Flow Meter Monitoring of Drinking Water Contamination Risk
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for monitoring contamination risk in drinking water supply systems, such as DE 10 2007 009 007 A1, are not very reliable due to their simplicity and inability to accurately assess the risk potential and initiate appropriate countermeasures, especially with increasing temperature and dwell time of water in pipes.
Innovation Solution
An extended flow meter design that uses additional registers to store temperature-dependent physical variables, such as volume and dwell time, to assess water quality, with features like storing tapped volume and time above specific temperature thresholds, and calculating measures like the product of volume and temperature difference or quotient of high-temperature volume, to provide a reliable monitoring system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a simple measurement and evaluation method with basic flow and temperature sensors is used, then the device complexity is low and ease of manufacture is improved, but the reliability of contamination risk monitoring deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the monitoring system into multiple independent functional modules: flow measurement module, temperature measurement module, calculation module for determining water residence time, and evaluation module for assessing contamination risk. Each module performs a specific function, allowing the system to achieve high reliability through modular design while keeping individual components simple and easy to manufacture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from simple threshold-based monitoring to multi-dimensional evaluation by incorporating both flow rate and temperature data over time. The system calculates water residence time as a derived parameter and evaluates contamination risk based on multiple factors simultaneously, adding temporal and thermal dimensions to the monitoring assessment.
2Measurement precision
If continuous monitoring of flow and temperature with complex evaluation algorithms is implemented, then the contamination risk assessment accuracy is improved, but the ease of operation and implementation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The monitoring system performs self-service by automatically collecting flow and temperature data, calculating water residence time, evaluating contamination risk, and generating alerts without requiring manual intervention. The system autonomously processes measurements and makes assessments, simplifying operation while maintaining high measurement precision through continuous automated monitoring.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where measurement results are continuously evaluated and used to adjust monitoring parameters. When contamination risk exceeds thresholds, the system generates alerts that provide feedback to operators, enabling timely corrective actions. This closed-loop approach enhances assessment accuracy while maintaining ease of operation through automated decision support.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach allows for constant and reliable monitoring of water quality and contamination risk, enabling timely countermeasures by using existing flow meters with minimal additional hardware, and can transmit alerts wirelessly, providing effective contamination risk assessment.
Implementation Method 1
a flow sensor
Implementation Method 2
a temperature sensor
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
The method involves storing a physical parameter e.g. volume, detected by a flow meter (1) and/or a parameter derived from the physical parameter in a register (6) of a memory device (5) of the flow meter when water temperature determined by a temperature sensor (10) exceeds a temperature threshold value. A measure for water quality i.e. contamination hazard, is determined and evaluated from the parameter stored in the register. An alarm signal is outputted when the measure of the water quality exceeds an alarm threshold value. An independent claim is also included for a flow meter comprising a computer device for executing a drinking water quality monitoring method.