Consumption Meter Frequency Distribution for Leak Detection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for evaluating medium consumption in supply systems, such as water or gas, are unreliable due to the difficulty in distinguishing between normal and abnormal consumption patterns, often leading to false leak detection and unnecessary interruptions or shutdowns.
Innovation Solution
The method involves forming a frequency distribution of consumption flow values recorded by consumption meters, allowing for the evaluation of consumption behavior without temporal correlation, enabling better identification of normal and abnormal patterns without the need for additional measurements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If individual consumption values are compared with threshold values to detect leaks, then leak detection is performed, but false leak detection occurs leading to unnecessary interruptions or shutdowns
Solution Approach 1:
The consumption data is segmented into multiple time intervals (e.g., hourly, daily sums) rather than using individual instantaneous values. This segmentation smooths out temporary variations and allows for more reliable pattern recognition over time, reducing false alarms while maintaining detection accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary learning of normal consumption patterns during an initial phase before actual leak detection begins. Consumption values are accumulated and evaluated against learned patterns, allowing the system to adapt to normal variations in usage behavior before triggering alerts, thus reducing false positives.
2Reliability
If separate measurements are taken to determine leakage, then leak detection is performed, but the supply is interrupted impeding consumers
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs leak detection autonomously using data from consumption meters already installed in the supply system. No separate measurement devices or manual inspection procedures are required, and the existing meters continuously provide data for analysis without interrupting the medium supply.
Solution Approach 2:
The consumption meter continuously records consumption values over time, and the evaluation system continuously analyzes this data to detect leaks. This continuous monitoring allows leak detection to occur in real-time without requiring intermittent shutdowns or separate measurement campaigns, maintaining continuous supply while detecting anomalies.
3Reliability
If consumption patterns are recorded and compared with normal values, then leak detection is performed, but the system is not flexible leading to faulty shutdowns during normal consumption events
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adapts its evaluation criteria based on learned consumption patterns rather than using fixed thresholds. The learning mechanism continuously updates the understanding of normal consumption behavior, allowing the system to flexibly accommodate changing usage patterns, seasonal variations, and normal events like garden irrigation, preventing unnecessary shutdowns while maintaining reliable leak detection.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for assessing the consumption of a medium in a supply system using at least one consumption meter (1, 7, 10), in which consumption measured values (Vkum) of the consumption meter (1, 7, 10) which are recorded over time are used to determine consumption current values (I) for the medium. In this case, a frequency distribution (5, 13) is formed from the consumption current values (I) and the consumption is assessed by evaluating the frequency distribution (5, 13).