FAQs
Technology
Synauta applies a combination of machine learning and mathematics to account for multiple input and output parameters, ensuring each plant’s design standards and mechanical limitations are met, while using less energy and/or less chemical, and maintaining water quality and production.
The primary way we save energy is through changing recovery, which depends on the constraints of the plant. We work with operators to ensure what changes are possible.
The primary way we save chemicals is by balancing the optimal cost for each clean while maximizing membrane life. We review the cost of a clean e.g. membrane cost, chemicals, labour etc. and our model helps customers make the cost of water cheap as possible.
Yes. Generally changing set points will not significantly change the quality of the water being produced. If permeate quality does vary and/or needs to be monitored closely we have the ability to estimate the permeate’s TDS and constrain the results in a similar fashion to pressure and flow constraints.
As with all machine learning applications the more data you have, the more opportunities you have to realize results.
Ideally you will have a good backlog of data in your SCADA Historian.
For energy saver, an ideal frequency would be every 1-10 minutes, while chemical saver could be up to 1 hour.
Synauta also finds ways to work with plants that may not have the frequency or archive of data compared to other operations.
We maintain industry best practices relating to cyber and data security, including regular and ongoing risk assessment. Further, our Director of Software Development is a Google Cloud Certified Professional Cloud Architect and Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP).
We have a system to recommend cleans and it is possible to connect this to SCADA, but not always valuable, depending on how a plant is operated. Synauta has an algorithm that extends membrane life to reduce OPEX. We review the cost of a clean e.g. membrane cost, chemicals, labour etc. and our model helps customers make the cost of water cheap as possible. Contact us for more information.
No. Unlike some other products in the market to optimize processes, we purposefully built our software to work with existing infrastructure and instrumentation at plants, making it easier for you to start saving today.
No. Each plant’s data is maintained separately, including multiple plants from the same owner or operator.
We take the protection of proprietary data and information of plants very seriously. The customer always owns the data.
Synauta is focused on optimizing reverse osmosis, however as a side benefit our system generates informative data about the operation of a plant. As part of validating our solutions we often share this information with customers so they can improve how their plant runs.
Yes. Our solution accounts for the target production quantity provided by the operator/owner as a minimum it must achieve. The software then tests all possible ways it can reach that production while staying within the production constraints and, at the end, chooses the plant state that uses the lowest amount of energy.
We can also add constraints on any variable (flow, pressure, recovery, etc.) to ensure the set points do not push a plant harder than what it is designed for.
Synauta works with plants that are fully in the cloud, as well as plants with strict security and firewall measures. Contact us for more information.
Company
Synauta’s products do not replace jobs, they make people’s jobs easier and plant optimization more effective. Imagine you have a big checklist to complete each day and sudden changes to that list every day (alarms and maintenance) – Synauta helps tick the boxes that you cannot get around to.
Synauta’s solution creates a ‘model’ of a plant for optimization, however because it is simple and connected to specific data points (not all data points) we do not define it as a digital twin. Building a digital twin of your asset is an excellent solution for virtual training, commissioning remote plants or construction progress.
Retrofitting a desalination plant for digital twins requires IoT connectivity and large amounts of data. Sometimes artificial intelligence (and the sub-set of artifical intelligence machine learning) is integrated with digital twin applications.
Click here to learn more about digital twins.
Synauta is headquartered in Alberta, Canada. Our team has always been fully remote and we work with customers across the globe including Europe, the Asia-Pacific, the Middle East and North America.
Pronunciation: sin-AW-ta.
Extra info: the origin of the word Synauta is a mixture between synapse and automation.
If you’re passionate about water, efficiency and saving CO2e visit Careers to see the latest opportunities.
