Dynamically Adaptive and Resilient Water Supply Networks for a Sustainable Future
Lead Research Organisation:
Imperial College London
Department Name: Civil & Environmental Engineering
Abstract
Through this Fellowship, I aim to develop fundamental scientific methods for the design, optimisation and control of next generation resilient water supply networks that dynamically adapt their connectivity (topology), hydraulic conditions and operational objectives. A dynamically adaptive water supply network can modify its state in response to changes in the operational conditions, performance objectives, an increase in demand and a failure. This is a new category of engineering (cyber-physical) systems that combine physical processes with computational control in a holistic way in order to achieve dynamic adaptability, resilience, efficiency and sustainability.
Water utilities are facing an increasing demand for potable water as a result of population growth and urbanisation. Cities are reaching unprecedented scale and complexity and the reliable provision of safe water is a global environmental security challenge. New technologies and knowledge are urgently needed to meet environmental, regulatory and financial pressures. Recent advances in sensor and control technologies, wireless communication and data management allow us to gain extraordinary insights into the operation of complex water supply networks and their control. Novel simulation and optimisation methods are required to make use of the new knowledge about the dynamics of large-scale water supply systems and the ability to control their operation in order to improve resource and asset utilisation.
In the course of pioneering and leading an extensive programme of applied research in dynamically adaptive water supply networks, I have identified fundamental mathematical and engineering challenges of how such complex systems should be designed, retrofitted, modelled and managed in order to address multiple operational applications either simultaneously or sequentially. For example, the network management can be optimised to reduce leakage, improve water quality and enhance incident response. Furthermore, developing a robustly scalable simulation and control system is extremely challenging due to the complexity of the computational tasks for medium to large-scale water supply systems. This research programme will investigate, develop and validate a novel analytical and robust computational framework for the concurrent design, operation and control of adaptive water supply networks that dynamically configure their connectivity (topology), hydraulic conditions and operational objectives. The proposed framework should simultaneously optimise the design (e.g. placements of advanced network controllers and monitoring devices) and the operational control (e.g. the optimal selection of functions and settings for the valves and pumps). This co-design approach also considers the hydraulic dynamics, uncertainties, environmental changes and the development of mathematical optimisation methods for network operability and controllability in order to manage the operation of complex water supply systems efficiently, intelligently and sustainably.
This is an ambitious and transformative research programme that requires solving numerous problems spanning several disciplines in water systems engineering, applied mathematics, control engineering, cyber-physical systems and sensors research. The Fellowship will provide me with a unique opportunity to dedicate most of my time to develop, validate and champion into practice the design and control methods for dynamically adaptive, resilient and sustainable water supply networks.
Water utilities are facing an increasing demand for potable water as a result of population growth and urbanisation. Cities are reaching unprecedented scale and complexity and the reliable provision of safe water is a global environmental security challenge. New technologies and knowledge are urgently needed to meet environmental, regulatory and financial pressures. Recent advances in sensor and control technologies, wireless communication and data management allow us to gain extraordinary insights into the operation of complex water supply networks and their control. Novel simulation and optimisation methods are required to make use of the new knowledge about the dynamics of large-scale water supply systems and the ability to control their operation in order to improve resource and asset utilisation.
In the course of pioneering and leading an extensive programme of applied research in dynamically adaptive water supply networks, I have identified fundamental mathematical and engineering challenges of how such complex systems should be designed, retrofitted, modelled and managed in order to address multiple operational applications either simultaneously or sequentially. For example, the network management can be optimised to reduce leakage, improve water quality and enhance incident response. Furthermore, developing a robustly scalable simulation and control system is extremely challenging due to the complexity of the computational tasks for medium to large-scale water supply systems. This research programme will investigate, develop and validate a novel analytical and robust computational framework for the concurrent design, operation and control of adaptive water supply networks that dynamically configure their connectivity (topology), hydraulic conditions and operational objectives. The proposed framework should simultaneously optimise the design (e.g. placements of advanced network controllers and monitoring devices) and the operational control (e.g. the optimal selection of functions and settings for the valves and pumps). This co-design approach also considers the hydraulic dynamics, uncertainties, environmental changes and the development of mathematical optimisation methods for network operability and controllability in order to manage the operation of complex water supply systems efficiently, intelligently and sustainably.
This is an ambitious and transformative research programme that requires solving numerous problems spanning several disciplines in water systems engineering, applied mathematics, control engineering, cyber-physical systems and sensors research. The Fellowship will provide me with a unique opportunity to dedicate most of my time to develop, validate and champion into practice the design and control methods for dynamically adaptive, resilient and sustainable water supply networks.
Planned Impact
Who will benefit from this research:
(i) Water utilities (UK and internationally).
(ii) The general public.
(iii) Technology companies.
(iv) All regulatory agencies who interact with the water industry: the Water Services Regulation Authority (Ofwat), the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) and the Environment Agency (EA).
(v) Urban infrastructure systems operators.
How will they benefit:
The water companies will use the developed robust modelling and advanced control solutions to provide unprecedented operational intelligence and system resilience through dynamic adaptability. The resulting knowledge and methods will be applied to: (a) increase the resilience and reliability of supply and respond to regulatory requirements; (b) reduce leakage and bursts; (c) significantly improve efficiency, resource utilisation, water quality and incident response, and consequently sustainability. In addition, this optimal management will extend the life cycle of network assets, reduce total expenditure costs (TOTEX) and save expenditure on new infrastructure. It will also enhance the ability of water utilities to respond to weather extremes such as the flooding in the UK in December 2015 that revealed the urgent need for adaptability and resilience of supply critical infrastructures.
The general public (water users) should benefit from the improved quality of service by the increased resilience, reliability and water quality in the supply of potable water. The improved efficiency and resource utilisation should keep bills at current level of affordability. Furthermore, the UK Government forecasts predict an ageing population. This could mean more customers for whom continuity and quality of water supply are becoming increasingly important for their health and well-being.
Technology companies: The control of dynamically adaptive water supply networks challenges conventional wisdom and may lead to transformative research and radical changes in the operation of water supply systems and the enabling sensing, modelling and control technologies. The smart water systems market is expected to grow from $7.3 billion in 2015 to $18.3 billion by 2020. Consequently, the UK water tech industry will be well equipped to lead the world in the design and control of this new generation of smarter water supply networks.
The Ofwat Chief Executive has recently called on the UK water companies to think creatively, innovate and be flexible, and also urging them to "think services, think systems; and really understand and manage risk." A task force was established as part of Ofwat's new strategy and following the introduction of a new primary duty on resilience. In December, 2015, Ofwat released a series of recommendations and activities related to the provision of resilient water and wastewater services that will be carried out over the next five years. Main questions: (a) what do water utilities need to consider in order to provide resilient water and wastewater services?; (b) what does Ofwat need to consider in order to best regulate the water and wastewater service providers, while having regard to its statutory duties and including its new duty on resilience? The proposed research will facilitate evidence-informed regulation based on technological and scientific advances when answering these questions.
Urban infrastructure operators: Leaks and bursts have a major impact on the deterioration and cascading failure of urban infrastructure. Urban roads are conduits for water, gas, electricity and communication. Leaks and bursts cause traffic disruptions and costly interruptions for critical services. The operational intelligence, adaptability and resilience that this project would deliver are going to be particularly relevant for urban infrastructure system operators.
(i) Water utilities (UK and internationally).
(ii) The general public.
(iii) Technology companies.
(iv) All regulatory agencies who interact with the water industry: the Water Services Regulation Authority (Ofwat), the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) and the Environment Agency (EA).
(v) Urban infrastructure systems operators.
How will they benefit:
The water companies will use the developed robust modelling and advanced control solutions to provide unprecedented operational intelligence and system resilience through dynamic adaptability. The resulting knowledge and methods will be applied to: (a) increase the resilience and reliability of supply and respond to regulatory requirements; (b) reduce leakage and bursts; (c) significantly improve efficiency, resource utilisation, water quality and incident response, and consequently sustainability. In addition, this optimal management will extend the life cycle of network assets, reduce total expenditure costs (TOTEX) and save expenditure on new infrastructure. It will also enhance the ability of water utilities to respond to weather extremes such as the flooding in the UK in December 2015 that revealed the urgent need for adaptability and resilience of supply critical infrastructures.
The general public (water users) should benefit from the improved quality of service by the increased resilience, reliability and water quality in the supply of potable water. The improved efficiency and resource utilisation should keep bills at current level of affordability. Furthermore, the UK Government forecasts predict an ageing population. This could mean more customers for whom continuity and quality of water supply are becoming increasingly important for their health and well-being.
Technology companies: The control of dynamically adaptive water supply networks challenges conventional wisdom and may lead to transformative research and radical changes in the operation of water supply systems and the enabling sensing, modelling and control technologies. The smart water systems market is expected to grow from $7.3 billion in 2015 to $18.3 billion by 2020. Consequently, the UK water tech industry will be well equipped to lead the world in the design and control of this new generation of smarter water supply networks.
The Ofwat Chief Executive has recently called on the UK water companies to think creatively, innovate and be flexible, and also urging them to "think services, think systems; and really understand and manage risk." A task force was established as part of Ofwat's new strategy and following the introduction of a new primary duty on resilience. In December, 2015, Ofwat released a series of recommendations and activities related to the provision of resilient water and wastewater services that will be carried out over the next five years. Main questions: (a) what do water utilities need to consider in order to provide resilient water and wastewater services?; (b) what does Ofwat need to consider in order to best regulate the water and wastewater service providers, while having regard to its statutory duties and including its new duty on resilience? The proposed research will facilitate evidence-informed regulation based on technological and scientific advances when answering these questions.
Urban infrastructure operators: Leaks and bursts have a major impact on the deterioration and cascading failure of urban infrastructure. Urban roads are conduits for water, gas, electricity and communication. Leaks and bursts cause traffic disruptions and costly interruptions for critical services. The operational intelligence, adaptability and resilience that this project would deliver are going to be particularly relevant for urban infrastructure system operators.
Organisations
- Imperial College London (Fellow, Lead Research Organisation)
- BRISTOL WATER PLC (Collaboration)
- IRSTEA National Research Institute Science and Technology (Collaboration)
- Severn Trent Water (Collaboration)
- GDF Suez (Collaboration)
- Anglian Water Services (Collaboration)
- Cla-val (UK) Ltd (Collaboration)
- Severn Trent (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- Bristol Water (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- IRSTEA (Project Partner)
- Anglian Water Services (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- Dwr Cymru Welsh Water (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- CLA-VAL UK (Project Partner)
People |
ORCID iD |
Ivan Stoianov (Principal Investigator / Fellow) |
Publications
Konstantinou C
(2020)
A comparative study of statistical and machine learning methods to infer causes of pipe breaks in water supply networks
in Urban Water Journal
Nerantzis D
(2022)
Adaptive Model Predictive Control for Fire Incidents in Water Distribution Networks
in Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management
Ulusoy A
(2023)
Adaptive MPC for Burst Incident Management in Water Distribution Networks
in IEEE Transactions on Control of Network Systems
Ulusoy A
(2020)
An MINLP-Based Approach for the Design-for-Control of Resilient Water Supply Systems
in IEEE Systems Journal
Ulusoy AJ
(2022)
Bi-objective design-for-control for improving the pressure management and resilience of water distribution networks.
in Water research
Ulusoy A
(2021)
Bi-objective design-for-control of water distribution networks with global bounds
in Optimization and Engineering
Pecci F
(2023)
Bounds and convex heuristics for bi-objective optimal experiment design in water networks
in Computers & Operations Research
Waldron A
(2021)
Closure to "Regularization of an Inverse Problem for Parameter Estimation in Water Distribution Systems" by Alexander Waldron, Filippo Pecci, and Ivan Stoianov
in Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management
Wilson R
(2019)
Continuous Chlorine Detection in Drinking Water and a Review of New Detection Methods Residual disinfectant in drinking water should be monitored from the plant to the tap. Sensor fouling remains an obstacle to the development of reliable, low-maintenance, continuously-operating sensors
in Johnson Matthey Technology Review
Description | I have completed the fifth year of my 5 year EPSRC Fellowship. Key achievements so far include: (i) near completion of the research goals for the EPSRC Fellowship as defined in the Case for Support; (ii) publishing the research in high-impact peer-reviewed journals. The research focused on the the investigation of analytical and computational methods for the concurrent design, operation and control of dynamically adaptive water supply networks, which configure their connectivity, hydraulic conditions and operational objectives; (iii) the continuous management of the Adaptive Networks Interest Group (Anglian Water, Cla-Val, Bristol Water, Severn Trent Water, United Utilities). The ANsIG group has been proactive to implement the outcomes of the research to improve the resilience of their networks during the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, at the start of the COVID pandemic, we implemented the research outcomes to improve the reliability and resilience of water supply to NHS Nightingale Hospital (Bristol). The results were shared with regulatory bodies (Ofwat, DWI) and the work was highly commended; (iv). In 2021, the research I conducted and my work with ANsIG has led to a successful £7.5 million bid to the Ofwat's first Water Breakthrough Challenge to use mathematical optimisation and artificial intelligence to improve long-term operational resilience in the face of climate change and rapid population growth (formally led by Anglian Water); (v). my investigative work as an expert witness to the Grenfell Tower Public Inquiry. The results of this investigation will have a significant impact on the design and operation of resilient water distribution networks as I have identified major issues with the design and control of water supply networks for the provision of water for firefighting. I submitted my report to the Inquiry in December, 2020 (a 700 page report), which details the provision of water for fighting the fire at Grenfell Tower and the interactions between LFB and Thames Water Utilities Ltd. I am scheduled to provide evidence to the Inquiry in June, 2022 (the delay is due to requests by Thames Water Utilities and the London Fire Brigade to allow them time to fully assess my analyses and findings). I have applied for a 12 month no-cost extension for EP/P004229/1 to complete the unique experimental programme I am conducting in operational water supply networks (delays due to COVID). |
Exploitation Route | Fundamental and applied research in computational methods for the the concurrent design, operation and control of dynamically adaptive water supply networks. The development of best practices for the design and control of resilient (dynamically adaptive) networks. The development of new products and services. The evidence for the impact of my research includes: (i). my research and ANsIG activities have underpinned a successful £7.5 million bid (Safe Smart Systems) to the Ofwat's first Water Breakthrough Challenge to use mathematical optimisation and artificial intelligence to improve long-term operational resilience in the face of climate change and rapid population growth (formally led by Anglian Water); (ii). my research led to the acquisition of a technology company I founded by SUEZ in June 2021; (iii). my role as an expert witness to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry to analyse the provision of water for fighting the fire from the water supply network operated by Thames Water Utilities Ltd. My investigation has revealed significant limitations in the design and operation of water supply networks for the provision of water for firefighting in England and Wales. |
Sectors | Creative Economy Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software) Education Energy Environment Other |
URL | http://www.imperial.ac.uk/resilient-water-networks |
Description | Used by the Grenfell Tower Inquiry [https://assets.grenfelltowerinquiry.org.uk/ISTRP00000008_Dr_Stoianov_report___Chapter_6__The_Water_Distribution_Network_and_the_Hydraulic_Conditions_at_Grenfell_Tower_on_14_June_2017.pdf] ; also, used by Inflowmatix Ltd, which I spun-out from Imperial College London (acquired by SUEZ in 2021), [https://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/231776/imperial-water-technology-startup-inflowmatix-acquired/] |
First Year Of Impact | 2022 |
Sector | Creative Economy,Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Energy,Environment,Other |
Impact Types | Societal Economic Policy & public services |
Description | Expert Witness, Grenfell Tower Inquiry |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
URL | https://www.grenfelltowerinquiry.org.uk/about/expert-witnesses |
Description | Anglian Water Services and CLA-VAL UK / Royal Academy of Engineering Senior Research Fellow in Dynamically Adaptive Water Supply Networks (RCSRF2324-17-41) |
Amount | £620,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | RCSRF2324-17-41 |
Organisation | Royal Academy of Engineering |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 11/2023 |
End | 10/2028 |
Description | CDT PhD Funding (co-funded 50/50 with Cla-Val) |
Amount | £48,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Imperial College London |
Department | EPSRC Centres for Doctoral Training |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 01/2017 |
End | 12/2020 |
Description | CDT PhD Funding (co-funded 50/50 with United Utilities and Bristol Water) |
Amount | £120,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | EP/L016826/1 (the industrial funding is £120,000) |
Organisation | United Utilities Group PLC |
Sector | Private |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2018 |
End | 09/2022 |
Description | CDT PhD Studentship (co-funded 50/50 with Anglian Water Services) |
Amount | £48,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Imperial College London |
Department | EPSRC Centres for Doctoral Training |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2017 |
End | 09/2021 |
Description | CDT PhD Studentship (co-funded 50/50 with Suez) |
Amount | £48,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | University of Oxford |
Department | EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 01/2017 |
End | 12/2020 |
Description | Dynamically Adaptive Networks for Improving Resilience (Top Up PhD Funding - Severn Trent and Cla-Val) |
Amount | £100,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | CIEW_P76445 |
Organisation | Severn Trent Water |
Sector | Private |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2021 |
End | 03/2025 |
Description | Safe Smart Systems |
Amount | £7,500,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Ofwat |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 04/2022 |
End | 04/2025 |
Title | BWFLnet + data |
Description | This dataset is supplementary data for: Waldron, A., Pecci, F., Stoianov, I. (2020). Regularization of an Inverse Problem for Parameter Estimation in Water Distribution Networks. Journal of Water Resources and Planning Management, 146(9):04020076 (https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)WR.1943-5452.0001273). The files associated with this dataset are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. Any use of this dataset must credit the authors by citing the above paper. BWFLnet is an operational network in Bristol, UK, operated by Bristol Water in collaboration with the InfraSense Labs at Imperial College London and Cla-Val Ltd. The data provided is a the product of a long term research partnership between Bristol Water, Infrasense Labs at Imperial College London and Cla-Val on the design and control of dynamically adaptive networks. We acknowledge the financial support of EPSRC (EP/P004229/1, Dynamically Adaptive and Resilient Water Supply Networks for a Sustainable Future). All data provided is recorded hydraulic data with locations and names anonymised. The authors hope that the publication of this dataset will facilitate the reproducibility of research in hydraulic model calibration as well as broader research in the water distribution sector. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2020 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | The data provided is a the product of a long term research partnership between Bristol Water, Infrasense Labs at Imperial College London and Cla-Val on the design and control of dynamically adaptive networks, as supported by EPSRC (EP/P004229/1, Dynamically Adaptive and Resilient Water Supply Networks for a Sustainable Future). This is a unique data set, which captures the hydraulic conditions in an operational water supply network with unprecedented spatial and temporal resolution, The dataset aims to facilitate the reproducibility of research in hydraulic model calibration as well as broader research in the water distribution sector. |
URL | https://data.mendeley.com/datasets/srt4vr5k38/3 |
Description | Anglian Water Services |
Organisation | Anglian Water Services |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Computational methods and concepts for the upgrade (design) and control of water distribution networks, which dynamically adapt their connectivity and hydraulic conditions in order to improve their resilience and sustainability. Applied and fundamental research to facilitate the transition from existing single-feed (and sectorised) water distribution networks into dynamically adaptive, multi-feed and resilient networks. |
Collaborator Contribution | PhD funding. The financial support of an experimental programme. The exchange of operational knowledge. A steering panel member for the Adaptive Networks Interest Group, which I have setup to support the Fellowship Programme. |
Impact | Technology development and gathering operational and scientific evidence to influence best practices and Ofwat decisions for AMP7 (Asset Management Period 7, 2020-2025) with regards to the design and operation of resilient water distribution networks. |
Start Year | 2017 |
Description | Bristol Water |
Organisation | Bristol Water plc |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Fundamental and applied research into the formulation and solution of multi-objective control problems to minimise average zone pressure (AZP) and zonal pressure variations (PVZ). A "Field Lab" demonstrator, which is part of the operational networks of Bristol Water. The "Field Lab" demonstrator serves a population of 10,000 customer connections. A unique set of control trials and experiments to generate data to facilitate the fundamental research. |
Collaborator Contribution | PhD funding. An extensive technical support to access sites, and maintain monitoring and control equipment. |
Impact | The advanced control implemented in the "Field Lab" has guaranteed the continuous supply of potable water to customers during an unprecedented period of pipe failures in February, 2018. The work is recognised by the UK Water industry as a template for improving the resilience of water supply networks. The research was nominated for an award by the Water Industry Awards 2018 (the winners will be announced in May, 2018). |
Start Year | 2017 |
Description | Cla-Val Ltd |
Organisation | Cla-val (UK) Ltd |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Fundamental and applied research in hydraulic control systems. An extensive experimental programme at Imperial College London, Cla-Val Lab in Switzerland and Bristol Water (Field Lab). Contributions: (i) the development of modelling tools for robust flow estimation; (ii) the development of computational optimisation methods for the operation of control valves; (iii) the development of advanced pilot control systems for diaphragm operated valves, which resulted in a product release at the Global Leakage Summit 2018 (March, 2018). A major outcome is the development of a robust methodology for the estimation of background leakage in water distribution networks by combining our advances in monitoring, control and analytical methods. A patent is currently filed via Imperial Innovations. |
Collaborator Contribution | PhD funding. Support of the experimental programme. Development and productising of the proposed pilot systems for the control of diaphragm actuated globe valves. |
Impact | The design and control of resilient water distribution networks; and the enabling monitoring and control technologies. The work has been nominated as a finalist in the UK Water Industry Achievements Award 2018 (the winners will be announced on the 21st of May, 2018). |
Start Year | 2017 |
Description | Collaboration with ResiWater (a French-German Research Programme on secure sensor networks and model-based assessment tools for increasing the resilience of urban infrastructure) |
Organisation | IRSTEA National Research Institute Science and Technology |
Country | France |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | An invited speaker to the ResiWater annula conference (29-30th Jan, 2018). Joint research focusing on (i) the development of quantitative metrics for assessing the resilience of water distribution networks and systems; (ii) the development of pressure-driven hydraulic modelling methods; (iii) the development of a probabilistic cost benefit analysis for the implementation of advanced pressure control methods. |
Collaborator Contribution | Joint research focusing on (i) the development of quantitative metrics for assessing the resilience of water distribution networks and systems; (ii) the development of pressure-driven hydraulic modelling methods; (iii) the development of a probabilistic cost benefit analysis for the implementation of advanced pressure control methods. |
Impact | It is a multi-disciplinary collaboration: Pipe Hydraulics, Computational Optimisation, Economics. The collaboration started in 2017 and it is gradually evolving. |
Start Year | 2017 |
Description | Dynamically Adaptive Control for Improving the Resilience of Water Supply Networks |
Organisation | Severn Trent Water |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Computational and mathematical optimisation methods for the design and control of water supply networks, which dynamically adapt their connectivity and hydraulic conditions. |
Collaborator Contribution | Access to their infrastructure (operational water supply networks). Substantial input for the formulation of the design, control and optimisation problems. The setup of a "field lab" area, where the developed methods and technologies for dynamically adaptive networks are implemented and tested over a long period of time and under different operational scenarios. The research is being applied for the redesign of the water supply network for Birmingham (the second largest city in the UK). |
Impact | PhD studentship, which started in October 2021. The research is being applied for the redesign of the water supply network for Birmingham (the second largest city in the UK). |
Start Year | 2021 |
Description | Suez |
Organisation | GDF Suez |
Country | France |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | The formulation of performance metrics and hydraulically enhanced graph-based methods for Dynamically Adaptive Water Supply Networks such as resilience and observability. Multi-scale multi-objective optimisation for both reducing pressure and improving the resilience of networks. |
Collaborator Contribution | PhD funding. Provision of case studies (models of complex water distribution networks) |
Impact | The collaboration is at an early stage. A multi-disciplinary collaboration: computer science, computational optimisation, complex systems, hydraulic analysis. |
Start Year | 2017 |
Title | Method for automatically maintaining and improving a hydraulic model for a water distribution network, and controlling the operation of a water distribution network using the maintained hydraulic model |
Description | Method for automatically maintaining and improving a hydraulic model for a water distribution network, and controlling the operation of a water distribution network using the maintained hydraulic model. |
IP Reference | P202783GB |
Protection | Patent application published |
Year Protection Granted | 2021 |
Licensed | Yes |
Impact | It is in the process of productising by Inflowmatix Ltd (a SUEZ owned company) |
Company Name | Inflowmatix |
Description | Inflowmatix is developing hardware to monitor water flow and pipe health for utilities providers, allowing them to diagnose and manage unwanted changes in pressure. |
Year Established | 2015 |
Impact | Novel and unique solutions and business models to enable water utilities to better control their water supply networks in order to reduce leakage, energy use and interruptions to supply. I founded the company in 2015 (before my EPSRC Fellowship). However, in June, 2021, SUEZ acquired Inflowmatix Ltd to "enhance its portfolio of digital solutions with a unique offering to ensure the performance and resilience of water distribution networks" . In February 2021, SUEZ presented their financial results for FY 2020 to shareholders and reported that the integration of monitoring technologies and analytical solutions from Inflowmatix Ltd (and Imperial College London, my EPSRC Fellowship) into the SUEZ's AQUADVANCED suite of digital solutions had supported a €4.7 billion order intake in 2020 . Refer to: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/231776/imperial-water-technology-startup-inflowmatix-acquired/ https://www.suez.com/en/finance/financial-information/results-and-key-figures [From the link, Select 2020, and refer to FY 2020 Presentation, slide 13]. SUEZ funded a PhD student under my supervision (as part of my EPSRC Fellowship, Dr Joy Ulusoy), which introduced SUEZ to my research and also technology transfer via Inflowmatix Ltd.. |
Website | http://www.inflowmatix.com |
Description | Imperial Science Festival 2018 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | A display of the technologies I have developed for the control of dynamically adaptive water distribution networks at the Imperial College Science Festival 2018. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | Setup an Adaptive Networks Interest Group (ANsIG) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | I have setup an Adaptive Networks Interest Group (ANsIG) in order to actively engage water utilities and technology companies in motivating and integrating the fundamental and applied research, and validating and refining the developed design and control methods. The joint support of ANsIG and the Grantham Institute provides an invaluable route for communicating and disseminating the outcomes of the Fellowship research so these could be successfully transitioned to industry-wide best practices. The ANsIG meets every 3-4 months to focus on particular operational topics. The topics covered so far: pressure control and networks resilience. The next workshop is in May, 2018 and it covers robust methods for estimating background leakage by utilising advances in monitoring and control developed by Dr Ivan Stoianov. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017,2018 |
URL | http://www.imperial.ac.uk/resilient-water-networks |
Description | Student Recruitment and Outreach (Visit St Pauls Way Trust, London E3) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | A school visit as part of the Imperial College Student Recruitment and Outreach Programme. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |