Environmentally friendly sediment dredging robot
This is an automated dredging service using an underwater robot. It is autonomous, removes constraints on operations without disturbing them and adapts to environmental requirements.
Benefits
- Dredging solution to avoid operating losses
- Strict compliance with regulatory dilution thresholds
- Environmentally beneficial solution
- Has capabilities in all fields (numerical modelling, reconnaissance, bathymetry, environment, prediction and monitoring of operations)
- Engineering support for the implementation of the solution
- Support for the definition of the long-term sediment management strategy
Issue
Each year, despite the construction of new structures, sedimentation causes the loss of 45 billion m3 of storage. This phenomenon of sedimentation of water reservoirs causes several problems:
- The loss of storage capacity or water intake.
- The loss of safety of the structures in case of blockage of the bottom valve, overloading of the facing or risk of flooding.
- The interruption of the sedimentary continuity which causes an ecological imbalance in the downstream watercourses.
Current sediment management techniques do not fully satisfy all operational and environmental constraints. In addition, their direct costs are relatively high and the safety of the site may be altered (the presence of personnel during these operations can lead to accidents). These dredging operations generate significant operating losses: loss of water and production, constraints on the water level (height), poor placement of energy, etc. As well as the recovery of dredged sediments which is often too costly and not very environmentally friendly (large quantities of carbon spent per kg of sediment recovered).
Solution
The proposed solution is based on the implementation of an autonomous underwater dredging robot, controlled by the hydraulic production units and the flow of the downstream river in order to dilute the sediments in strict compliance with regulatory thresholds. This robot can work 24/7 without generate constraints on the operation or the water level during dredging and requires little or no personnel on site.
Depending on the customer's needs, it is possible to provide, in addition to the robotic dredging service, a complete sediment management study taking into account regulatory and environmental issues. This study can be divided into two levels:
- An engineering support for the implementation of the solution
- Support for the overall definition of a long-term sediment management strategy.