November 2007
Special edition from the:
Haestad Methods Solution Center
Flushing Simulation: New in WaterCAD and WaterGEMS
Learn how the new Flushing Simulation module in WaterCAD and WaterGEMS can help you optimize flushing programs with multiple conventional and unidirectional flushing (UDF) events in a single run.
The new Bentley SELECT Update (SU3) for WaterCAD and WaterGEMS includes, among other new features and enhancements, a Flushing Simulation module that will help utilities and municipalities plan, analyze, and optimize flushing programs to control and improve water quality in their water distribution systems. The new module is included with both WaterCAD and WaterGEMS ad no additional cost. Bentley SELECT subscribers can immediately download this new update to start optimizing flushing programs in their water distribution infrastructure.
The importance of Flushing Simulation
Water distribution system flushing is an important tool for controlling water quality throughout the network. Flushing stirs up and removes sediments from mains and removes poor quality water from the system, replacing it with fresh water from the source. Flushing is usually accomplished by opening one or more hydrants in a planned pattern. The usual rule of thumb for flushing is to always flush with clean water behind you, meaning that hydrants should be operated to pull the freshest water into the area being flushed.
Flushing programs usually start at the source and move out through the system. Unfortunately, operators conducting the flushing program cannot see what is occurring in the mains, or measure parameters like velocity or flow rate in pipes. Water distribution models provide a way to look into the pipes and obtain an indication of how a flushing program will work.
Flushing Simulation in WaterCAD and WaterGEMS
The new Flushing Simulation module – included at no additional cost in both WaterCAD and WaterGEMS – can be used to simulate the effect of flushing water distribution systems. The implementation of the new module is oriented toward increasing velocity in mains to flush out solids and stale water, with the primary indicator of the success of flushing being the maximum velocity achieved in any pipe during the flushing operation.
There are two types of flushing that can be simulated using the new module:
- Conventional Flushing: Consists of opening up hydrants one at a time without any isolation valve operation.
- Unidirectional Flushing (UDF): Consists of one or more hydrants while isolation valves (or pipes) may be closed to control the direction of flow.
Depending on the target velocities and layout of the system, conventional flushing is often adequate. Unidirectional flushing will improve velocity although it requires additional labor and input data. A recommended workflow is to first simulate conventional flushing strategies and then identify areas which are not adequately flushed and require unidirectional flushing. If a secondary goal is to test the operation of every hydrant, then conventional flushing is usually adequate, while if valve exercising is also a goal, unidirectional flushing becomes more attractive.
The following is a summarized Flushing Simulation workflow using WaterCAD or WaterGEMS:
1. Start with a calibrated model with all meaningful pipes included
For flushing analysis, it is recommended to start from an all-pipe model. Ideally, the model should contain every hydrant and isolating valve at its exact location. This is especially important for UDF because the location of a hydrant relative to the closed valves is very important.
2. Input data:
Using the Flushing Alternative, the modeler needs to specify a target velocity, the group of pipes to be evaluated (selection set or all pipes), and global or local flow emitter coefficients. Hydrant flows may be specified directly in flow units or as an emitter coefficient. Because hydrant flow is a function of pressure and the user does not usually know the pressure at the hydrant beforehand, it is more accurate to specify the emitter coefficient.
3. Specify constraints and reporting options:
The user can specify constraints such as a minimum system pressure so flushing will not allow the pressure to drop below a value specified by the user. The modeler can also choose to report on nodes that dropped below a given minimum pressure during any flush to check if flushing will adversely affect customers.
4. Create Conventional and/or Unidirectional Flushing events
For Conventional Flushing events the user can either create events one by one or streamline the event creation process by asking the model to create a flushing event for a group of hydrants or all hydrants in the system.
Unidirectional Flushing events are more complex and additional information is required to describe the event. For each Unidirectional Flushing event the user needs to specify the elements to be flowed (in the case of a multi hydrant flush) and pick isolating valve or pipe elements to be operated during the event.
5. Running the Flushing Simulation and analyzing results
Once one or more flushing scenarios have been created, the modeler just needs to set up the calculation type option to “Flushing” and hit the Compute button in WaterCAD or WaterGEMS. The flushing results can be viewed several ways:
Customized FlexTables Flushing report: This overall summary report contains the results of all flushing runs. For each pipe the table provides key results for the flushing event such as the maximum velocity achieved, whether that velocity achieved the target velocity, and which flushing event yielded the maximum velocity in the pipe.
Flushing Results Navigator: For more in depth viewing of flushing results, the Flushing Results Navigator allows you to easily switch between flushing events to view results in color coding, the property grid, and FlexTables for that specific event. Red lines in the left drawing show the pipes that were flushed using the magenta hydrant in the UDF run. The green pipes around it are those that were closed to obtain these high velocities.
Using color-coding and advanced symbology: A good way to get an overview of flushing operations is to color code the drawing by Maximum Velocity. This will indicate which pipes reached a high velocity at a glance.
What else is new with SELECT Update 3?
In addition to the new Flushing Module, the new SELECT Update for WaterCAD and WaterGEMS includes, at no additional cost, the following new features and enhancements:
- Leak calibration: A new Darwin Calibrator enhancement that points the user in the direction of likely leaks.
- Hydropneumatic tank element: A new element that improves hydropneumatic tank EPS modeling and facilitates import from HAMMER for transient modeling).
- HAMMER Integration: A WaterCAD or WaterGEMS model is now a HAMMER model. Many new elements in WaterCAD and WaterGEMS to accommodate HAMMER such as surge tanks, air valves, and rupture discs.
- VSP suction side improvements: Variable Speed Pumps can now handle suction side controls and fixed flow settings.
- Hydrant element improvement: Additional behavior for hydrant elements has been added including lateral losses and a default emitter coefficient.
- Time series data import: For graphing of SCADA data for EPS calibration
- Compliance with new platforms: Support for ArcGIS 9.2, MicroStation 8.9.4 and AutoCAD 2008.
WaterCAD and WaterGEMS SELECT Update 3: Download instructions
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Mapping Water Losses: A Success Story
Few businesses can operate with annual inventory shrinkage of 20 percent or more. Yet, that’s the situation faced by water utilities around the world, and it's a problem that can be easily addressed with the right tools.
As featured in vector1media.com
Author: Jack Cook, Vice President Water Asset Solutions for Bentley
Summary:
Few businesses can operate for long while experiencing annual inventory shrinkage of 20 percent or more. Yet, that’s the situation faced by water utilities around the world as their distribution systems regularly pour treated, potable water down the proverbial drain. Water loss represents a major fraction of non-revenue water (NRW), and it's a problem that is easily addressed with the right tools.
The problem is, existing leak detection processes are time-consuming and costly. An interesting research effort at Bentley’s Haestad Methods Solution Center in Watertown, CT, is seeking to develop an innovative, cost-effective strategy for estimating the location and extent of hidden leakage. The leak detection approach proposed applies genetic algorithms (GA), a search technique based upon the principles of natural evolution and genetic reproduction.
Led by Bentley’s Dr. Zheng Wu, the study applies “fast-messy” GAs to optimally calibrate models and plan their operation. Dr. Wu had linked arms with Paul Sage, modeling development manager for United Utilities PLC in the United Kingdom, to jointly develop a technique for determining the most likely locations to concentrate exploration for underground leakage in systems. Their goal was to discover a way to apply Bentley’s WaterGEMS technology to the problem. They had worked for several months, presented some preliminary findings at a couple of industry conferences, and were now ready to apply the technology on a large system – one for which a major leak had already been discovered. If this new technique could “find” the known leak, that would be a great proof-of-concept that might lead to wider adoption at the utility.
So, the two partners set up the simulations, letting the optimizing algorithms cook away, only to deliver a result that was a disappointing negative finding. The new approach failed to zero in on the known leak. This is the modeling equivalent of a missile test-launch failure. But how could it happen?
Please click to continue reading the full article as featured in vector1media.com
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Ease-of-Use: #1 in Water Modeling
Results of the first national water resources modeling survey determine that ease-of-use is the foremost requirement for modeling engineers, and that Bentley’s Haestad Methods products are the easiest to use.
Water modeling solutions vendors invest a great deal of time and money in research and development to create innovative tools and features that benefit their users and help them compete for market share. This concurrent effort leaves users with large bullet lists that make the decision-making process fairly complex. So, what do water modelers actually look for when shopping for a water modeling software product?
Ease of use: #1 in modeling
Ease of use is the new champion of water modeling based on the first national water resources modeling survey. The survey, commissioned by Bentley, was conducted across the readership of CE News’ Civil Connection, a leading civil engineering newsletter published by ZweigWhite. More than 800 water modeling software users around the country voted for their favorite attribute and Ease of Use obtained the first place.
>> Detailed survey results
Haestad Methods products: #1 in Ease of use
In a different section of the survey, respondents were asked about their perception and opinion about the main software vendors in this industry. Ease of use was the focus of one of the questions, and products from Bentley (Haestad Methods) were found to be the easiest to use with more than twice as many votes as the #2 provider.
>> Detailed survey results
“It comes as no surprise that ease of use is a top priority. Hydraulic modeling is complex by nature and can consume a great deal of an engineer’s time,” says Charley Ferrucci, vice president, Bentley Water Asset Solutions. “Our investment in usability improves productivity in all three critical stages of the modeling process: model building and setup, calibration, and results analysis. This means our users can spend more time doing what they know best: engineering.”
THANK YOU! – Join Us in Celebrating #1
Developing the industry’s #1 water resources modeling software would not be possible without the support, collaboration, and priceless feedback of our users at utilities, municipalities, and civil engineering firms around the world. Please join us in celebrating #1 by enjoying great deals on the industry’s favorite water modeling products:
# 1 WATER DISTRIBUTION MODELING SOLUTIONS:
WaterCAD and WaterGEMS
# 1 TRANSIENT ANALYSIS SOLUTION:
HAMMER
#1 WASTEWATER CONVEYANCE MODELING SOLUTIONS:
SewerCAD and SewerGEMS
#1 STORMWATER MODELING SOLUTIONS:
StormCAD and CivilStorm
#1 GENERAL HYDRAULICS APPLICATIONS:
FlowMaster and CulvertMaster
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CivilStorm new pricing: Get more for less
New pricing and more size options are available for CivilStorm, Bentley’s fully-dynamic stormwater modeling solution. Get more interoperability, more dynamic engine types, and more productivity for less!
Bentley is pleased to announce the availability of new sizes and pricing for both the standard and AutoCAD versions of CivilStorm, its fully-dynamic stormwater modeling solution. By popular demand, affordable 1,000- and 250-link versions of CivilStorm are now available for purchase.
STANDARD VERSION:
Includes Stand-alone + MicroStation integration.
Price drops $2,000 and up! – Select a link size to request a quote today:
10 links | 50 links | New: 250 links | New: 1000 links | Unlimited links
AUTOCAD VERSION:
Includes Stand-alone + MicroStation integration + AutoCAD integration.
Price drops $2,000 and up! – Select a link size to request a quote today:
10 links | 50 links | New: 250 links | New: 1000 links | Unlimited links
More Interoperability…for less:
Right out of the box, you can work in a straight-forward, scaled, stand-alone environment, and also harness MicroStation's advanced 3D modeling and geospatial features. AutoCAD users can choose to add the powerful AutoCAD integration features to layout CivilStorm models within a familiar drafting environment.
More dynamic engine types…for less:
With CivilStorm you can run two fully-dynamic engines to account for storage in your network structures, quantify overflow volumes, calculate flow splits, and handle complex looped systems. Use CivilStorm's implicit engine to solve the full St. Venant equations with stunning performance and numerical robustness, or the industry-standard EPA-SWMM engine for compliance with NPDES water quality regulations.
More productivity…for less:
Time-saving features help you streamline data entry and leave you more time for engineering and decision-making. Use flexible tabular reports, maintain your own engineering attribute libraries for faster data input, create persistent multi-parameter queries, and manage engineering units on the fly.
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2008 Water Loss Seminar and Workshop
Registrations are now open for this must-attend event. Learn about the latest modeling technology for water loss detection and reduction from experts around the world. January 28-30, Marbella, Spain.
Registration is now open for Water Loss Seminar and Workshop 2008, taking place Jan. 28-30 at the Barceló Hotel in Marbella, Spain. At this two-day event, being held in conjunction with the Water and Environmental Exchange (WEX), renowned experts will discuss the latest research and development work on managing and reducing water loss in water distribution systems.
Water losses, including leakage, are top issues in cities with very old piping systems or deteriorated infrastructure. “Leakage rates are over 40 percent in Italy, and they are even higher in other countries,” explains Professor Ezio Todini, Ph.D., University of Bologna, Italy. “To reduce these losses, it is critical that water distribution professionals learn how to efficiently design new networks and rehabilitate existing ones.”
The panel-led seminars will look at water loss research being conducted by the academic community, as well as approaches being used and progress being made by engineers at public and private companies in dealing with water losses. At the two half-day, hands-on workshops attendees will learn how to locate and reduce water losses using the modeling technology provided by Bentley’s WaterGEMS and WaterCAD V8 XM – leading solutions in the Haestad Methods product line for the analysis and design of water distribution systems.
While the agenda is nearly finalized, time slots are still available for case studies from utilities that outline their experiences in addressing the water-loss problem. To submit an abstract of a presentation or a paper, or to learn more about the costs, location, and agenda for Water Loss Seminar and Workshop 2008, please visit www.bentley.com/WaterLoss08
The Water and Environmental Exchange (WEX):
WEX is an action-oriented summit for leaders in water taking place Jan. 30-Feb. 1, 2008. Its unique format, which combines a conference and one-on-one business meetings, enables delegates to:
- Network with fellow leaders in world-class organizations across the international water sector
- Preselect an intensive program of private meetings with potential clients, investors, partners, and suppliers
- Exchange information with the world’s leading experts in both the public and private sectors
- Find out how the leading-edge practitioners are solving problems in the world of water
- Establish sustainable collaboration and innovation among stakeholders
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