Technology cutting the risk of compost fires

GEELONG based company Sequence Digital is reducing the risk of fires at garden organics facilities thanks to a $26,000 grant from the City of Greater Geelong, Victorian Government and the Geelong Manufacturing Council.

Sequence Digital launched has launched 4G, weather-proof, solar powered temperature sensors in a pilot program to help to reduce the risks of fires at the City of Greater Geelong’s Garden Organics Processing Facility in Anakie.

Using the funds supplied through the 2019 Cleantech Innovations Geelong program, the new devices will monitor 10,000 cubic metres of garden organics – the equivalent of four Olympic sized swimming pools – collected from household green bins across Greater Geelong.

City of Greater Geelong Mayor Peter Murrihy, chair of the Innovative Solutions portfolio, said the new device can remotely measure and log the temperature of organic materials.

“Compost can get really hot and ignite, so using remote, round-the-clock monitoring means we can improve safety on site and process organics more efficiently,” Cr Murrihy said.

“The data is available in real time so our staff know straight away if there’s an issue with higher temperatures and they can take action quickly to cool down the material.

“This initiative is an example of the clever and creative ways we are deploying smart technology to support better outcomes for our environment and community.”

Sequence Digital co-director Patrick Blampied, said the industrial temperature sensors have a ground-breaking design and an ability to operate in remote areas where the internet signal is weak, and the weather conditions are extreme.

“These devices are tough as nails and send critical temperature data to the cloud in real-time, rain, hail or shine, even in areas with patchy rural internet connectivity,” he said.

“The Cleantech Innovations grant made it possible to redesign our earlier prototype from the ground-up to make sure it could be used in the most remote outdoor organics facilities across Australia.”

The Geelong Garden Organics Composting Facility between Anakie and Lovely Banks processes 35,000 tonnes per year of green organics collected from garden waste bins.

In recognition of similar initiatives and their ongoing commitment to being global leaders in smart and innovative projects, Geelong was recognised as the ‘International Smart City of the Year’ at the World Smart City Expo held in Korea last month.

For more information about the City’s efforts in the innovation space, head to https://www.geelongaustralia.com.au/fpg/industry/article/item/8d39b5882c0980d.aspx