Microwave Architectures for Wireless Mobile Monitoring Networks Inside Water Distribution Conduits

The paper presents an innovative solution for the realization of mobile wireless sensors able to flow without any restraint in conduits used for liquid transportation. The communication scheme shows effectiveness also in underground pipelines. The wireless device is interfaced with a pressure sensor and has been waterproofed so that its insertion within pipes filled of liquid has been made possible. The microwave components are designed to optimize the transmission towards the ground surface, while the form of the radome has been chosen to avoid unwanted rotations of the transmitting antenna, preventing link degradations. The introduced technological solution has been experimentally validated in a controlled scenario, where an ¿ad-hoc¿ wireless sensor network has been specifically designed and realized. Communication analyses on water pipes having different dimensions, collocated at varying depths in the ground, down to 2.5 m, have been performed. Results show the exploitability and reliability of the proposed platform.