a city that has stormwater problems. Normally we double the capacity easily when we upgrade to siphonic drainage. In many cases, a larger increase can be realized. For example, in our plant in Solveien in Asker we got 4.5 times more water through the same pipe.
In addition to increased capacity, there are also great savings by using our technology. In cities, savings of 70-80% can be achieved with our systems. This is instead of using the traditional, expensive methods of digging up the streets and laying new, larger pipes. Residents in the area will appreciate the fact that the streets are not blocked to traffic. In Asker, for example, the street was closed for less than 24 hours.
Aiwell Water would like to give a special thank you to the City of Drammen and Johanne Skanke who is again using our siphonic system. Additionally, the city is participating economically in the development project.
NOTE: In the film you will see 100% full pipes where the water flows slowly (you can see that from the small air bubbles that are in the water flow). During siphonic drainage, the valves empty out the water. As the system empties, air is allowed back into it and the speed of the water is reduced. The plant reverts to gravity when enough valves are emptied and atmospheric pressure is re-established in the pipes.
NOTE: In the film, you will also see full tubes where the water travels at high speed and larger air bubbles are visible.
This is because some of the smaller valves have run out of water and air is being sucked into the pipes while the large (Full-scale valves, 3,000 liters) work at full capacity and keep the siphonic stream alive.
Below is an example of how we can increase capacity in a larger area by converting a culvert, (marked in red on the drawing.)
The culvert has a BxH=2.0 x1.3m and a maximum capacity today of 5.2 m/s. It will be increased to 13 m/s by inserting a smaller pipe with Ø= 1.2m, and our full-flow valves at the end of the branch pipes (as shown in the test facility). The culvert, which is 1.000m long and has a difference in height of 46m, will more than double the capacity even if the diameter is reduced by inserting a smaller pipe. This is because we change the flow from gravity to siphonic drainage.
It is not how much we can increase capacity at a test facility that is important. What matters is how much capacity can be increased in a stormwater plant inside a city that has stormwater problems. Normally we double the capacity easily when we upgrade to siphonic drainage. In many cases, a larger increase can be realized. For example, in our plant in Solveien in Asker we got 4.5 times more water through the same pipe.
In addition to increased capacity, there are also great savings by using our technology. In cities, savings of 70-80% can be achieved with our systems. This is instead of using the traditional, expensive methods of digging up the streets and laying new, larger pipes. Residents in the area will appreciate the fact that the streets are not blocked to traffic. In Asker, for example, the street was closed for less than 24 hours.
Aiwell Water would like to give a special thank you to the City of Drammen and Johanne Skanke who is again using our siphonic system. Additionally, the city is participating economically in the development project.
NOTE: In the film you will see 100% full pipes where the water flows slowly (you can see that from the small air bubbles that are in the water flow). During siphonic drainage, the valves empty out the water. As the system empties, air is allowed back into it and the speed of the water is reduced. The plant reverts to gravity when enough valves are emptied and atmospheric pressure is re-established in the pipes.
NOTE: In the film, you will also see full tubes where the water travels at high speed and larger air bubbles are visible.
This is because some of the smaller valves have run out of water and air is being sucked into the pipes while the large (Full-scale valves, 3,000 liters) work at full capacity and keep the siphonic stream alive.
Below is an example of how we can increase capacity in a larger area by converting a culvert, (marked in red on the drawing.)
The culvert has a BxH=2.0 x1.3m and a maximum capacity today of 5.2 m/s. It will be increased to 13 m/s by inserting a smaller pipe with Ø= 1.2m, and our full-flow valves at the end of the branch pipes (as shown in the test facility). The culvert, which is 1.000m long and has a difference in height of 46m, will more than double the capacity even if the diameter is reduced by inserting a smaller pipe. This is because we change the flow from gravity to siphonic drainage.
We are very interested in getting in touch with mayors and municipal engineers who have local flood problems in their cities and municipalities. We have developed several different solutions to solve simple or more complicated flood problems without having to dig up the streets to install larger pipes. We have proven the concept through 6 years of full-scale testing in pilot plants. We are now ready to bring the system and solution to the world.