Estimation of wastewater flowrate in a gravitational sewer line based on a low-cost distance sensor
Wastewater flowrate exhibits valuable information on the conditions in a sewer line. However, existing hardware flowrate sensors are rather expensive, vulnerable to fouling and breakages, and require frequent and laborious maintenance. Therefore, they are typically only mounted in a few key location...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
IWA Publishing
2023-01-01
|
| Series: | Water Practice and Technology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://wpt.iwaponline.com/content/18/1/40 |
| _version_ | 1797903610697220096 |
|---|---|
| author | Jani Tomperi Pekka M. Rossi Mika Ruusunen |
| author_facet | Jani Tomperi Pekka M. Rossi Mika Ruusunen |
| author_sort | Jani Tomperi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Wastewater flowrate exhibits valuable information on the conditions in a sewer line. However, existing hardware flowrate sensors are rather expensive, vulnerable to fouling and breakages, and require frequent and laborious maintenance. Therefore, they are typically only mounted in a few key locations of a sewer system, leading to a lack of important information in a major part of the network. Utilizing more cost-effective sensors and a soft sensor approach is advisable for estimating the flowrate at locations where hardware sensors are lacking. Here, the development and testing of a data-driven soft sensor for estimating the wastewater flowrate based on the water level information obtained from a low-cost ultrasonic distance sensor are presented. The research included a long-term functionality testing period of the sensor in a cold region. The soft sensor-based flowrate was applied to estimate inflow and infiltration, indicating the conditions of the sewer line. The harsh conditions inside the sewer manhole caused challenges for the reliability of the distance measurement based on an ultrasonic principle. With the developed model-based soft sensor, it seems possible to accurately estimate the wastewater flowrate. Together with additional information, it might also enable accurate monitoring of inflows and infiltrations.
HIGHLIGHTS
Online wastewater level information determined by a low-cost ultrasonic distance sensor was solely utilized to estimate volumetric wastewater flowrate in a gravitational sewer line via a data-driven soft sensor.;
Developed soft sensor provided accurate estimation of flowrate and amount of regional I/I, and information on the conditions of the sewer in near real-time, automatically and economically.; |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T09:35:41Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b2c6624dec114fd2b0e77a2e16123d75 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1751-231X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T09:35:41Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | IWA Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Water Practice and Technology |
| spelling | doaj.art-b2c6624dec114fd2b0e77a2e16123d752023-02-17T17:33:08ZengIWA PublishingWater Practice and Technology1751-231X2023-01-01181405210.2166/wpt.2022.171171Estimation of wastewater flowrate in a gravitational sewer line based on a low-cost distance sensorJani Tomperi0Pekka M. Rossi1Mika Ruusunen2 Environmental and Chemical Engineering Research Unit, Control Engineering Research Group, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 8000, Oulu 90014, Finland Water, Energy and Environmental Engineering Research Unit, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 4300, Oulu 90014, Finland Environmental and Chemical Engineering Research Unit, Control Engineering Research Group, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 8000, Oulu 90014, Finland Wastewater flowrate exhibits valuable information on the conditions in a sewer line. However, existing hardware flowrate sensors are rather expensive, vulnerable to fouling and breakages, and require frequent and laborious maintenance. Therefore, they are typically only mounted in a few key locations of a sewer system, leading to a lack of important information in a major part of the network. Utilizing more cost-effective sensors and a soft sensor approach is advisable for estimating the flowrate at locations where hardware sensors are lacking. Here, the development and testing of a data-driven soft sensor for estimating the wastewater flowrate based on the water level information obtained from a low-cost ultrasonic distance sensor are presented. The research included a long-term functionality testing period of the sensor in a cold region. The soft sensor-based flowrate was applied to estimate inflow and infiltration, indicating the conditions of the sewer line. The harsh conditions inside the sewer manhole caused challenges for the reliability of the distance measurement based on an ultrasonic principle. With the developed model-based soft sensor, it seems possible to accurately estimate the wastewater flowrate. Together with additional information, it might also enable accurate monitoring of inflows and infiltrations. HIGHLIGHTS Online wastewater level information determined by a low-cost ultrasonic distance sensor was solely utilized to estimate volumetric wastewater flowrate in a gravitational sewer line via a data-driven soft sensor.; Developed soft sensor provided accurate estimation of flowrate and amount of regional I/I, and information on the conditions of the sewer in near real-time, automatically and economically.;http://wpt.iwaponline.com/content/18/1/40cold regionmodellingonline estimatorultrasonicvirtual sensorwater level |
| spellingShingle | Jani Tomperi Pekka M. Rossi Mika Ruusunen Estimation of wastewater flowrate in a gravitational sewer line based on a low-cost distance sensor Water Practice and Technology cold region modelling online estimator ultrasonic virtual sensor water level |
| title | Estimation of wastewater flowrate in a gravitational sewer line based on a low-cost distance sensor |
| title_full | Estimation of wastewater flowrate in a gravitational sewer line based on a low-cost distance sensor |
| title_fullStr | Estimation of wastewater flowrate in a gravitational sewer line based on a low-cost distance sensor |
| title_full_unstemmed | Estimation of wastewater flowrate in a gravitational sewer line based on a low-cost distance sensor |
| title_short | Estimation of wastewater flowrate in a gravitational sewer line based on a low-cost distance sensor |
| title_sort | estimation of wastewater flowrate in a gravitational sewer line based on a low cost distance sensor |
| topic | cold region modelling online estimator ultrasonic virtual sensor water level |
| url | http://wpt.iwaponline.com/content/18/1/40 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT janitomperi estimationofwastewaterflowrateinagravitationalsewerlinebasedonalowcostdistancesensor AT pekkamrossi estimationofwastewaterflowrateinagravitationalsewerlinebasedonalowcostdistancesensor AT mikaruusunen estimationofwastewaterflowrateinagravitationalsewerlinebasedonalowcostdistancesensor |