Water and Wastewater Monitoring

State-of-the-art detection performance to modernize your water infrastructure

Fiber optic monitoring of water pipelines and sewage systems affords new capabilities with a lower cost of ownership

Failures due to broken reinforced steel wires in PCCP pipelines, which are typically used in water and wastewater pipeline systems, have enormous economic, social and environmental impacts. Our fiber optic sensing solutions utilize a passive fiber optic cable as a continuous sensor that measures changes in thermal, acoustic, vibrational and strain signals. Breaking wires, pipeline leaks and Third Party Intrusion (TPI) activities, such as water theft are detected and localized within seconds, minimizing costly downtimes and damage to infrastructure or the environment.

Fiber optic sensor cables can be installed inside and / or outside the pipe, providing a gapless, real-time monitoring solution or temporary inspection tool. The system tracks the exact time and location of an acoustic or thermal event, which is critical for the detection and localization of broken valves or pipes. The longer it takes to isolate the valves or pipe failure, the greater the damage, water loss, downtimes and repair times required.

DISTRIBUTED ACOUSTIC SENSING

Many large, new water pipelines are fitted with Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS), combining pipeline leak detection and TPI detection capabilities in the same fiber optic cable. DAS provides unique benefits for leak detection of large diameter pipelines, detecting both the Negative Pressure Waves created during the onset of a leak, and the acoustic signal from an ongoing leak with high location accuracy. Despite large flow rates, even small leaks are detected and localized in real time. With early and precise detection and localization of an event, valves or pipes can be turned off before any major damage occurs. Pipeline deterioration can also be tracked and recorded with the collection of historical data. Our fiber optic-based technology recognizes increasing activity of wire breaks in one location and triggers an alarm. With this information, the operator can proactively repair the pipe before a costly failure occurs.

AP Sensing’s DAS provides a multisensory tool that identifies acoustic-based leaks and gas pockets, and visualizes anomalies in real time. DAS also detects TPI events such as mechanical digging, construction work, pipe drilling and pipeline theft. 

DISTRIBUTED TEMPERATURE SENSING

Distributed Temperature Sensing (DTS) consistently localizes and analyzes temperature variations, taking normal environmental and seasonal factors into consideration. This enables leak detection for gravity-fed sewage and water pipelines. Sewage tends to be warmer than the surrounding ground, and DTS senses the changes in temperature caused by a leak on the ground adjacent to the pipeline or water channel. Similarly, the position of storm water ingress into sewer systems can be located by using a combination of our DTS and a fiber optic cable inside the sewers.

SMARTVISION

AP Sensing SmartVision software provides the status overview of the monitored pipeline infrastructure at a glance, controlled by an easy-to-use graphical interface. It seamlessly integrates many DAS, DTS, CCTV and other sensors into a single platform. Pipeline layouts are mapped and color-coded to show the measured pipeline temperatures, as well as instantaneous changes in acoustic energy. Temperature graphics and hotspot tables are readily available. Sections of the cable route can be individually defined for flexible alarm levels and types. Therefore, immediate reaction or countermeasures are enabled.

As we develop our products from the research and manufacturing stages, to the project commissioning and maintenance, AP Sensing offers a completely integrated, end-to-end solution. Our team works together with you to select the right combination of technologies to fit your requirements. We also provide onsite services, hotline support, maintenance and product trainings.