Dynamic Flow Technologies Ltd Waste Water Meter - Flo · Dynamic Flow Technologies Ltd Waste Water Meter ... sea and water course pollution demands stricter enforcement ... • Quality

Dynamic Flow 2014 © 2014 Dynamic Flow Technologies Ltd 1

Dynamic Flow

Dynamic Flow Technologies Ltd Waste Water Meter - Flow

Product Presentation FWR 6th March 2014


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 £500k, next phase of £360k, just approved;

• Investors include Elster Meters and Wessex Water;

• First 4 inch production units available 2nd quarter 2014;

• IPR protected via patents;

• Working collaboratively with Loughborough University, incl. Eng Doc. 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.........Secor 2009

• Elster market research ……….Autumn 2011 & 2013 re- confirms need

• Increase in Blue & Grey water systems

• Phone 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

• 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 are invasive within the pipe / sewer.

• 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)


Backround – markets/applications

• Key target applications will be:-

– Commercial and Industrial competition applications

– Pollution control points ( WaSc’s/ EA / SEPA / HWA)

– Replacement for surface area measurement

– Replacement for used water calculations / monitoring / water in equals water out etc

– Grey and blue water scenarios

– Sea discharge points

– Sewer Modelling


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


The Technical 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. wet 2.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

)

5mm25mm50mm

75mm100mm125mm150mm

175mm200mm


-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

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-70

-60

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-40

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0

0 400 800 1200 1600 2000

Distance (mm)

S1

1(d

B)

No Water9mm high flowing water

Location of peak from bottom end of pipe (977mm)

Location of peak from 9mm high water in pipe (956mm)

Location of peak from upper end of pipe (756mm)

Diameter of pipe=110mm

Distance between upper and lower end of the pipe = twice the diameter of pipe977-756= 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

Table 1, Pipe – material non-metallic 2, Liquid – water based 3, Air 4, Waveguide interface to pipe 5, 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 • Patch Antenna – Uni-directional •10GHz band (X band) • Small and Flat Profile • Rugged, Reliable Construction • Low Power Consumption

We combine multiple modules and frequencies, then using state of the art microprocessor technology we process these signals process to determine movement in the pipe



• 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

Waste Water Measurement device

First Working Prototype



Demonstration


From Proof of Concept to final Mechanical Design


Typical Installation


• 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

•+/-8% performance now, moving to better than +/-5%

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 sought for qualitative measurement



Future Developments

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

• Clean water pressurised versions;

• Quality monitoring / sensing versions – eg Mogden formula

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Dynamic Flow Technologies Ltd Waste Water Meter - Flo · Dynamic Flow Technologies Ltd Waste Water Meter ... sea and water course pollution demands stricter enforcement ... • Quality