A SYSTEM FOR MONITORING FOULING ISSUES IN A DRINKING WATER DISTRIBUTION NETWORK

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system for monitoring fouling issues in a drinking water distribution network, said drinking water distribution network comprising a water mass flow meter having a water inlet and a water outlet, said water mass flow meter being located at a customer, wherein upstream from said water mass flow meter a filter device is positioned, said filter device being provided with a pre-pressure sensor and a post-pressure sensor.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring fouling issues in a drinking water distribution network, said drinking water distribution network comprising a water mass flow meter having a water inlet and a water outlet, said water mass flow meter being located at a customer, wherein upstream from said water mass flow meter a filter device is positioned, said filter device being provided with a pre-pressure sensor and a post-pressure sensor.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said filter device is provided with a replaceable filter bag, said filter bag being suitable for analysing deposits present in said drinking water distribution network.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein upstream and/or downstream from said water mass flow meter a temperature sensor is positioned.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein said pre-pressure sensor and said post-pressure sensor generate signals, said signals being sent to a monitor box for collecting said signals and analysing said signals.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein said temperature sensor generate signals, said signals being sent to a monitor box for collecting said signals and analysing said signals.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein said mass flow meter generates signals, said signals being sent to a monitor box for collecting said signals and analysing said signals.

7. The system according to claim 4, wherein the transport of said signals takes place via the internet.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein said system is provided with one or more valves for taking water samples.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein said system is provided with one or more lines that bypass the filter device for continuing the water distribution to the customer.

10. A method for monitoring fouling issues in a drinking water distribution network in a system according to claim 1, said method comprising the steps of: i) providing drinking water to the customer; ii) measuring the pressure at a position before the inlet of the filter device with the pre-pressure sensor; iii) measuring the pressure at a position at the outlet of the filter device with the post-pressure sensor; iv) calculating the difference in pressure over the filter device on basis of the data generated by ii) and iii); v) comparing the data generated by iv) with reference data, and, if the outcome of step v) is above a threshold value; and vi) retrieving said filter bag from said filter device, analysing the deposits present on said filter bag and replacing said filter bag.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein step ii) and iii) further include transmitting the measured pressure values to a monitor box.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein said transmitting takes place via the internet.

13. The method according to claim 10, further comprising measuring said temperature and transmitting the measured temperature values to a monitor box via the internet.

14. The method according to claim 10, further comprising measuring the flow of water through said mass flow meter and transmitting the measured flow values to a monitor box via the internet.

15. The method according to claim 10, further comprising logging, for a specific time interval, of one or more signals chosen from the group of pre-pressure sensor, post-pressure sensor, temperature sensor(s), mass flow meter, and updating the logged data to an on-line data pool.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising visualizing the on-line data pool through a website to achieve a 24/7 monitoring without disturbing the customers.

Description

[0037] The sole FIGURE shows a system 1 for monitoring fouling issues in a drinking water distribution network 3. Drinking water is sent via a pre-pressure sensor 2 to a filter device 5. The inlet stream 13 enters filter device 5 and the outlet stream 12 passes through a post-pressure sensor 6. The outlet stream 11 from the post-pressure sensor 6 is sent to a water mass flow meter 7. The outlet stream 10 from the water mass flow meter 7 passes through a temperature sensor 8 and stream 9 is sent to the customer. Pre-pressure sensor 2 generates a signal 14, post-pressure sensor 6 generates a signal 15, water mass flow meter 7 generates a signal 16 and temperature sensor 8 generates a signal 17. An additional temperature sensor (not shown) may also be located upstream from water mass flow meter 7. Temperature sensor(s) may also be present at the inlet of filter device 5, or at the outlet of filter device 5. All signals 14, 15, 16, and 17, e.g. shown as a combined signal 18, are transmitted to a monitor box 4, i.e. a computer system. Filter device 5 comprises a housing in which a filter bag is placed. Inlet stream 13 is passed through the filter bag and leaves filter device as outlet stream 12. The filter bag can easily be retrieved from filter device 5. The deposits present on the filter bag can be analyzed in a lab. The system for monitoring fouling issues in a drinking water distribution network also includes one or more valves for taking water samples (not shown). Although the sole FIGURE shows that stream 13 is only connected to filter device 5, it is possible that a part of stream 13 “bypasses” filter device 5. Such a situation is preferred when filter device 5 is not suitable for passing high volumes of water. Thus, in such an embodiment (not shown), inlet stream 13 is partially sent to the inlet of device 5 and partially sent to outlet stream 12.

[0038] The transport of signals 14, 15, 16, and 17 to monitor box 4 may take place via interconnected computer networks, such as the internet. Thus there is a sort of an on-line updating system. According to this system it is now possible to precisely log data, for example for every 8 seconds, and once accessing to an available internet such as Wi-Fi at customers', it can continuously update the logged data to an on-line data pool and made it visualized through a website to achieve a 24/7 monitoring without disturbing the customers. The monitor box is preferably located at the administrator or owner of the drinking water distribution network and that the administrator or owner is thus informed about the status of possible fouling issues in the drinking water distribution network. In case the data processed in the monitor box indicate that there is indeed a fouling issue in the drinking water distribution network the administrator or owner is informed about this and can take proper measurements.

[0039] The system for monitoring fouling issues in a drinking water distribution network may also include one or more bypass lines, for example a line that bypasses the filter device for continuing the water distribution to the customer. Although the sole FIGURE shows the situation wherein one water mass flow meter is connected to a filter device, it is also possible that several water mass flow meters are connected to the same filter device. Thus, such a filter device can be used by several customers, for example in a residential area or district.