Methodology for leakage isolation using pressure sensitivity analysis in water distribution networks

The water industry worldwide is facing challenges of water and revenue losses. To reduce these losses and improve efficiency of water distribution systems, tools and methods have been developed over the years. This paper reviews the current tools and methodologies applied to assess, monitor, and control losses in water distribution systems. The aim is to identify the tools and methods that have been applied, knowledge gaps, and future research needs. The review findings indicate that a number of water loss management tools and methods have been developed and applied. They vary from simple managerial tools such as performance indicators to highly sophisticated optimization methods such as evolutionary algorithms. However, their application to real-world water distribution systems has been found to be generally limited. Future research opportunities exist through close collaboration of research institutions and water service providers to close the gap between theory and applications. Although not ex...

Methods and Tools for Managing Losses in Water Distribution Systems

The efficient distribution of water is a subject of major concern for water utilities and authorities [1]. While some leaks in water distribution networks (WDNs) are unavoidable, one of the main challenges in improving the efficiency of drinking water networks is to minimize leaks. Leaks can cause significant economic losses in fluid transportation and extra costs for the final consumer due to the waste of energy and chemicals in water treatment plants. Leaks may also damage infrastructure and cause third-party damage and health risks. In many WDNs, losses due to leakage are estimated to account up to 30% of the total amount of extracted water [2]; a very important issue in a world struggling to satisfy water demands of a growing population.

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Leak Localization in Water Networks: A Model-Based Methodology Using Pressure Sensors Applied to a Real Network in Barcelona [Applications of Control]

In this paper, a new approach for sensor placement in water distribution networks (WDN) is proposed. The sensor placement problem is formulated as an integer optimization problem. The optimization criterion consists in minimizing the number of non-isolable leaks according to the isolability criteria introduced. Because of the non-linear integer and large-scale nature of the resulting optimization problem, genetic algorithms (GA) are used as solution approach. To validate the results obtained, they are compared with exhaustive search methods with higher computational cost proving that GA allow to find near-optimal solutions with less computational load. The proposed sensor placement algorithm is combined with a projection-based isolation scheme. However, the proposed methodology does not depend on the isolation method chosen by the user and it could be easily adapted to any other isolation scheme. Experiments on a real network allow to evaluate the performance of such approach.

/pdf/optimal-sensor-placement-for-leak-location-in-water-246co8tuuh.pdf

Optimal sensor placement for leak location in water distribution networks using genetic algorithms

A review of leakage detection strategies for pressurised pipeline in steady-state

This paper proposes a leakage detection method based on detecting significant discrepancies between pressure measurements and their estimations obtained from the simulation of a calibrated water distribution network model. Every sensor in the network will allow to detect a discrepancy in pressure due to leakage depending on its location. Then, a set of well distributed pressure sensors will generate a leakage signature that allows leakage localisation. This paper presents the methodology used in the Barcelona network for distributing properly the sensors for a good discrimination in the leakage localisation process. The methodology for sensor placement uses the pressure sensitivity matrix to the leakage presence. This matrix is normalised and binarised in order to be used as a leakage signature matrix using the standard model based fault diagnosis approach. Sensors may be installed in any node and leakages are simulated as a constant demand that can appear in any node too. The problem of deciding which are the best localisations for a small number of sensors in order to detect and localise leakages is an inverse problem that should be solved using optimisation. The resulting optimisation problem is of discrete nature and very huge for a real network. This type of problem is, in general, hard to solve and very time consuming. The use of GA (Genetic Algorithms) has been proved adequate according to the formulation of the signatures in the sensitivity matrix.

Pressure sensor distribution for leak detection in Barcelona water distribution network

https://upcommons.upc.edu/bitstream/handle/2117/9173/puig.pdf;sequence=1

Leakage isolation using pressure sensitivity analysis in water distribution networks: Application to the Barcelona case study

The division of a network in different sectors is a usual practice in Water Companies. It improves the management of the network in different senses. Sectors have more homogenous characteristics and need specific cares and treatments that is not the same all through the network. Specifically for leakage detection and assessment it is interesting to know the performance of the sector before any leakage detection strategy is applied. In this paper a characterisation methodology for the sectors is presented. This methodology is based on the knowledge provided by the company but has been analysed using clustering techniques. The main objective of the classification was to give a scope of the different types of sectors present in the network. A decision table based on the relevant descriptors was built. This allowed choosing three interesting pilot sectors for the leakage detection methodology study.

Edson Landeros

Papers

Methodology for leakage isolation using pressure sensitivity analysis in water distribution networks

Pressure sensor distribution for leak detection in Barcelona water distribution network

Leakage isolation using pressure sensitivity analysis in water distribution networks: Application to the Barcelona case study

District management areas characterisation in water network based on clustering