Drinking Water System Flow Sensor Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drinking and industrial water systems face challenges in minimizing water consumption while maintaining water quality, as they often require frequent flushing and circulation, which can lead to increased concentrations of metal and plastic contaminants due to oxygen reacting with metallic connection points and prolonged stagnation times.
Innovation Solution
A drinking and service water system that incorporates a flow sensor connected to a control unit to manage the circulation pump and flushing unit based on water usage, ensuring that circulation and flushing processes are only initiated when necessary, thereby reducing unnecessary water usage and contamination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If circulation and flushing processes are frequently performed to maintain water quality, then microbiological contamination is reduced, but water consumption increases and metal/plastic contaminant concentration increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses flow sensors to detect actual water consumption patterns and provides feedback to the control unit, which adjusts circulation and flushing operations accordingly. This ensures water quality maintenance is synchronized with actual usage, preventing unnecessary circulation that would increase contaminant concentration while still ensuring quality when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The circulation and flushing processes are made dynamic rather than static/fixed. The system continuously adapts its operation based on real-time flow sensor data, increasing circulation during high usage periods and reducing it during low usage periods, thereby optimizing the balance between water quality and water consumption.
2Reliability
If circulation processes are performed to prevent stagnation, then microbiological contamination is reduced, but metal and plastic contaminant concentration increases due to oxygen reaction with metallic connection points
Solution Approach 1:
Flow sensors provide real-time feedback on water movement, allowing the control unit to initiate circulation only when stagnation is detected or anticipated. This prevents prolonged circulation that would increase oxygen exposure to metallic connections and subsequent contaminant leaching, while still preventing stagnation when necessary.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of continuous circulation, the system employs periodic circulation cycles triggered by flow sensor detection of low usage periods. This intermittent approach maintains water quality by preventing stagnation while minimizing the total time oxygen is in contact with metallic connection points, thereby reducing contaminant generation.
3Reliability
If circulation pump is kept running continuously to ensure water availability, then water supply reliability is improved, but energy consumption increases and unnecessary water usage occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit receives continuous feedback from flow sensors about actual water consumption patterns and adjusts the circulation pump operation accordingly. The pump runs only when flow sensors indicate low or no usage, ensuring water supply reliability is maintained during critical periods while eliminating energy-wasting continuous operation during high usage periods.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses its own operational data (flow sensor measurements) to automatically control its circulation pump, making the system self-regulating. This eliminates the need for external continuous control and allows the system to optimize its own energy consumption based on actual service requirements.
4Reliability
If flushing processes are performed to remove contaminants, then water quality is improved, but water consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
Flow sensors detect water consumption patterns and provide feedback to the control unit, which schedules flushing operations based on actual usage data. Flushing is triggered when sensors indicate stagnation conditions or after prolonged low-usage periods, ensuring water quality improvement is achieved only when necessary rather than through routine excessive flushing.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies partial flushing actions rather than complete system flushing whenever possible. Based on flow sensor data identifying specific problem areas or stagnation zones, the control unit targets flushing only where needed, reducing overall water consumption while still achieving water quality improvement in critical areas.
Data Source
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AI summary
In order to provide clean drinking and process water with the lowest possible water consumption, a drinking and process water system (10) according to the invention, which is designed as a cold water system, comprises a transfer point (11) from the public water supply network, via which a supply line (20) leading to at least one consumer (12) is supplied with fresh cold water in a flow direction (13), a circulation line (30) in which a circulation pump (33) and a device (34) for cooling and/or cleaning water are arranged, and a control unit (40) connected to the circulation pump (33) and to a flow sensor (23) arranged in the supply line (20), which is configured to decide, based on a measured value of the flow sensor (23), whether the circulation pump (33) is switched on or off.