Hydria Water has been manufacturing high-quality mechanical wastewater treatment equipment since the 1960s. Now, the company is taking the next step by integrating software that enables its machines to adjust themselves automatically.
– We are so confident in our hardware that we felt it was time to take things to the next level and unlock the untapped potential that software offers within wastewater treatment plants, says Andreas Riedel, CTO at Hydria group.
The Swedish-owned wastewater treatment company Hydria Water has built a reputation for innovation and engineering excellence. Since the 1960s, the company has designed and manufactured mechanical wastewater treatment solutions in-house and still controls the entire value chain, from engineering and product development to manufacturing, installation, and service.
– This gives us tremendous opportunities to experiment, innovate, and continuously develop ourselves, our products, and our customers’ operations, Andreas explains.
Software saves money and resources
The latest example of the company’s innovative capabilities is a recently granted patent for software that enables self-adjusting machines.
– This solution offers significant savings in both costs and resources for treatment plants. When machines can optimize themselves and continuously evaluate performance and process conditions, operators can focus on other critical tasks and spend more time on planned and preventive maintenance.
When machines adapt automatically to incoming flow conditions and process media, rather than operating according to predefined and often speculative time settings, wear and tear is reduced, along with the need for maintenance and spare parts.
– In simple terms, machine one receives the incoming flow and passes information on to machine two. Machine two then knows what is coming and can adjust accordingly. This increases equipment lifespan, reduces energy consumption, and maximizes performance without risking breakdowns. At the same time, we can reduce costs for resources such as wash water, which is only used when the machine itself determines that it is needed.
Encouraging industry debate
By embedding algorithms into control systems and adding a limited number of strategically important sensors, Hydria Water has succeeded in creating meaningful machine-to-machine communication.
– The technology already exists. What we need now is a broader understanding of the potential savings and the willingness to challenge outdated industry practices. We welcome discussions about the future of the water and wastewater sector, smart modular systems, and machines that communicate with one another. As equipment suppliers, we also need to create the conditions that allow different machines and systems to exchange information. Ultimately, this benefits both customers, who receive better advice based on their specific circumstances, and suppliers, who gain valuable data for future product development.
Secure communication protocols
Cybersecurity and system security are currently major topics across society, not least within the water and wastewater industry. However, Andreas believes there is no reason for concern in this case.
– We are a Swedish-owned company working exclusively with Swedish suppliers throughout the value chain. There are many secure communication protocols available that ensure machine-to-machine (M2M) communication remains encrypted and protected. At the same time, it is important to continuously test and challenge your systems, and that is something we receive support with from the Group’s cybersecurity company.