Specialist System for Detection and Diagnosis of Leakage in Water Supply Urban Networks

• Grant number: 10/50773-8
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Research Partnership for Technological Innovation - PITE
• Start date: September 01, 2011
• End date: August 31, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Sanitary Engineering - Basic Sanitation
• Agreement: SABESP
• Principal Investigator: Linilson Rodrigues Padovese
• Grantee: Linilson Rodrigues Padovese
• Host Institution: Escola Politécnica (EP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• City: São Paulo
• Partner institutions: Secretaria de Saneamento e Recursos Hídricos (São Paulo - Estado). Companhia de Saneamento Básico do Estado de São Paulo (SABESP)

Abstract

Traditional methods for leakage detection in water supply networks are based on the listening out for leak noise through geophones. However, the performance of this procedure depends on very different factors such as technician training, skill and health condition and/or presence of other noise sources, among others. This project aims to develop technology for specialist systems regarding detection of leak in water supply networks, with the objective of optimizing system performance and automating diagnosis process through the development of three products: 1) a signal digital record system to be used in the geophones available in SABESP at present, which will make it possible to generate a database or else more specifically a signal database; 2) development of a database structure to store and manage signals and other information collected from the field. 3) an specialist system for leak detection, based on acoustic signal processing methods as well as on methods of statistical pattern recognition and inference systems.The mentioned specialist system will be designed to be able to operate independently of, or by the operator, in order to increase diagnosis efficiency, reducing the occurrence of false positive as well as false negative errors. This will permit reducing labor maintenance and inspection costs, besides diminishing costs with real losses. (AU)