In the realm of energy and infrastructure monitoring, a team of researchers from the University of Waterloo, led by Roshan Nepal and including Brandon Brown, Shishangbo Yu, Roozbeh Abbasi, Norman Zhou, and George Shaker, has developed a novel water leak detector that operates without batteries or local gateways. Their work, published in the IEEE Internet of Things Journal, presents a self-powered solution that could have significant implications for the energy sector, particularly in water management and infrastructure monitoring.
The researchers have designed a water leak sensor that harnesses energy from its surroundings to function. At the heart of the device is a dual compartment electrochemical harvester, which generates electricity from the presence of water. This energy is then stored in a supercapacitor, which is charged by a low input boost converter. Once sufficient energy is accumulated, a comparator gated LTE-M radio, built on the Nordic Thingy:91 platform, is activated to send cloud beacons indicating the presence of a water leak.
The practical applications of this technology in the energy sector are manifold. For instance, in water distribution networks, such battery-less sensors could be deployed at various points to monitor for leaks, reducing water waste and the energy required for pumping and treating lost water. The sensors’ ability to operate without local gateways and their compatibility with standard cellular protocols make them suitable for deployment in remote or infrastructure-scarce regions, including future non-terrestrial 5G networks.
Moreover, the self-powered nature of these sensors means they can be deployed in hard-to-reach or hazardous locations without the need for regular battery replacements, reducing maintenance costs and improving safety. The researchers’ laboratory tests have confirmed that the system can be awakened from a dormant state in the presence of water, harvest sufficient energy, and issue repeated cloud beacons using the water exposure as the power source.
In conclusion, this innovative water leak detector represents a significant step forward in the development of self-powered, battery-less sensors for the energy sector. By eliminating the need for batteries and local gateways, the technology offers a more sustainable, cost-effective, and versatile solution for monitoring water infrastructure and beyond. The research was published in the IEEE Internet of Things Journal, a reputable source for advancements in IoT technologies.
This article is based on research available at arXiv.