Search

A novel methodology to sectorize water supply networks (WSNs) depending on a main transmission line is presented in this paper. The methodology is based on concepts derived from the social network theory and graph theory (namely, community detection and shortest path respectively); and also on a multi-objective optimization process by means of agent swarm optimization (ASO). A series of energy, operative, and economic criteria are optimized in this process. The core idea is to form sectors over the distribution network based on communities found using a community detection algorithm (Walktrap). The methodology is flexible and enables the technical staff in water utilities to make decisions at different stages. It has been tested by generating four feasible solutions over a portion of a real WSN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water network partitioning in district metering areas, or sectorization, is an important process for improving water network management. It can help water utilities to implement active leakage control, conduct pressure management, and prevent network contamination. It is generally achieved by closing some network pipes, thus reducing pipe redundancy and affecting system performance. No systematic set of performance indices has been defined to evaluate a sectorization design and thus allow for a comparison of different possible sectorizations on a formal basis. In this paper, several performance indices for water network partitioning are proposed and tested using two real water supply systems: Parete in Italy and Matamoros in Mexico. Both systems' sectorizations were previously designed by a novel effective automatic technique recently developed by the authors. For both the original and sectorized networks, the proposed performance indices considered energy dissipated in the network, network resilience, pressure variation, fire-fighting capacity, water age, and mechanical redundancy. Network resilience appears to be the most representative index for the entire network, whereas pressure variation indices are more appropriate for describing individual districts. Except for fire-fighting capacity in one network, system performance did not appear to be affected significantly after sectorization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water network partitioning represents one of the best methodologies for improving water balance and pressure control of a water distribution system in order to reduce water leakage. These techniques can be applied with greater effectiveness defining a smaller permanent network district, called a District Meter Area (DMA), achieved by the insertion of gate valves and flow meters. If the DMAs are isolated subsystems (sectors), such that each zone is fed by its water source (or water sources) by closing gate valves in the network pipes that link the DMAs, the process can be called water network sectorization (defining an isolated DMA (i-DMA)). The traditional criteria for the design of network DMAs and i-DMAs are based on empirical suggestions (number of properties, length of pipes, etc.) and on approaches such as 'trial and error', even if used together with hydraulic simulation software. Nevertheless these indications and procedures are very difficult to apply to large water supply systems because the insertion of gate valves modifies the original network layout and may worsen, also considerably, the hydraulic performance of the water network. Recently some techniques, based on graph theory principles that allow simplification of the network partitioning and sectorization, and to find optimal solutions heuristically, have been proposed in the literature. In this paper the sectorization problem has been examined comparing different techniques, proposed by the authors, using the same water networks and performance indices and testing different possible i-DMA layouts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]