Test network drinking water distribution pilot
Realistic simulation of a real pipe network
What do we see here?
This experimental drinking water pipe network was installed aboveground and purposefully designed to allow for the testing of autonomous inspection robots. Technicians from four water utilities helped build the network, each bringing with them their own way of working and preferred materials. The pipes used are mainly made of PVC, PE and nodular cast iron. Old, rusty pipe segments can also be included. Using three powerful pumps, we can raise the water pressure in the pipes to 4 bars – or, locally, even to 10 bars – and we can achieve high flow velocities (up to more than 2 m/s). In short, a realistic simulation of a real pipe network that daily supplies us with fresh drinking water.
What's this pilot for?
The test network is a kind of ‘obstacle course’ for autonomous inspection robots, where we test how the robots operate before they are used in the real, buried drinking water pipe network. Once the robots successfully manage to negotiate all kinds of possible barriers, such as diameter changes and complicated bend constructions, then we can confidently introduce them into the real pipe network. But if one gets stuck in the test network, then we can simply decouple the pipes. In the ‘real world’ this would require the use of an excavator. The test network is also suitable for a range of other drinking water distribution research subjects, such as sensor deployment, water discoloration and contaminant dispersion.
Who is behind this?
The test network was built in 2019 as part of the AIR project. In this project a partnership of seven water utilities – Brabant Water, Dunea, Evides, PWN, Vitens, WMD and WML – together with the mechatronics company Demcon and KWR, developed a first functional model of an autonomous inspection robot. The project was co-funded by the TKI-toeslag voor Topconsortia voor Kennis en Innovatie (TKI) of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy. Further development of the robot system is being carried out under the banner of SubMerge b.v., which was established for this purpose.
