Abstract
Leaks in water distribution systems should be detected to avoid economic, environmental, and social problems. Existing Bayesian Inference based time-domainreflectometry (TDR) methods for leak detection have a limitation for real applications due to the lengthy time in building sample data. As the pipeline distance becomes longer and multiple leaks must be considered in long distance pipelines, the computational time for building training data gets larger. This paper proposes a scattering-parameter-based forward model to relieve computational burden of the existing TDR methods. It was shown that the proposed model outperformed the existing RLGC-based forward model in terms of computational time. The proposed model that is combined with Bayesian inference and TDR signal modeling is validated with an experimental pipeline, leak detectors, transmission line, and TDR instrument for leak detection. In summary, the proposed method is promising for leak detection in long pipelines as well as multiple leaks.
Highlights
In the water distribution system, water is supplied from its source to users through a pipeline
This study focuses on the first step to address the problem about computational efficiency of the existing RLCG based forward model
The TDR signal is a vector of sequent voltages that are measured at the TDR instrument
Summary
In the water distribution system, water is supplied from its source to users through a pipeline. Often a large amount of water is not supplied to the end user but instead leaks from the pipeline along the pipeline route. It is very important to detect leaks to avoid these problems. This is not an easy task because most pipelines are buried underground or – in the case of long-distance pipelines – installed in remote regions. To the best use of the methods, surveyors should be dispatched to the suspected leak area. The methods are most appropriate to detect leaks over a narrow area or in short-distance pipelines. The limitation of the above methods can be partially overcome by the use of the pressure-change- based technique (Vítkovský, Lambert, Simpson, & Liggett, 2007)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary 
Published Version (
Free)
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call