Sophisticated water network analysis

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April 2001 Analytical Instrumentation & Environmental Monitoring

Increased profitability usually starts with an increase in efficient application of resources. Using a single set of demand parameters for designing a water network will not produce optimum results. Rather, analysis and design through a complete cycle must be performed using realistic demands.

Portion of the Thabazimbi model during the analysis process

Aquanet, the water network analysis program supplied by Allyson Lawless, has recently been extended to allow modelling over a 52-week cycle. This means that a daily demand pattern per 15 min increments, a weekly demand pattern by day and an annual demand pattern by week may be entered into the demand pattern menu.

Aquanet is a highly interactive graphics design application running stand-alone or on Civil Designer and AutoCAD 2000 using Microsoft Access for storing the data. The application allows for time simulation, taking daily demand patterns as well as seasonal peak factors into account. When up and running, the true consumption will be compared to the theoretical model by means of linking the design and financial databases containing field readings. This will allow refining of the theoretical model for picking up possible bursts or problem areas at a glance. This ability to link databases to the network model allows for GIS type reporting and will be used as a management tool.

Aquanet boasts various methods of creating a network, eg DXF import, ASCII file import, other software file imports as well as the ability of calling up background bitmaps or DXF drawings. Using the friendly graphical interface to model the network within Aquanet, it also uses AutoCAD 3D faces or lines or 3D DXF DTM files from other software packages to interpolate ground elevations.

The software uses the powerful and tightly integrated functions of Civil Designer to load Allycad, AutoCAD and Caddie drawings, large raster images and DTMs. This allows all services to be modelled on one DTM creating one drawing showing all services, allowing clashes to be detected between services. Aquanet uses the fast and easy to use CAD functions to import the layout and whatever intelligence available on the drawing such as draw-offs, levels, diameters, etc. The positions of valves, pump stations and reservoirs may also be established from the symbols on the CAD layouts.

On-screen graphic functions allow the user to generate pipes, nodes, pump stations, valves, reservoirs, pressure release chambers, insert nodes, join pipes, insert bends, make connections, or delete pipes, nodes and fittings. When the pipe geometry has been defined, attributes may be assigned using various methods. A comprehensive range of pipe materials, valve and pump curve tables are available for selection.

During the analysis, pumps and valves may be seen kicking in or switching off depending on pressure, flow or level conditions, and time controls. Reservoirs filling and emptying are also very clearly presented graphically during the simulation process. Colour graphics of the head losses, pressures, flows, pipe sizes are produced to assist with decision making on an optimal solution.

The Aquanet product is being developed further to cover the whole workflow in water management. Future developments will include a costing module, telemetry data links, optimisation module, and more. Road, sewer, stormwater or water design will be done simply by switching between modules that run within one interface.

With these ongoing developments and future plans, Aquanet is becoming an indispensable tool for water networks modelling, design and maintenance. Being a local product, data adaptations to the local market demands are assured.

Allyson Lawless

(011) 476 4100

[email protected]

www.ally.co.za

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Sophisticated water network analysis

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