Remote diagnostics of water distribution systems

• US 9,933,778 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2014
• Issued: 04/03/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hamann, Hendrik F., Hinds, Nigel C. P., Klein, Levente, Marianno, Fernando J., Ridgeway, Jr., Ronald F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Tuan
• Application Number:
  US14/541,205
• Publication Number:
  US 20160139607A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,236 Days
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/006 Water distributors either inside a treatment tank or directing the water to several treatment tanks; Water treatment plants incorporating these distributors, with or without chemical or biological tanks for settling tanks B01D21/24
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/008 Control or steering systems not provided for elsewhere in subclass C02F
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/001 Upstream control, i.e. monitoring for predictive control
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/003 Downstream control, i.e. outlet monitoring, e.g. to check the treating agents, such as halogens or ozone, leaving the process
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/006 comprising a software program or a logic diagram
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/008 comprising telecommunication features, e.g. modems or antennas
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/03 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/40 Liquid flow rate
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0275 Fault isolation and identification, e.g. classify fault; estimate cause or root of failure

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide systems, methods, and computer program products for performing diagnostics on water distribution systems (e.g., automated drip-line irrigation systems). Embodiments of the present invention can afford users with the ability to identify defective components based on the diagnostics. Furthermore, embodiments of the present invention provide users with additional information in regard to potential causes and trends.

Claims

1. A method for performing diagnostics on a water distribution system, the method being programmed with memory-stored instructions configured to be executed by one or more processors implementing the method, comprising:

transmitting, by one or more computer processors, a water distribution schedule to a plurality of control nodes of a water distribution system, wherein the water distribution system comprises a plurality of zones;

determining, by one or more computer processors, whether the water distribution system is operating in accordance with the water distribution schedule; and

responsive to determining that the water distribution system is not operating in accordance with the water distribution schedule, identifying, by one or more computer processors, defective components in the water distribution system wherein identifying defective components in the water distribution system comprises;

identifying, by a computer processor, one or more of the zones as defective zones;

identifying, by a computer processor, a defective valve of each defective zone, wherein identifying a defective valve comprises;

generating a pressure envelope, by one or more computer processors, for a first pressure sensor within a defective zone;

determining, by one or more computer processors, whether the generated pressure envelope matches a pressure envelope stored in a library of pressure envelopes; and

responsive to determining that the generated pressure envelope matches a pressure envelope stored in the library of pressure envelopes, identifying the first pressure sensor as defective.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the water distribution schedule comprises one or more instructions for one or more control nodes to actuate a valve operatively coupled to a drip line.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining, by one or more computer processors, whether the water distribution system is operating in accordance with the water distribution schedule further comprises:

receiving, by one or more computer processors, flow response feedback information measured by a plurality of sensors; and

determining, by one or more computer processors, whether the flow response feedback information comports with expected flow behavior associated with the water distribution schedule.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein each zone of the plurality of zones comprises a grouping of a portion of the plurality of control nodes, one or more pressure sensors, one or more flow meters, and one or more drip lines for a particular target water distribution area.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein identifying, by one or more computer processors, defective components in the system further comprises:

receiving, by one or more computer processors, flow response feedback information from the one or more pressure sensors and one or more flow meters of each zone;

comparing, by one or more computer processors, the flow response feedback information received from the one or more pressure sensors and one or more flow meters of each zone with expected flow behavior associated with the water distribution schedule; and

identifying as defective, by one or more computer processors, each zone for which received flow response feedback information does not comport with expected flow behavior associated with the water distribution schedule.

6. A computer program product for performing diagnostics on a water distribution system, the computer program product comprising:

one or more computer readable storage media and program instructions stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, the program instructions comprising;

program instructions to transmit a water distribution schedule to a plurality of control nodes of a water distribution system, wherein the water distribution system comprises a plurality of zones;

program instructions to determine whether the water distribution system is operating in accordance with the water distribution schedule; and

program instructions to, responsive to determining that the water distribution system is not operating in accordance with the water distribution schedule, identify defective components in the system wherein identifying defective components in the water distribution system comprises;

identifying, by a computer processor, one or more of the zones as defective zones;

identifying, by a computer processor, a defective valve of each defective zone, wherein identifying a defective valve comprises;

generating a pressure envelope, by one or more computer processors, for a first pressure sensor within a defective zone;

determining, by one or more computer processors, whether the generated pressure envelope matches a pressure envelope stored in a library of pressure envelopes; and

responsive to determining that the generated pressure envelope matches a pressure envelope stored in the library of pressure envelopes, identifying the first pressure sensor as defective.

7. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the water distribution schedule comprises one or more instructions for one or more control nodes to actuate a valve operatively coupled to a drip line.

8. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the program instructions to determine whether the water distribution system is operating in accordance with the water distribution schedule comprise:

program instructions to receive flow response feedback information measured by a plurality of sensors; and

program instructions to determine whether the flow response feedback information comports with expected flow behavior associated with the water distribution schedule.

9. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein each zone of the plurality of zones comprises a grouping of a portion of the plurality of control nodes, one or more pressure sensors, one or more flow meters, and one or more drip lines for a particular target water distribution area.

10. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the program instructions to identify defective components in the system further comprise:

program instructions to receive flow response feedback information from the one or more pressure sensors and one or more flow meters of each zone;

program instructions to compare the flow response feedback information received from the one or more pressure sensors and one or more flow meters of each zone with expected flow behavior associated with the water distribution schedule; and

program instructions to identify as defective each zone for which received flow response feedback information does not comport with expected flow behavior associated with the water distribution schedule.

11. A computer system for performing diagnostics on a water distribution system, the computer system comprising:

one or more computer processors;

one or more computer readable storage media; and

program instructions stored on the computer readable media for execution by at least one of the one or more processors, the program instructions comprising;

program instructions to transmit a water distribution schedule to a plurality of control nodes of a water distribution system, wherein the water distribution system comprises a plurality of zones;

program instructions to determine whether the water distribution system is operating in accordance with the water distribution schedule; and

program instructions to, responsive to determining that the water distribution system is not operating in accordance with the water distribution schedule, identify defective components in the system, wherein identifying defective components in the system comprises;

identifying, by a computer processor, one or more of the zones as defective zones; and

identifying, by a computer processor, a defective valve of each defective zone, wherein identifying a defective valve comprises;

generating a pressure envelope, by one or more computer processors, for a first pressure sensor within a defective zone;

determining, by one or more computer processors, whether the generated pressure envelope matches a pressure envelope stored in a library of pressure envelopes; and

responsive to determining that the generated pressure envelope matches a pressure envelope stored in the library of pressure envelopes, identifying the first pressure sensor as defective.

12. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the water distribution schedule comprises one or more instructions for one or more control nodes to actuate a valve operatively coupled to a drip line.

13. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the program instructions to determine whether the water distribution system is operating in accordance with the water distribution schedule comprise:

program instructions to receive flow response feedback information measured by a plurality of sensors; and

program instructions to determine whether the flow response feedback information comports with expected flow behavior associated with the water distribution schedule.

14. The computer system of claim 11, wherein each zone of the plurality of zones comprises a grouping of a portion of the plurality of control nodes, one or more pressure sensors, one or more flow meters, and one or more drip lines for a particular target water distribution area.

15. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the program instructions to identify defective components in the system further comprise:

program instructions to receive flow response feedback information from the one or more pressure sensors and one or more flow meters of each zone;

program instructions to compare the flow response feedback information received from the one or more pressure sensors and one or more flow meters of each zone with expected flow behavior associated with the water distribution schedule; and

program instructions to identify as defective each zone for which received flow response feedback information does not comport with expected flow behavior associated with the water distribution schedule.