LG Uplus is collaborating with the Korea District Heating Corporation to innovate safety management in district energy facilities using artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT).
On August 31, LG Uplus announced that it signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Korea District Heating Corporation at its headquarters in Yongsan, Seoul, to enhance safety management in the district energy sector through AIoT technology.
The two companies will utilize AIoT technology to detect on-site hazards in real-time and establish a predictive maintenance system to anticipate and respond to potential safety incidents. The plan combines LG Uplus's experience in operating AI-based monitoring platforms and IoT communication technology with the Korea District Heating Corporation's expertise in managing the country's largest district energy facilities. Specifically, they will demonstrate technologies such as: detecting ground subsidence (sinkholes) in advance, monitoring stray currents in heat transport pipes, and enhancing physical security and monitoring of hazardous facilities like water and power distribution rooms.
Ground subsidence detection will use tilt sensing technology from a jointly developed underground geothermal remote sensing device. This system will monitor subtle ground shifts at heat transport pipe installation points in real-time, using AI to analyze the degree of ground change and identify risks early.
To address stray currents that cause corrosion in heat transport pipes, the solution will analyze current density and frequency flowing through the pipes, allowing for real-time monitoring of electrical signals and early identification of corrosion risk points. Future plans include automating the diversion of stray currents to safe locations. In areas like water and power distribution rooms, which have a high risk of electric shock and entrapment, AI-based physical security technology will be applied for 24-hour monitoring, along with enhanced access control for critical equipment such as doors, enclosures, and server racks.
Since 2020, the two companies have collaborated on developing the country's first 'IoT temperature sensor (underground geothermal remote sensing sensor)' and completed field demonstrations of a miniaturized IoT monitoring device last year.
Gwon Yong-hyun, Vice President of LG Uplus's Enterprise Division, stated, "We aim to closely examine safety blind spots in district energy facilities and continuously enhance AIoT solutions to contribute to the safety of energy infrastructure. In the future, we will introduce customized solutions that combine AI and IoT technologies to address various pain points in infrastructure sites."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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