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CheekyHusky t1_j2k7qdb wrote

Reply to comment by beamer145 in Water pipe robots could stop billions of litres leaking by Sariel007

It's not even needed. I work at a water utility company and we have pressure sensors on the pipes that will alert if there is a drop. This robot stuff is just bullshit over engineering for a problem that doesn't need solving.

The real problem as stated above, is getting to and repairing those leaks.

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beamer145 t1_j2kjhtt wrote

I would expect it is still could be useful, unless the sensors allow to pinpoint the target area within a few meters ? Otherwise you have to start digging up the whole pipe section that is covered by a sensor ? Or am i missing something obvious ?

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CheekyHusky t1_j2kowel wrote

So the network sensors detect flow / loss of pressure in a section of pipe.

When the team goes out to investigate, they have other sensors that use acoustics to pinpoint the leak. I personally work in software development so I don't actually deal with the leaks myself so unable to explain 100%, but from my understanding they place them at each end of a section of pipe they know there is a leak at, and then the vibrations will pin point where the leak is.

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beamer145 t1_j2l0uaz wrote

Ah that is actually pretty cool (and does indeed seem to make little robots nearly useless).

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