Epistemic demand analysis for fresh water supply of Chinese restaurants

Abstract

In order to design a cost-effective and eco-efficient fresh water supply system for Chinese restaurants, a better understanding of the simultaneous water demands in these restaurants is essential. Taking the professional evaluation practice and actual on-site measurements into account, this study examines the probable maximum demands of the water supply system for some Chinese restaurants in Hong Kong using the Bayesian approach. The installed capacities, usage patterns, flow rates and `per customer' hourly demands of tea urns, dishwashers, kitchen sinks and washbasins employed in a typical Chinese restaurant were evaluated. With the assumption of normally distributed discharge probability, the fixture units of these appliances were estimated for local Chinese restaurants; comparisons with the existing design values were also made. The posterior results, which showed that the sinks for tea urn and dishwasher required bigger plant capacity, would be useful for updating the calculation of water demands in certain Chinese restaurants to justify the installation cost. Practical application: The probable maximum demands of the water supply system for some Chinese restaurants in Hong Kong were examined using the Bayesian approach; the fixture units of tea urns, dishwashers, kitchen sinks and washbasins employed in a typical Chinese restaurant were estimated for local Chinese restaurants. The results showed that the sinks for tea urn and dishwasher required bigger plant capacity, would be useful for updating the calculation of water demands in certain Chinese restaurants to justify the installation cost.