A Self-Powered Wireless Water Quality Sensing Network Enabling Smart Monitoring of Biological and Chemical Stability in Supply Systems

A smart, safe, and efficient management of water is fundamental for both developed and developing countries. Several wireless sensor networks have been proposed for real-time monitoring of drinking water quantity and quality, both in the environment and in pipelines. However, surface fouling significantly affects the long-term reliability of pipes and sensors installed in-line. To address this relevant issue, we presented a multi-parameter sensing node embedding a miniaturized slime monitor able to estimate the micrometric thickness and type of slime. The measurement of thin deposits in pipes is descriptive of water biological and chemical stability and enables early warning functions, predictive maintenance, and more efficient management processes. After the description of the sensing node, the related electronics, and the data processing strategies, we presented the results of a two-month validation in the field of a three-node pilot network. Furthermore, self-powering by means of direct energy harvesting from the water flowing through the sensing node was also demonstrated. The robustness and low cost of this solution enable its upscaling to larger monitoring networks, paving the way to water monitoring with unprecedented spatio-temporal resolution. Document type: Articl

A 7-Parameter Platform for Smart and Wireless Networks Monitoring On-Line Water Quality

Among variegated efforts supporting the application of Internet-of-Things technologies to the management of Smart Cities and to environmental monitoring, we present a novel wireless sensors network for drinking water. While the majority of IoT systems for water handling are developed for remote metering and leakage detection, here we focus on safety and quality. In particular, the compact electronic board performs analog conditioning, acquisition and Could-based processing of pH, temperature, conductivity, thickness of micrometric deposit fouling the pipes, flow rate and pressure in real-time with state-of-the-art resolution. The electronic system also manages battery recharge, harvesting energy (15 mA) from the velocity of water, data logging and transmission through the LTE network. Experimental results of continuous real-time operation of three nodes for several days are reported

A robust sensing node for wireless monitoring of drinking water quality

In this work a low-cost and credit-card-sized electronic platform for continuous monitoring of water quality is presented. It performs a measurement of pH, temperature, conductivity, flow rate, pressure and a novel sensor for the thickness of surface fouling, either of chemical and biological nature. The system includes a GSM transceiver that allows the creation of a wireless sensors network for real-time monitoring of these parameters, enabling increased safety and, in perspective, automation and predictive maintenance of the water network. An external watchdog timer increases the robustness and the complete self-diagnostic ability of the solution. Preliminary results from field validation will be reported

A robust sensing node for wireless monitoring of drinking water quality

In this work a low-cost and credit-card-sized electronic platform for continuous monitoring of water quality is presented. It performs a measurement of pH, temperature, conductivity, flow rate, pressure and a novel sensor for the thickness of surface fouling, either of chemical and biological nature. The system includes a GSM transceiver that allows the creation of a wireless sensors network for real-time monitoring of these parameters, enabling increased safety and, in perspective, automation and predictive maintenance of the water network. An external watchdog timer increases the robustness and the complete self-diagnostic ability of the solution. Preliminary results from field validation will be reported

Dirty sensing. Un progetto per il monitoraggio intelligente dell’acqua nelle reti di distribuzione

Storicamente, le reti di distribuzione dell’acqua potabile sono sempre state considerate infrastrutture passive. Tuttavia, recenti studi e campagne di monitoraggio hanno evidenziato come durante il processo di distribuzione, l’acqua interagisca attivamente con le condotte portando alla formazione di calcare e biofilm. Questo può provocare l’alterazione della qualità dell’acqua in rete, aumentando il rischio di contaminazione patogena e produzione di metaboliti tossici, deteriorando le proprietà organolettiche dell’acqua, con un impatto negativo sulla percezione dell’utente finale, e causando danni alle reti di distribuzione, dovuti a fenomeni di bio-corrosione e intasamento. La qualità dell’acqua è oggi solitamente monitorata all’interno degli impianti di trattamento o in pochi punti chiave posizionati lungo le reti di distribuzione, quasi sempre mediante analisi in laboratorio di parametri chimici e microbiologici. La presenza di biofilm e/o depositi inorganici è stimata per via indiretta, mediante il calcolo di indici surrogati, che spesso danno un riscontro solo approssimativo dello stato dell’acqua e dei rischi per l’infrastruttura. I gestori del servizio idrico utilizzano queste informazioni per pianificare gestione e manutenzione delle infrastrutture. Tuttavia, l’elevato livello di incertezza derivante da questo approccio al monitoraggio comporta l’adozione di pratiche fortemente precauzionali, come l’adozione di fattori di sicurezza nel dosaggio del disinfettante o azioni straordinarie di pulizia e/o di sostituzione, con conseguente spreco di risorse, alto impatto economico nei costi operativi e rischi e potenziali inconvenienti per gli utenti finali. Al fine di prevenire gli impatti negativi generati dall’alterazione della stabilità chimica e microbiologica dell’acqua potabile, è fondamentale promuovere sistemi di monitoraggio e controllo diffuso, in grado di fornire una fotografia in tempo reale del sistema, individuare potenziali sezioni a rischio e ottimizzare i processi di manutenzione e gestione. Il progetto Dirty Sensing, partito agli inizi del 2017, mira a trasformare le reti di distribuzione dell’acqua potabile in infrastrutture attive e intelligenti per il monitoraggio in tempo reale della stabilità, chimica e microbiologica, dell’acqua in rete. L’iniziativa è nata dalla collaborazione tra due gruppi di ricerca di ingegneri ambientali ed elettronici del Politecnico di Milano (POLIMI, www.polimi.it), con esperienza nel monitoraggio, trattamento e gestione dell’acqua potabile e nella progettazione e realizzazione di sensori miniaturizzat

A Smart Sensing Node for Pervasive Water Quality Monitoring with Anti-Fouling Self-Diagnostics

A novel impedance micro-sensor measuring with 0.5 μm resolution the thickness of undesired chemical or bacterial films fouling the surfaces of in-line probes, monitoring water ducts, is presented. The circuit for lock-in impedance detection (operating at 5 MHz, 10-bit resolution) is illustrated. It is embedded in a multi-sensor IoT water quality monitoring node, enabling self-diagnostics and on-demand maintenance. The credit-card-sized board features pH, temperature, 4 conductivity probes and the film monitor, along with anti-bubble actuation and wireless GSM transmission. The additional power consumption added by the sludge sensor is only 5% of the total