Comparison of pumping regimes for water distribution systems to minimize cost and greenhouse gases

Abstract

A single-objective optimization model has been developed for water distribution system (WDS) pumping operations, considering five different types of pump operating regimes. These regimes use tank trigger levels, scheduling, and a combination of both to control pumps. A new toolkit development to alter rule-based controls in hydraulic simulation software has allowed more complex pump operating regimes than have previously been considered to be optimized. The performance of each of the regimes is compared with respect to two different objectives: cost and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, which were optimized separately to allow the comparison of regimes to be made more clearly. Two case study networks, including one that represents a segment of the South Australian WDS, illustrate the effectiveness of the model. Time-based scheduling operating strategies were found to perform better than the other types of pump operating regimes. Significant cost savings were achieved for the South Australian case study network compared with its current operation.