Direct‐Reading Electric Analyzer for Pipeline Networks

Abstract

losses for all pipelines in a network or to determine, from a single measurement, the value of total head loss between any two points in the network. Since the method is rapid and flexible, it permits comparisons of performance to be made easily among alternate plans proposed for extensions to or improvements in the pipeline network and its sources of supply. The advantages of the direct electrical-analogy method can be understood by comparing it with the two general procedures now used. One procedure is to compute the values of head losses and flow rates by trial and error, using either of two schemes. For large networks, the relaxation method may be employed (1, 2), but the necessary repetitive work often discourages its use. For small networks, the linear approximation method (3) saves time compared with the relaxation method, but it also requires considerable calculation. The other general procedure is to evaluate the flows and head losses