The meter transmitter in the pit lid is hermetically sealed, which prevents damage from elements such as snow and rain. The pit lid itself is made from a composite material so as not to interfere with the radio signal.
Click here to enlarge imageThe use of acoustic sound sampling is what differentiates the Gutermann devices from other leak-detection systems that employ simple logging devices. Other solutions assign leak values to specific points in the water distribution system to indicate the likelihood of a leak. (Gutermann devices can also perform this task.) But the leak values themselves cannot be correlated. To actually find the leak a crew must be sent to the field to do correlation testing.
This is the first time that this type of leak detection, which involves large amounts of data related to sound sampling, has been done remotely. The Star Network system, which employs a 450- to 475-Hz radio-frequency signal to transmit information, is powerful enough to offer remote data collection. In addition, the system’s distributed data collection scheme can handle the large volumes of data related to the acoustic profiles, ensuring that information is collected accurately and reliably.
The Star-ZS system is designed to be either permanently or temporarily deployed, depending on the requirements of the utility. For example, a utility could place a number of intelligent detection devices in one area, keep them there a few days or weeks, and then move them to another area.
About the Author: Laura Wainwright is the product marketing manager for water and gas at Aclara RF Systems Inc., a subsidiary of ESCO Technologies Inc. Her background includes experience in coordinating automatic meter reading projects for a major water utility.