Optimal Placement of Leakage Sensors in Urban Gas Networks Based on an Ant Colony Algorithm and System Clustering

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The article "Optimal Placement of Leakage Sensors in Urban Gas Networks Based on Ant Colony Algorithm and System Clustering" is very interesting and well-written. The introduction of the article was particularly well-crafted, and the data was presented in a clear and organized format.

However, some sentences are quite long. Consider breaking these down to improve readability. For example, sentences 645-647 and 648-650 could be split for better flow. Other than that, the article was very clear and effectively explained the research.

Comments on the Quality of English Language

The English language of the article was good, but some sentences are long. They can be rewritten for clearer understanding.

Author Response

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Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The paper is well-structured and makes a significant contribution to the field of urban gas network monitoring. The proposed approach can substantially improve public safety and operational efficiency, providing an optimized solution for sensor placement. From a methodological standpoint, the combination of optimization techniques and strategic analysis of monitoring nodes, considering the physical and environmental characteristics of the location, is a major strength.

However, it would be interesting to delve deeper into the discussion on scalability and adaptation to different urban scenarios. Additionally, the combination of advanced techniques like ACO and hierarchical clustering could increase computational complexity, particularly in large networks. It would be valuable to see a more in-depth analysis of the scalability of the method and how it could be implemented in real-time in urban pipeline networks.

Although the study takes into account factors such as soil type and gas diffusion characteristics, there are other variables that may affect the system's effectiveness and could be mentioned in the paper, such as weather conditions and changes in land use over time. The analysis of how the methodology handles these variables could be further explored.

These considerations aim to ensure the paper has greater scientific impact and is more comprehensive, without detracting from the merit of the study. The text is well-structured, and the figures and flowcharts are clear and informative.

Best wishes,

Author Response

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Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 3 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Please refer to attached file.

Comments for author File: Comments.pdf

Author Response

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Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Round 2

Reviewer 3 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Please refer to attached file.

Comments for author File: Comments.pdf

Author Response

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Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Round 3

Reviewer 3 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

No more comments.

Comments on the Quality of English Language

It is fine.