UNDERWATER ASSET INSPECTION WITH DEEP TREKKER TECHNOLOGY

Taplin's Submersible ROV Changes the Game for Wastewater Treatment

In an effort to de-water their main effluent structure for installing a water control gate, a local wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) faced challenges despite installing a temporary outer gate and using large sandbags at the effluent pipe’s end where it discharges into a nearby river. Despite pumping efforts, the water level inside the structure remained constant because the submerged pipe continued to allow water ingress. Taplin stepped in with their newly acquired Deep Trekker submersible ROV to investigate.

Taplin’s team deployed the ROV to inspect the pipe up to the river’s edge gate and discovered that the pipe’s end had degraded. This degradation was allowing effluent to escape, eroding the riverbank and rendering the gate ineffective in preventing river water from entering the pipe. The findings prompted the WWTP to plan for rehabilitating the pipe to halt erosion and enable the effective installation of the water control gate.

Taplin’s use of advanced ROV technology exemplified their commitment to providing innovative solutions. By pinpointing the pipe’s degradation without excavation, Taplin enabled the WWTP to make informed decisions swiftly, ensuring efficient repairs and safeguarding both infrastructure integrity and environmental concerns.

The Deep Trekker unit allows for easy maneuverability and maximum efficiency in otherwise hard to access underwater settings.

WHAT IS UNDERWATER ASSET MANAGEMENT?

Underwater asset management refers to the monitoring, inspection, and maintenance of assets and infrastructure, such as oil pipelines, cables, bridges, and dams to ensure the efficient and safe operation of these structures while minimizing hazards. Regular management plays a critical role in ensuring the reliability, safety, and longevity of these assets located beneath the water's surface, supporting various industries such as oil and gas, renewable energy, marine transportation, aquaculture, and scientific research, to name a few.

ROVs have proven to be excellent resources for underwater asset management. Equipped with cameras, sensors, and manipulator arms, they are able to perform underwater tasks that are difficult or dangerous for a human diver to access.

They can be deployed to inspect conditions and capture details of underwater infrastructure, perform repair tasks, and collect data that can be further utilized for photogrammetry and 3D modeling, or making decisions that improve efficiency in maintenance schedules. Ultimately, regularly scheduled inspections with ROVs can help with identifying potential risks early and preventing costly damage.

Prioritizing the adoption of photogrammetry and laser scanning in the energy sector, for example, enables teams to create digital twins with these technologies. These virtual replicas empower engineering teams to proactively plan for component replacements long before any outages occur. By identifying critical paths and potential issues beforehand, the chances of unexpected complications during outages are significantly reduced, ensuring that regular plant operations can resume on schedule.