Dubai: A lab in Dubai can independently calculate and set the optimal room temperature and lighting conditions.
The Internet of Things (IoT) lab is located at the Research and Development Centre of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park. Its capabilities were demonstrated during a visit by Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, managing director and CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), who reviewed other innovations at the Centre.
The lab is the first use of IoT in a fully automated and energy optimised building in the UAE, DEWA said. The platform includes temperature sensors and people counting systems, to adjust the temperature and lighting conditions based on the number of people inside the building as well as the external temperature.
Al Tayer also reviewed a data-driven decision support system and an underground pipeline inspection (UPI) test rig for the identification of water transmission leakages.
Al Tayer was briefed about LoRA IoT for the 3U nanosatellite (DEWA-SAT 1) launched by DEWA as part of its Space-D programme. The R&D Centre developed the satellite IoT terminals to connect DEWA’s assets to the satellite directly and be suitable for grid applications, where it links IoT sensors to DEWA’s nanosatellites.
He was welcomed by Waleed Bin Salman, executive vice president of Business Development and Excellence at DEWA; Dr Ali Rashid Al Alili, vice president - Research and Development; Dr Hesham Ismail, senior manager of Technology Advancement and other staff members.
Al Tayer commended the efforts of the R&D Centre, which includes talented Emirati professionals, in developing advanced solutions in the Centre’s areas of work.
Al Tayer said: “Through the R&D Centre, DEWA aims to develop disruptive technologies for the Fourth Industrial Revolution to provide world-class services that enhance the quality of life in Dubai, in addition to developing the research and development sector in the UAE and providing it with qualified Emiratis, as well as supporting the scientific community in the UAE and the world.”
Innovative projects
Al Tayer reviewed a number of innovative research projects at the R&D Centre. These include the Carbon Capture Storage and Utilisation (CCSU), Wireless Power Transfer (WPT), and the Flow Battery, for which DEWA has registered a patent. The 4IR Advanced Materials team is working on an advanced version featuring a no-leak geometry as well as another invention that improves the safety of the system.
The 4IR Robotics team explained the latest updates on the granted patent of System and Method for Measuring Atmospheric Attenuation to determine the best locations for Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) towers. The team briefed Al Tayer on a new invention, which is a high-precision solar tracker.
Seawater Reverse Osmosis
Al Tayer checked the solar-powered water pumping and desalination station at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park to desalinate water using Reverse Osmosis (RO) technology, with a production capacity of 50 cubic metres (around 11,000 gallons) a day. This project is part of DEWA’s efforts to provide R&D facilities at the Solar Park with high-quality drinking water.
