Evalan is developing a new sensor system for Vitens to measure water flows in pipelines and detect the location of failures based on vibration measurements. The vibration measurements will give extensive insight in the condition of the flow of fluids through pipelines, detect disturbances in an early stage, correlate problems to vibration patterns and maps possible deviations. To do this, battery powered, wireless sensor nodes will be placed on specific spots on the pipelines.
The sensors measure real-time vibrations, process the data locally and send the results wirelessly to a back-end system or server where the data will be saved. A dashboard is made to show the vibration patterns. By monitoring the vibration behaviour over time, process deviations can be detected in an early stage, preventing down time and expensive repairs.
This solution suits the main goal of Vitens to guarantee the water supply to their customers and to minimize the possibilities of leakages. By identifying the occurrence and timing of out-of-the-ordinary events as soon as possible and even predict them to prevent them from happening, Evalan helps Vitens to maintain and improve their optimal water distribution network.