Emerson today launched its EIM™ Aquanaught, a waterproof submersible electric actuator, designed to meet critical isolation demands on wastewater treatment plants during high water conditions. The actuator can be submerged and still operate under 150ft of dirty water for seven days, which is three times deeper and 40% longer than competing submersible technologies.
The Aquanaught features a robust mechanical design with a waterproof enclosure and hermetically sealed connections that ensure uninterrupted plant operation during flooding conditions. Ideal for gate or valve isolation applications found in wastewater, water, collection systems, hydropower, flood control and desalination plants, the design allows these facilities to remain in control of their isolation needs from a safe remote location even if the actuator becomes submerged for extended periods of time. Waterproof sensors provide an additional level of protection by enabling early diagnostic and preventive maintenance during the flooding event.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the US processes approximately 34 billion gallons of wastewater every day. During events such as Hurricanes Sandy, Irma and Harvey, billions of gallons of untreated sewer overflowed into impacted communities, posing significant health and environmental risks to the affected areas. With experts predicting that flooding is expected to worsen as climate change progresses, the need for more reliable actuation technologies becomes critical for these facilities.
“When flood waters begin to overwhelm wastewater treatment facilities, it becomes critical for these plants to keep pace with the changing conditions and continue to operate for the sake of their communities,” said Shimona Verma, senior product marketing manager for actuation technologies at Emerson Automation Solutions.
“More facilities are looking to upgrade their infrastructure to ensure they aren’t outmatched by future flood waters, and the EIM Aquanaught is a reliable component that will help their operations stay afloat.”
To see a live demo of Emerson’s EIM Aquanaught submersible electric actuator, visit Emerson’s booth 8121 at WEFTEC 2018 between 1-3 October, in New Orleans, Louisiana.
