Dynamic Flow Technologies Ltd Microwave Waste Water · PDF fileDynamic Flow Technologies Ltd Microwave Waste Water Meter . ... • Investors include Elster Meters, Wessex Water and

Dynamic Flow 2014 © 2014 Dynamic Flow Technologies Ltd 1

Dynamic Flow

Dynamic Flow Technologies Ltd

Microwave Waste Water Meter


Background - Dynamic Flow

• Start up Company Sept 2009;

• Aim to exploit market research June 2009 .. Need for

cost effective surface and used water measurement meter;

• Investment to date c£1m

• Investors include Elster Meters, Wessex Water and Technology Strategy Board;

• First 4 inch production units available 3rd quarter 2014;

• IPR protected via patents;

• Working collaboratively with Loughborough University, incl. Eng Doc. research post from 2014


Loughborough University Utilising - Water research Centre

3,000m2 lab space

50L/sec test facility

3 flumes

80m3 storage

Separate specialist labs


Background - Drivers

• Customers dislike of current proxy measurement for used and surface water – e.g. surface measurement and water in = water out

• Most commercial / industrial customers would switch for accurate used water measurement tariff.........market research 2009

• Increase in Blue & Grey water systems….water in doesn’t equal water out

• Survey of WaSc’s and regulators suggests high level of support for cost effective quantitative and qualitative measurement / control of used & surface water flows

• Sewer modelling opportunities for flood prevention

• ‘Polluter pays’ principle enshrined in European law. UK Govt keen to support ‘green technology’ and prevent pollution


• Water balances to detect missing meters/properties…supermarket

• Ever tightening environmental standards surrounding river, sea and water course pollution demands stricter enforcement

• Most WaSc’s are looking for OPEX reductions and robust 24/7 monitoring of pollutants and trade effluents - technology replacing

manpower sampling techniques is a way of achieving this

• Current options of measurement ( depth gauges / ultra sound / weirs etc ) are only capable of determining volumes and are very expensive to buy, fit and run and some are invasive within the pipe / sewer, with accuracy dependant on installation.

• Impending competition in non domestic sector ( Open Water)

• Desire to charge accurately for pollution (eg Trade Effluents)

• Sewer modelling to prevent flooding

Background - Drivers (cont)


Project Objectives

• Since the barriers to entry were perceived significant we set ourselves the following objectives:-– Cost not dissimilar to a larger water meter (excluding

installation)

– Simple to fit in a meter chamber similar to clean water

– Ability to fit any size or type of pipe or duct

– External non intrusive technology

– Capable of battery and mains power

– Quantity and Quality measurements

– Water proof and long lasting

– Automated meter reading and alerts capability

– Product needed to be unique and patentable


Proof of Technology Project

• What’s the feasibility of using microwaves to measure the levels of waste water flowing through pipes so as to allow accurate assessment of waste water volumes?

and

• Could levels of contamination be detected, i.e. waste water quality?

We set out to answer the following questions:-


Defining the problem – the layer model for quantity and quality



1.Pulse Method for Distance Measurement (time domain)

Emitter

Receiver

Pulse

GE

GR

Reflecting

Target



1. wet2.Phase difference Method for Distance Measurement

Emitter

Receiver

Phase Diff

Reflecting

Target

t

t

by looking at the changing phase of a moving target then a Doppler effect can be measured



Simulate and Experiment









-80

-70

-60

-50

-40

-30

-20

-10

0

0.3 0.35 0.4 0.45 0.5 0.55 0.6 0.65 0.7 0.75

Distance (m)

S1

1 (

dB

)

5mm

25mm

50mm

75mm

100mm

125mm

150mm

175mm

200mm


-100

-90

-80

-70

-60

-50

-40

-30

-20

-10

0

0.8 1 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2

Distance (m)

S1

1(d

B)

No Water

16mm High Water

32mm High Water

48mm High Water

Reflections from

different levels of water

Antenna and

Cable



-100

-90

-80

-70

-60

-50

-40

-30

-20

-10

0

0 400 800 1200 1600 2000

Distance (mm)

S11(d

B)

No Water

9mm high flowing water

Location of peak from

bottom end of pipe

(977mm)


9mm high water in pipe

(956mm)


upper end of pipe

(756mm)

Diameter of pipe=110mm

Distance between upper and lower end

of the pipe = twice the diameter of pipe

977-756= 221mm

hight of water calculated= (977-956)/2

=10.5mm



1

2

3

4

5

6

Fig 1 – Pipe cross-section, liquid and microwave measuring device

Table1, Pipe – material non-metallic2, Liquid – water based3, Air4, Waveguide interface to pipe5, Microwave sensor (transceiver) 6, Cable or fibre interface to instrumentation electronics



1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

amplitude

Not to scale

time

transmitted signal

received

signal

Fig 3 – Time Domain Diagram

Top of water Bottom of Water

Water quality information



What are microwave sensors?

• Low cost• High Sensitivity• Uni-directional•10GHz band (X band)• Small and Flat Profile• Rugged, Reliable Construction• Very Low Power Consumption

- reading in 10uS



• No internal obstruction in the pipe

• Low power enabling years of operation

• Flexible design for radio module (GPRS, Zigbee, etc)

• Measurements down to 0.02 litres per second

• Solid state – no moving parts

First Working Prototype



From Proof of Technology to

β Mechanical Design


Typical Installation


• No internal obstruction in the pipe

• Low power enabling years of operation

• Flexible design for radio modules (GPRS,

Zigbee, mBus, Fieldbus, Ethernet, etc)

• Measurements down to 0.02 litres per second

• Solid state – no moving parts

•Integrated azimuth sensor for easy install

•Alarms for blocked and partially blocked pipes

•+/-8% performance now,

moving to better than +/-5%

from 200l/h to full pipe

Waste Water Meter –Key features


• So have we answered the 2 questions that we started with?

– Yes, on both counts

– Stage 1 product Waste Water Meter (110mm pipes) ready for large scale field trails (100+ units)

– Further funding & strategic partners sought for qualitative measurement


Future Developments

• 6 inch, 12 inch and Jockey versions for larger conduits;

• Clean water pressurised versions;

• Quality monitoring / sensing versions – egMogden formula


Questions ?


Metal Lid GPRS/GSM AntennaAdditional slide if everyone still awake…

Documents

Dynamic Flow Technologies Ltd Microwave Waste Water · PDF fileDynamic Flow Technologies Ltd Microwave Waste Water Meter . ... • Investors include Elster Meters, Wessex Water and