WaterWOLF: Water Watch on Load Flow

We have developed WaterWOLF, a new electronic system and signal processing algorithm for evaluating flow components in pipes. These techniques nonintrusively convert an existing flow meter into a high resolution wireless meter for determining flow rates in real-time. These techniques exploit new tunneling magneto-resistive materials (TMR) for detecting very small magnetic fields generated by certain types of flow meters. The sensors are nonintrusive, requiring no new access to the flow stream. A pipe distribution network, e.g., for water or oil production or potentially even gas utilities, can not only deliver a commodity like water but can also serve as its own sensor for monitoring water flow and the operation of individual water consuming appliances. Continuous measurements of water consumption can be fed back to the user to help find opportunities for conservation. Additionally, high resolution flow sensing can improve leak detection accuracy. This is important for countries with significant water challenges like Kuwait.