Optimal mobile self-powered sensor operation for water distribution systems water quality enhancements

In recent years there have been fast developments in mobile sensor networks for various applications such as environmental monitoring, infrastructure security, and traffic control. Mobile micro sensors monitoring for various parameters for security and reliability of municipal water distribution networks are ongoing with prototypes expected to be released in the very near future. Ideally, these mobile sensors will act as mobile agents capable of conducting continuous multivariate measurements and reporting them as they are distributed with flow. The goal of this study is to explore the inclusion of mobile sensors in water distribution systems for enhancing the deployment of sensor networks through increasing coverage and reducing fault detection time. This study is aimed at enhancing water quality management in water distributions systems by developing a mathematical framework for processing the sensing data transmitted by mobile sensors and integrate them with the existing knowledge provided by fix-placed monitoring stations. The methodology suggests a near optimal operation of the mobile sensors and their release into the distribution system. The method is demonstrated on a small water distribution system providing operational guidance for a higher level of water quality control in water distribution systems.