Acciona unveils advanced turbidity prediction system for desal plants
Spanish infrastructure major Acciona has launched an advanced turbidity prediction system for its desalination plants, which uses two models based on different technologies.
These models, developed in-house at Acciona's Infrastructure division, are revolutionizing the way that desalination plants are managed by predicting the quality of water entering the plant in both the short term (measured in hours) and the long term (measured in days).
The prediction system is in operation at Ras Abu Fontas 3 (RAF 3) reverse osmosis desalination plant in Qatar, where the first version of the model has been operating successfully for the past eleven months.
The plant staff has access to a monitoring system that provides real-time predictions on water turbidity, allowing operators to anticipate potential quality changes and adjust the process accordingly.
The system developed by Acciona is of vital importance for the operation of desalination plants, as it allows the prediction of events, in which water turbidity exceeds the threshold that could hinder the operation of the plant or even make it advisable to shut down temporarily.
Thanks to these predictions, plant equipment can be prepared in advance, avoiding damage to the most sensitive components and optimizing plant availability, said the statement.
In addition, this system contributes to more efficient management of water distribution networks and enhances plant resilience to climatic events and other water quality variabilities, it stated.
The ability to predict seawater characteristics is supported by years of systematic data collection at desalination plants, which has provided Acciona with unique information to understand how this phenomenon works on a local scale.
By combining this data with satellite information and artificial intelligence algorithms, Acciona has succeeded, in a first for the industry, in predicting turbidity effectively and incorporating it into the operation of desalination plants.
This advance not only optimizes the operation of desalination plants, but also helps to extend their useful life and make more efficient use of the water and energy employed, ensuring a clean and accessible water supply.
This improves the profitability of the investments made and promotes the construction of resilient infrastructures that can adapt to the challenges posed by climate change and other extreme weather events.
With the successful deployment in RAF 3, Acciona is working on a new version of the model to optimize its operation, with a view to implementing it in more desalination plants globally.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Tribune
3 days ago
- Daily Tribune
AI-generated Pope sermons flood YouTube, TikTok
AFP | Paris AI-generated videos and audios of Pope Leo XIV are populating rapidly online, racking up views as platforms struggle to police them. An AFP investigation identified dozens of YouTube and TikTok pages that have been churning out AI-generated messages delivered in the pope's voice or otherwise attributed to him since he took charge of the Catholic Church last month. The hundreds of fabricated sermons and speeches, in English and Spanish, underscore how easily hoaxes created using artificial intelligence can elude detection and dupe viewers. 'There's natural interest in what the new pope has to say, and people don't yet know his stance and style,' said University of Washington professor emeritus Oren Etzioni, founder of a nonprofit focused on fighting deepfakes. 'A perfect opportunity to sow mischief with AI-generated misinformation.' After presenting YouTube with 26 channels posting predominantly AI-generated pope content, the platform terminated 16 of them for violating its policies against spam, deceptive practices and scams, and another for violating YouTube's terms of service. The company also booted an additional six pages from its partner program allowing creators to monetize their content. TikTok similarly removed 11 accounts that were pointed out -- with over 1.3 million combined followers -- citing the platform's policies against impersonation, harmful misinformation and misleading AI-generated content of public figures. With names such as 'Pope Leo XIV Vision,' the social media pages portrayed the pontiff supposedly offering a flurry of warnings and lessons he never preached.
Gulf Insider
31-05-2025
- Gulf Insider
Ordinary billionaires settle for a superyacht, but the Qatari royal family bought an entire marina in Spain and upgraded it just so their $500 million megayacht can dock in secrecy on their frequent summer retreats from Doha's blistering heat
This week, one of the most extraordinary vessels on the water, Al Lusail, the private superyacht of the Emir of Qatar, was spotted sailing along Spain's Mediterranean coast, drawing awe from onlookers and yacht enthusiasts alike. The 123-meter floating palace made a quiet return to Port Tarraco Marina, one of the few Mediterranean ports specifically equipped to accommodate vessels of its scale and stature. Interestingly, the port was previously owned by Qatar. Designed for privacy, security, and world-class luxury, Al Lusail is among the most technically advanced and visually distinctive superyachts in the world. Built by the renowned German shipyard Lürssen and delivered in 2017, the vessel boasts sleek, futuristic lines penned by British design studio H2 Yacht Design, with a lavish interior by March & White. The yacht features multiple swimming pools, a helipad, cinema, beach club, and expansive lounges tailored for relaxation and discreet meetings at sea. Though full details remain a closely guarded secret, Al Lusail is believed to accommodate up to 36 guests in absolute comfort, attended to by a highly trained crew. Its arrival at Port Tarraco, located in Tarragona just an hour south of Barcelona, is more than a picturesque stop along the Mediterranean. The marina itself has a quiet but notable history, originally developed with the capacity and infrastructure to berth some of the world's largest private vessels, Al Lusail included. In fact, while not officially confirmed, industry insiders often suggest that the marina's impressive specifications were influenced, at least in part, by the needs of the Qatari royal fleet during its original development in the early 2000s. With 33 berths ranging from 45 to 160 meters, Port Tarraco is one of the few facilities in Spain and indeed the broader region that can comfortably receive multiple 100-meter-plus yachts at once. Its deep-water access, high-capacity shore power, and advanced security systems make it ideal for ultra-high-net-worth individuals seeking discretion, safety, and elite service. It was indirectly under the ownership of the Emir after it was purchased by the Qatari Diar Fund in 2011. Despite its past ties to Qatari investment via the Qatari Diar Fund, the port was sold in 2020 to Spanish marina operator Ocibar, who now manage it alongside other premier facilities such as Port Adriano and Marina Botafoc. Click here to read more…
Daily Tribune
20-05-2025
- Daily Tribune
Alba expands EternAl Low-Carbon Product Line with verified in-house Carbon offsets
Aluminium Bahrain (Alba), the world's largest smelter on one site, has expanded its EternAlTM low carbon product line with the groundbreaking launch of 'EternAl-AC' – a new product series incorporating verified carbon offsets that are directly generated from within Alba's own operational efficiencies. EternAl-AC offers customers a uniquely transparent and credible path to achieving their carbon reduction targets. By procuring aluminium from this line, customers will gain access to traceable, third-party verified greenhouse gas (GHG) offsets originating from Alba's internal sustainability initiatives. The new EternAl-AC series features a user-friendly tiered carbon reduction classification system spanning EternAl-AC0 (net-zero footprint) to AC4 (up to 4 tonnes of CO₂e per tonne), thus providing customers flexibility in selecting optimal low-carbon solutions with clear and verifiable data. Most importantly, the carbon offsets embedded in EternAl-AC are a direct result of GHG savings generated by various projects within Alba's operational boundaries. These reductions are rigorously measured and recorded in accordance with international standards for GHG accounting (ISO 14064-2) and independently verified by a certified independent party. Commenting on this important development, Alba's Chief Executive Officer, Ali Al Baqali, stated: 'This initiative underscores our proactive commitment to reducing our environmental footprint and empowering our partners to achieve their net-zero ambitions. We also welcome Alueuropa – a leading Spanish aluminium extruder – as our first customer for EternAl-AC, highlighting the growing demand for sustainable aluminium.' Adding further, Marta Colino, Managing Director of Alueuropa stated: 'Sustainability and decarbonisation are among top priorities for our business, and we look forward to using the new low carbon products from Alba which will enable us to meet our targets and serve our clients better.' Launched as part of Alba's broader ESG Roadmap, the EternAlTM product line debuted in May 2024 with two initial variants in its recycled content series: EternAl-30 and EternAl-15, containing 30% and 15% recycled scrap metal respectively. This series was later expanded to include EternAl-20 and EternAl-50, featuring 20% and 50% of recycled content, further contributing to emissions reduction within Alba and across its aluminium value chain.
