Sensor placement for leak detection and location in water distribution networks

Abstract

The performance of a leak detection and location algorithm depends on the set of measurements that are available in the network. This works presents and optimization strategy that maximizes the leak diagnosability performance of the network. The goal is to characterize and determine a sensor configuration that guarantees a maximum degree of disnosability while the sensor configuration cost satifies a budgetary constraint. To efficiently handle the complexity of the distribuion networl an efficient branch and bound search strategy based on a strucutrual model is used. However, in order to reduce even more the size and the complexity of the problem the present work proposes to combine this methodology with clustering techniques. The strategy developed in this work is successfully applied to determine the optimal set of pressure sensors that should be installed to a District Metered Area in the Baarcelona Water Distribution Network.