Description
This 6-month feasibility study will initiate knowledge transfer and enable early-stage innovation to address the market gap for non-invasive retrofit water flow meters with Internet of Things (IoT) digital connectivity.Flow meters are essential for leak detection, water usage monitoring, and thermal energy metering for hot and cold water systems in buildings, utilities infrastructure, and industrial processes. Retrofit installation of currently available flow meters typically requires full drain-down of pipework which causes disruption, interrupts water supply, and risks contamination and creation of new leaks. Existing non-invasive solutions are expensive, have limited operational dynamic range, and have constrained applicability (eg spurious errors likely if placed near bends, valves, etc).
The FlowCheck project will enable collaboration between Ulster University and South West College to provide knowledge transfer helping CreevX (an NI-based SME who install and operate IoT monitoring systems) to address an important unmet market demand for low-cost and reliable retrofit water flow meters. Through co-innovation with UU and SWC it is anticipated that CreevX will be able to develop and commercialise a new non-invasive retrofit water flow metering solution that will expand CreevX’s existing range of IoT sensors.
Dr Pugsley has proposed an innovative approach to flow metering based on peripheral heat addition, temperature difference monitoring, and time-between-pulses determination. The project will progress this innovation towards early-stage proof-of-concept and enable formal definition of associated Intellectual Property (IP), whilst also considering a range of alternative approaches. The project has strong potential for innovation and IP generation, leading to larger-scale partnerships with CreevX's blue-chip customer base including NI Water, CBRE and Dublin Airport.
This project was funded by Connected 4 with a budget of £29,703
Period | 1 Oct 2021 → 30 Apr 2022 |
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Keywords
- flow meter
- water flow measurement