A landmark moment was reached on Tuesday 14th June as Green WIN partners were finally able to meet up in person to witness pumps being tested in the custom-built test facility at the University de Liège. Joris Hardy from Liège designed the entire system and worked with colleagues from the University throughout the long and difficult pandemic period to ensure construction continued. A marvellous achievement all round!
Partners were shown round the lab and saw how the entire system is set up to operate. The testing was ‘observed’ and whilst it’s like watching a washing machine in action – hardly a spectator sport - the control adjustments/settings could be observed being set and data readings viewed on screen. The real action takes place inside the huge test tank where the pumps are totally submerged in 30 cubic metres of (continuously recycled) water.
The Green WIN group discussed plans for further testing which continues through the Summer. First up was the Hidrostal FEVB4 – which had recently arrived in Liège and was awaiting testing before being installed back in the UK at Calcutt, on the Grand Union Canal.
At the Partner Meeting we held after the lab visit a key task was to review the future pump testing programme (in Liège) and when partners are subsequently installing pumps and control systems at Green WIN trial sites in the UK, Ireland and France.
