SchmutzBot™
The SchmutzBot™ is an autonomous sand-filtering robot that cleans the top layer of open slow sand filters.
This allows drinking water plants to keep producing without interrupting the process.
Continuous drinking water production calls for smart automation.
The current method of cleaning a slow sand filter in drinking water production is manual. What's more, the filter has to be taken out of service to do so. The presence of personnel also increases the risk of contamination.
This sand filter robot is able to clean the top layer of a slow sand filter bed without removing the sand or taking the filter out of service. This allows drinking water production to continue uninterrupted, with no loss of water.
Doubled Capacity and Maximum ROI
Thanks to the SchmutzBot, the filtration rate can be significantly increased. Where water currently passes through the sand filter at 25/30 cm per hour in a standard process, deploying this robot can increase that to 50/60 cm per hour. This is a doubling of capacity with virtually the same level of investment — an ROI (Return on Investment) to dream of. This gives the client more than the additional capacity they were looking for!
Doubling of filter capacity
Increasing the filtration rate from 25/30 cm per hour to 50/60 cm per hour, using virtually the same infrastructure.
Continuous
production
The purification process can continue uninterrupted, resulting in more efficient and more reliable drinking water production.
Improved
water quality
Automatic sludge removal from the filter bed while preserving beneficial bacteria. This reduces the need for manual cleaning and lowers the risk of contamination, contributing to high water quality.
Discover the possibilities
for your installation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Traditionally, a filter bed has to be drained and taken out of service for maintenance. The sand filter robot is specifically designed to operate in situ (under water). The robot cleans the top layer while the filter remains operational, resulting in zero production loss.
Certainly not. Slow sand filters rely on the ‘Schmutzdecke’ and the bacterial culture beneath it for natural purification. The robot uses a specially developed, controlled agitation technique, so that only the contaminated top layer is loosened and extracted, without disturbing the vital biological structure that lies deeper.
The robot is equipped with an advanced sensor system and industrial GPS/navigation technology specifically tuned to the unique conditions underwater. This allows the robot to follow a pre-programmed grid with the utmost precision. Obstacles or walls are automatically detected and avoided.
Our sand filter robot has a modular design. Although we work with standard base types (S, M and L), the wheelbase, cleaning unit width and drive system can be adapted to the specific dimensions and slope angles of your filter basins.
Minimal. The robot is designed as a ‘plug & play’ system. It mainly requires a suitable access point (such as a ramp or lifting facility) to place the robot in the basin, a power supply, and a connection to your existing wastewater drainage for the extracted sludge.
Because the robot operates continuously in a demanding (underwater) environment, only high-quality, corrosion-resistant materials such as 316 stainless steel and special coatings have been used. Wear-sensitive components have been made easily accessible. High Tech Alliance also offers bespoke maintenance contracts (SLAs) and remote monitoring to guarantee maximum uptime.