Title

Wrmt Case Study: Gis With Rule-Based Expert System For Optimal Planning Of Sensor Network In Drinking Water Systems

Abstract

This paper provides a case study in the application of the concepts of the Water Resource Management Technologies technology transfer concept presented at the 2009 conference. The Technology Transfer Model[1]. The Center for Water Resource Studies at Western Kentucky University promotes and facilitates a public/private sector partnership focused on the development and transfer of water resource management technologies that specifically target the small to medium sized industry market. This market includes municipalities, water and wastewater utilities and districts serving populations less than 25,000, local and state government agencies, commercial and non-profit organizations providing engineering, scientific, technical, financial, managerial and analytical services, and the industry relevant trade associations. The size and scope of services needed/offered in this market sector tend to limit the rate of return of product development investment, and, as a result, only a few companies tend to invest in this sector. The partnership integrates small technology startup entrepreneurial firms with the end-user/target market sector and the water resource technology development capacity of the partnering universities to facilitate the translation of market need into technological concept, development, transfer and commercialization. The needs and capacity of the target market dictate a highvolume, low-margin approach to be commercially feasible, and so is typically under-served. By relying on small startup firms for commercialization, and minimizing licensing burden, the partnership promotes a technology development and transfer model process that is sustainable. The partnership focuses on developing processes for rapid identification, development, transfer and commercialization of incremental advances in technology that have an immediate benefit on the target market. The key to success of the partnership is the adoption of the successful "Red Hat Business Model," that relies on integrating the enduser into an open product development process. Key principles incorporated into such a business model include a "first-to-market" philosophy, a highly responsive consumer feedback process, and a balanced reliance on product service and intellectual property protection for commercialization. The Technology. Emergency Response Plans (ERP) for water supply systems are now required under the Bioterrorism Act of 2002[2]. Community water systems the U.S. are required to perform a Vulnerability Assessment (VA) and incorporate it into their ERP. An increased reliance by rural communities on sensor networks over traditional manual sampling campaigns is a likely outcome of this requirement[3]. The technical goal of this work is to develop a rules-based decision support tool integrated into in a Geographical Information System (GIS). This system will serve as the platform for incorporating sensor placement, sensitivity and system responsiveness rules that will simplify the adoption of lowcost Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems by small utilities as a tool in the ERP. The Case Study. This paper tracks the development of this technology from concept, through an evolutionary process involving sequential refinement and adaptation as different funding opportunities and priorities are realized into its current form and commercialization stage under the WRMT model. © American Society for Engineering Education, 2010.

Publication Date

1-1-2010

Publication Title

ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, Conference Proceedings

Number of Pages

-

Document Type

Article; Proceedings Paper

Personal Identifier

scopus

Socpus ID

85029118088 (Scopus)

Source API URL

https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/85029118088

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