Fiberflux/Dali Turning pipelines into intelligent sensing networks
A modular inspection system that detects water loss before it becomes visible damage.
Challenge
Across Belgium alone, more than 60,000 km of water pipelines are in use, with around 25% of treated water lost to leaks. Many of these pipelines are over 100 years old, cannot be taken out of service, and their internal condition is often unknown. When failures occur, the impact can be severe, making early and reliable inspection both essential and hard to achieve.
Solution
Together with Fiberflux and Fluves, we helped bring DALI Pipeline Monitoring to life, a modular in-pipe inspection system using a fiber optic cable to detect issues or anomalies over long distances. We co-engineered the system that brings this sensing capability into live pipelines and enables safe, controlled operation throughout the entire process.
Comate quickly understood the complexity of what we were building. Their structured approach and hands-on engineering mindset made them a reliable partner throughout the entire development process.
APPROACH From concept to integrated system
We started by translating a complex situation into clear and measurable requirements. The system had to work inside large, pressurized pipelines, often over long distances and without direct access once deployed.
Together with Fiberflux, we defined how the system should behave in real use. That includes normal operation, but also situations like obstacles in the pipeline or loss of control.
Because full-scale testing is not always possible, we focused on building and testing smaller subsystems. This allowed us to validate key functions step by step, while building confidence in the overall system.
At the same time, all materials and components had to meet strict drinking water standards. These requirements were included from the start and guided the design throughout the project.
This way, we combined clear structure with flexibility, resulting in a system that is reliable in real-world conditions.
DEVELOPMENT Engineering for real-world conditions
We developed a complete system to insert, transport, and retrieve a fiber optic cable inside pressurized drinking water pipelines. This includes tooling to introduce the cable into a closed pipeline under pressure, without requiring prior access points.
Once inside, the system moves the cable through the pipeline over long distances. At the end of the trajectory, a dedicated mechanism captures the cable and allows it to be brought back out for further use or analysis.
A key part of the system is a controlled release mechanism. It allows operators to stop or reverse the process at any moment, even under higher pulling forces or in case of unexpected obstacles.
To make this possible over long distances, the system uses the fiber itself as a communication channel. This avoids the limitations of traditional wiring or wireless signals inside buried, metallic infrastructure.
KEY FEATURES A fully integrated inspection solution
- In-line fiber optic sensing
Transforms the pipeline into a continuous monitoring system by capturing acoustic data over long distances.
- Pressurized insertion system
Allows the cable to be introduced into live pipelines without interrupting operation.
- Controlled release mechanism
Enables safe interruption and retrieval of the system at any point during operation.
- End-of-line retrieval system
Captures and extracts the cable after completing its trajectory inside the pipeline.
- Ready for field conditions
Built for use in confined spaces and demanding environments.
THE RESULT From reactive maintenance to predictive control
DALI enables water utilities to shift from reacting to failures to actively preventing them. By detecting leaks earlier and more accurately, operators can drastically reduce water loss and avoid costly repairs.
The system brings intelligence directly into pipelines, enabling continuous monitoring without interrupting service. This opens the door to inspecting critical infrastructure that was previously difficult to access.
For Fiberflux, this results in a robust platform that performs in real-world conditions. For water utilities, it provides better insight into their network and more control over when to intervene.
Together with Fiberflux and Fluves, we translated a complex engineering challenge into a practical system that can scale across water networks worldwide.
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