The optimum monitoring location of pressure in water distribution system

Abstract

This study proposes two methods for the determination of optimum monitoring locations of pressure changes in a water distribution system. A sensitivity analysis method is used to calculate the pressure change in a junction due to the change in demand at other junctions. A pressure contribution analysis method is used to calculate the summation of pressure contribution of a junction due to the change in demand at another junction. These methods are applied to a small sample pipe network, pilot plant, and small distribution system for verification. Furthermore, unsteady analysis of the sample pipe network and an experiment in the pilot plant are conducted to verify the availability and accuracy of the proposed methods. To verify the methods, leakage at J-55 was artificially produced at the pilot plant. The pressure change was measured at five different combination groups of sensor locations. From the results, it was found that the top ranked group of sensor locations, J-116, J-140, J-22, and J-68, had the highest pressure contributions and sensitivity. The results of the newly developed methods for the determination of monitoring locations are in good agreement with the results of the unsteady analysis. Finally, the proposed methods are applied to a real distribution system of a small city as a test bed. It is found that the proposed methods for determining the monitoring locations of pressure changes in the water distribution system are useful and effective.