Hydraulic Analysis and Cost Optimization of Water Network by Using the EPANET Software

Abstract

The large water network leads to a large set ofnonlinear equations that need to be solved by either byHard Darcy or Newton Raphson methods. Those twomethods need a large code to analyze and simulate thenetwork which takes large time. EPANET software can do ahydraulic analysis of the water network. In addition, thesoftware can run with time duration which means that theresult can be obtained as function in time. However, writinga code gives the result in the steady state manner becausethe Bernoulli’s equation was derived under the assumptionof steady state. In this paper, a hydraulic analysis of waternetwork of town of about 7000 population under an area of0.6 km2and 2125 m3/day water demand is done by gettingthe nodal pressure, pipe discharge, and total head at thesignificant time hour of the day by using the EPANETsoftware. Also, an optimization is done to minimize theenergy cost of the electricity by the investigation of whatminimum level that the tank discharge water without usinga pump. Therefore, nine hours make the network operate bygravity main and 15 hours by pumping main. That can bedone only by EPANET software result table that show howmany hours that can make the pump off instead of using itthe whole day. The energy cost minimized by 38 %.