Optimal Pressure Sensor Placement in Water Distribution Networks Minimizing Leak Location Uncertainty

In this paper an optimal sensor placement strategy based on pressure sensitivity matrix analysis and an exhaustive search strategy that maximizes some diagnosis specifications for a water distribution network is presented. An average worst leak expansion distance as a new leak location performance measure has been proposed. This metric is later used to assess the leak location uncertainty provided by a sensor configuration. The method is combined with a clustering technique in order to reduce the size and the complexity of the sensor placement problem. The strategy is successfully applied to determine the location of a set of pressure sensors in a district metered area in the Barcelona water distribution network.