recorder

Plotting the Difference

The flow chart is used to record the flow through the pipe over a week or on this version a month. Very useful to determine demand patterns, daily, weekly and monthly. Also if a major break up of the supply pipes, un-authorised behaviour .... can all be detected by the plotted data.
If demand goes up then the mean value of the chart goes up. To do this a line is drawn on the chart and the gradient taken and compared.

Other statistical data can be done.

If a fault occurs then a signatures will be plotted. If a pipe suddenly fractures then the flow will go down, as restricted and when it burst it will go up dramatically.

This has now all been computerise. In fact they now use either adaptive or predictive control theory. Another approach is to use model reference control where a computer model of the entire plant is run and compared with the measured data from electronic sensors. Something wrong can be noticed by comparing model with reality.