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Projects: Projects for Investigator
Reference Number	NIA_SGN0159
Title	Vacuum Excavation for Local Transmission System (VELTS) - Stage 2
Status	Completed
Energy Categories	Other Cross-Cutting Technologies or Research 80%; Fossil Fuels: Oil Gas and Coal(Oil and Gas, Refining, transport and storage of oil and gas) 20%;
Research Types	Applied Research and Development 100%
Science and Technology Fields	ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Civil Engineering) 100%
UKERC Cross Cutting Characterisation	Not Cross-cutting 100%
Principal Investigator	Project Contact No email address given SGN
Award Type	Network Innovation Allowance
Funding Source	Ofgem
Start Date	01 November 2019
End Date	01 August 2020
Duration	ENA months
Total Grant Value	£185,067
Industrial Sectors	Energy
Region	South East
Programme	Network Innovation Allowance
Investigators	Principal Investigator	Project Contact , SGN (100.000%)
	Industrial Collaborator	Project Contact , SGN (0.000%)
Web Site	https://smarter.energynetworks.org/projects/NIA_SGN0159
Objectives	Following the successful completion of the Stage 1 - feasibility study (NIA_SGN0129), Stage 2 aims to construct a prototype and test the VELTS system, culminating in stage 3 - a full-scale field trial. The tasks and deliverables are highlighted below:TasksAir nozzle design through computer simulation and laboratory testingDesign of the excavator head according to the specifications of MTS vac truckTesting and validation on a vac truck in the USDeliverables Excavator head with integrated nozzles (for attachment to the stock MTS vac truck hose and boom) Successful shop testing of the system in the US using vac truck  The objective of this project is to develop an excavation head that can be integrated on a vacuum excavator to effectively agitate the soil for fast and efficient soil removal around LTS assets. The proposed solution will be a standalone unit that can be integrated into a VacEx uni. This system will be known as VELTS (Vacuum Excavation for the Local Transmission System).1- Air nozzle designAir excavation is the process of using compressed air to disturb the earths soil which is then vacuumed up into a debris tank. Air excavation is used to safely expose underground utilities and allows backfill with the dry material. A properly designed air nozzle for air excavation can increase the amount of soil agitation and improve system efficiency. Based on the research that ULC Robotics has conducted around the design of the air nozzles, specific nozzle designs can be more effective in certain areas depending on the type of soil and moisture level.During this phase of the project, ULC Robotics focus on modifying the nozzles developed under the RRES project to optimize their use for the VELTS system. The learnings from the RRES project provides a great starting point for further development of air nozzles to be incorporated into the excavator head for this project.2- Design of the excavator headBased on the specifications of the air nozzles developed for the application and the specifications of the VacEx unit procured for the project, ULC will design and develop an end effector to be mounted on the stock vacuum hose of the excavator that would allow the operators to efficiently agitate the soil for removal through the vacuum hose. A prototype excavator head will be designed, fabricated and tested on the VacEx unit during shop and field testing.Notes: ULC will evaluate the practicality and technical feasibility of controlling the angle of the air nozzle to enable agitation from various angles under the excavator. The nozzle may be pneumatic or hydraulically actuated using existing connections on the vac truck or via an auxiliary system (compressor). The price/scope associated with designing and prototyping an angularly adjustable nozzle have not been included in this phase of work. In order to minimize design time and modifications to enable integration with the vac ex boom/hose, information and drawings which detail the available connection points and other pertinent information related to the vac ex system should be provided to ULC prior to the start of the excavator head design tasks for the project. The objective of this project is to develop an excavation head to be integrated on a vacuum excavator to effectively agitate the soil for fast and efficient soil removal around LTS assets. The proposed solution will be a standalone unit that can be integrated into an existing VacEx unit.
Abstract	Vacuum excavation (VacEx) has become a routine working practice for utilities during their maintenance, repair and replacement of buried assets. Benefits in urban environments include more rapid exposure of the assets, particularly where multiple and congested services are present, smaller excavation footprint, reduced damage to assets, improver operative safety, and reduced disruption and delay to highway users.In contrast to its successful (if limited) deployment in urban environments, the gas industry has made only limited use of the technology (on average three times per year over the last five years) for Local Transmission System (LTS) asset excavations in rural environments - despite its acceptance as an approved practice under current safe working guidelines. LTS challenges are different - gone is the requirement for a rapid, low intervention dig with minimal impact on road users, however the ability to safely displace hand digging operations in close proximity to higher risk assets does offer scope for VacEx to deliver substantial value to the business and its stakeholders.A feasibility study (Stage 1) has been conducted under SGNs supervision to understand the use and perceived attitudes within SGN towards vacuum excavation near LTS assets in rural areas and questions the technical, logistical and risk barriers restricting its use. This study identified what technology developments and modified working practices might facilitate its extended use, for example as a safe excavation practice around valves, standpipes and protective sleeves. The vision is to remove all hand dig operations around LTS assets. The scope of work for the second and the third stages of the project following the feasibility study conducted in Stage 1 is outlined below. In Stage 2 of the project, an excavator head will be developed and go through laboratory testing and validation. The validated excavation head will then be integrated in the VacEx unit in Stage 3 of the project and the system will be tested and validated on site in the UK.
Publications	(none)
Final Report	(none)
Added to Database	09/11/22