LuminUltra Launches BugCount Guardian® – A New, Autonomous Solution for Early Water Quality Detection
From cooling towers to energy production to pasteurization, every industrial process uses treated water. Since water quality can make or break a product, ensuring that it meets regulatory and production standards – and avoiding the production problems that can arise if it doesn’t – is critical.
“For production plant operators, detecting water quality issues before they cause problems is paramount for staying ahead of issues,” says Dr. Jordan Schmidt, Senior Director of Technology & Innovation, LuminUltra. “While they regularly test water, they are always looking for ways to ensure their systems are resilient.”
Enter BugCount Guardian®, LuminUltra’s latest product release. The new device fully automates the company’s fast, accurate, and reliable 2nd Generation ATP® (also known as a rapid microbial) test, bringing valuable data to operators’ fingertips in real time.
LuminUltra was founded more than 25 years ago with the launch of 2nd Generation ATP® – a test that accurately measures the total microbial load of any sample within minutes. This test has been relied on ever since by industries around the world to deliver accurate testing of microbial activity across a broad range of applications and sample types. BugCount® Guardian is the next evolution of 2nd Generation ATP® testing, packaging the speed and reliability of the proprietary test with the added value of continued process monitoring achieved with automated sampling, analysis, trending, and reporting.
Ensuring water quality with real-time data
When water quality is critical part of an industrial process, any problems with it – including issues with a product or potential health risks – can cost tens of thousands of dollars. Schmidt provides an example: “In pasteurization at a brewery, the high heat environment puts product at risk of unwanted microbial activity in process waters. If operators don’t catch an issue in time, brewers might have to re-process or destroy their product,” Schmidt says.
Integrated onsite, LuminUltra’s devices pull samples at a regular frequency. They can then detect changes in microbial activity extremely early, allowing them to act quickly to resolve issues.
“Previously, operators had to conduct tests manually and wait at least a week for lab results,” says Dr. Jordan Schmidt, Senior Director of Technology & Innovation, LuminUltra. “With a traditional system, a water quality problem could go unchecked for days.”
Early detection can make a huge difference to a bottom line and contribute to a product’s safety and quality, he says. “In many industrial processes – for example, in paints applications in the automotive industry – you’re looking at producing high-value products. If you don’t have good water, there could be defined and noticeable impacts to the product that may slow or halt production,” says Schmidt. “In other cases, water quality issues could also pose risks to human health.
BugCount Guardian-®’s automated process also supports operations when there is limited access to trained staff to do manual testing. “The device does the testing, but analysis can happen from anywhere in the world,” Schmidt says. “Accessible, frequent, and real-time data puts you in more control of your system.”
Getting results and finding the right fit
In the lead up to this release, LuminUltra extensively tested and trialed the device’s performance with real-world customers over several years. “Our solution outperformed competitive offerings in independently managed evaluations. We had great feedback, and we were very pleased with the results,” Schmidt says, adding that potential high-value applications include cooling towers, energy production, and brewing pasteurization.
In addition to these sectors, LuminUltra sees the potential for automated 2nd Generation ATP testing in water reuse applications. Together with XPV Water Partners company Natural Systems Utilities, the team recently tested the solution at a New York City high-rise building.
Read More >> Natural Systems Utilities and LuminUltra Partner to Ensure Water Reuse Quality
“We’re excited about the possibilities for automated ATP testing, and we’re proud to offer a solution that will make a difference for industrial operators,” Schmidt says. “Ensuring water quality, protecting health and safety, and reducing waste in the industrial sector is part of building resilient and sustainable operations.”
Visit LuminUltra at WEFTEC 2023 in Booth 835.