Design criteria and performance analysis of a smart portable device for leak detection in water transmission mains

In this paper, criteria for the optimal and market-oriented design of the Smart-Portable Pressure Wave Maker (S-PPWM) device are presented. The outlined criteria are based on the positive results obtained both in laboratory and real systems. The S-PPWM can be used for fault (e.g., leak) detection in pressurized transmission mains (TMs) within the so-called Transient Test-Based Techniques. The proposed design procedure addresses two crucial issues: i) to minimize the volume (and then improving the portability), and ii) to allow evaluating easily the minimum detectable leak, for a given test TM. Such a procedure takes into account the characteristics and functioning conditions of the test TM. In such a context, the safety of the test TM in terms of the maximum generated overpressures and air entry prevention during transient tests is taken into account.