HydrOptim: Water-Energy Optimization

Optimal operation of complex water distribution networks reduces costs.

Improved, data-driven decision making about water and energy

Freshwater is a scarce resource, and it must be made available at affordable prices for society. Rises in energy prices mean water operators must produce and distribute high-quality, regulation-safe water at ever reducing cost.

ADASA’s HydrOptim is a Decision Support System (DSS) that helps water operators to meet these challenges by analysing complex supply and operational chains for medium to large-scale hydraulic distribution systems. It takes into account variables such as demand variations during the days, weeks and seasons of the year, changeable energy prices and multiple water sources with different productions costs and more. HydrOptim can support decision-making during incidents as well, to avoid service interruptions.

HydrOptim interface

A modern web-based interface allows users to draw a topology model of their distribution network easily.

A library houses all necessary components – water sources, reservoirs, treatment plants, pumping stations, water demands, open channels, pressurised pipes and more – which can be dragged and dropped into models. Each component is configured with its physical and operational characteristics; pump curves, for example.

Users can configure several scenarios for a particular topology model - for example, simulate water demands, variability of electricity tariffs or restrictions for a designated time period. Once configured, simulations are run, and the scenario transforms into a set of numerical equations that gets sent to a centralised non-linear optimisation solver.

Simulation results show how best to operate each network component so that it responds to all water demands while optimising operational costs (energy costs).

Modify constraints to create different scenarios are as desired; for example, simulate incidents or maintenance operations on pipes or pumping stations. This then helps analyse any impact on the distribution network operation so the water can continue being delivered to customers at an affordable price while minimising costs.

ADASA has developed HydrOptim in partnership with the Advance Control Systems group at the Polytechnic University of Catalonia. We advance new library components and multi-objective cost functions to optimise water supply, sewage systems, hydraulic infrastructures, hydropower and more, all as part of our continuous improvement process.

Benefits

  • Optimised operation of distribution networks delivers energy cost savings.
  • Analyse the impact of incidents, maintenance operations or operational restrictions modifications by defining multiple scenarios with our support tool.
  • Data-driven decision-making improves operational consistency.
  • Keep costs low to help meet regulated freshwater prices.
  • Deliver high-quality water to customers at affordable rates.

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