Kamstrup Introduces Next-Generation Smart Meter Solution With Integrated Acoustic Leak Detection

Kamstrup has expanded on its already proven ultrasonic technology by including the ability for its newest meter, the flowIQ^® 2200, to listen for leaks via acoustic leak detection – which makes it the first and only single solution with integrated acoustic leak detection available to the market.

Developed and tested in collaboration with water utilities, the first-of-its-kind meter can hear leaks that cannot be seen – essentially identifying water loss occurring throughout a utility’s distribution network. The flowIQ^® 2200 and Leak Detector software monitor noise patterns that indicate possible leaks in pipes, which helps utilities to find leaks in service connections and on distribution mains.

“The acoustic leak detection solution raises the bar of what utilities can expect. We’ve reinvented the smart water meter, and we’re pleased to now offer this state-of-the-art solution in North America,” Kamstrup Commercial Product Manager for Water Anne Lorrigan said.

Award-winning solution for utilities now available in North America and around the globe

This next-generation meter is the first in a new series of ultrasonic water meters in Kamstrup’s extensive product line. Launched to select markets in 2019, the meter received the innovation award Aqua Pro Gaz in Switzerland earlier this year, which recognized the development work and the value the solution can generate for water utilities worldwide.

According to a study conducted by Kamstrup between 2019 and 2020, water utilities experience up to 22% in leaks on service lines and up to 29% in leaks on service mains. With industry-leading low start flow and pinpoint accuracy, the flowIQ^® 2200 zones in on leaks while precisely measuring even the smallest amounts of water usage, giving utilities and their customers unprecedented real-time accuracy and notification capability.

“Conserving water is everyone’s responsibility, but, for water professionals, minimizing water loss literally is their business. Non-Revenue Water costs utilities thousands of dollars each year. With limited knowledge of the state of service connections, locating leaks can be like finding needles in a haystack. Kamstrup’s acoustic leak detection solution ‘finds the needles’ by locating potential leaks and collectively creating unprecedented transparency across a distribution network. This kind of accuracy and early leak detection benefits utilities as well as their customers and the environment,” Kamstrup Vice President of North America Tommy Braxton said.

Before integrated acoustic leak detection

Traditionally, leak detection – especially at services connections – has been considered time-consuming, inefficient and expensive. Methods for detecting leaks have previously included an array of services, which can be resource-draining and often not comprehensive.

“When you can’t easily identify where the leaks in your distribution network are coming from, how do you optimize and prioritize your daily work? How do you assess the need for maintenance and future investments? A single solution with integrated acoustic leak detection solves the problem,” Lorrigan said.

Integrated acoustic leak detection – how it works

Water flowing through a leaking pipe creates a different sound pattern than water flowing through an intact pipe. Changes to the size of a leak or burst will cause the sound to change. Ultrasonic sensors within each meter register sound patterns that could indicate potential leaks.

Coupled with introduction of the flowIQ^® 2200 is Kamstrup’s Leak Detector software, a new module for the current analytics platform. Leak Detector visualizes the noise data from flowIQ^® 2200 and produces a map-based view that depicts meters by color codes to represent noise levels registered by the meter.

This technology enables faster and more accurate leak detection, which, in turn, helps utilities to better serve their customers, meet legislative and environmental goals and requirements, and ultimately reduce Non-Revenue Water. Additionally, with detailed knowledge of potential leaks and the overall condition of the distribution network, lower operational costs can be expected, and utilities are better able to prioritize investments in maintenance, renovation or even additional capacity.

“The technology gives utilities a real-time picture of the condition of their network and lets them easily identify high-risk installations where elevated noise levels indicate possible leaks or bursts,” Kamstrup Commercial Product Manager for Water Martin Moller Vaerum said. “Coupled with Kamstrup’s available service offerings that support the acoustic leak detection solution, potential leaks can be identified proactively before they become larger-scale issues.”

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