AI-Driven Autonomous Underwater Cleaning Robot for Seawater Intakes of District Cooling System (DCS)

I&T Wish AI-Driven Autonomous Underwater Cleaning Robot for Seawater Intakes of District Cooling System (DCS)
(REF: W-0620)
Matched I&T Solution
Trial Project
Summary and Challenges District Cooling Systems (DCS) in Hong Kong rely on seawater for heat rejection. This exposes the intake screens to continuous and aggressive fouling. Currently, the usual practice for cleaning and maintaining the intake screens is to deploy commercial divers.

This practice has the following problems:
  • Safety hazards: The confined and hazardous underwater environment exposes workers to fatal accidents.
  • High maintenance costs: Diving operations are highly expensive, requiring specialized offshore diving teams and extensive safety measures.
  • System downtime: The current practice demands the temporary shutdown of the intake screens, impacting the operations and cooling reliability of the DCS.
Expected Outcome
  • Zero-risk underwater cleaning: The primary outcome is the deployment of a fully functional, AI-navigated, and remote-controlled underwater robotic system that entirely replaces manual divers for routine intake inspection and cleaning.
  • Significant Cost Savings: The transition from highly specialized manual diving operations to automated robotic cleaning will yield recurrent financial savings every year.
  • Reduced Maintenance Downtime: The robotic system achieves in-situ, live-system cleaning without requiring the shutdowns of intake screens.
Expected Trial Duration 7-month
Contact Information
I&T Wish Proposer:Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD)
Contact Person:Mr. CHAN Po-nam, Carl
Position:Engineer/Energy Efficiency C5/1
Tel:3155 4060
Email: pnchan@emsd.gov.hk
Upload Date 2026-11-03
Closing Date 2026-11-17
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