Improving operational efficiency by real-time in-network distribution system monitoring and hydraulic optimization

在安大略省和全球范围内，通过提高运营效率来减少水损失和节约能源是饮用水分配系统建模的共同目标。大多数自来水公司在线监测配电系统的能力有限；大多数情况下，只在需求计量的区域水平上，这使得很难定位与泄漏、水龄和水质有关的具体问题区域。在本项目中，将采用新开发的一项专利技术，开发一个配电系统实时监测和仿真平台，用于网络内配电系统压力实时监测和区域计量区域流量监测系统，以及一个无线通信数据采集系统，该系统可以集成到水务公司的监控和数据采集系统中，以便相关数据(如功率、压力、液位、流量等)可以瞬间转移到水利实用模型。将这些数据与需求预测和水力模型接口相结合，将为公用事业人员提供一种新的操作工具，以审查供应和分配操作决策的影响。这些系统缺乏在短期内优化操作决策的能力，因此无法在很短的时间内解决具有挑战性的优化问题，也无法实现实时控制。本研究将开发一种实时优化方法来解决这个问题。优化程序将与水力模型相互作用，自动评估当前状况，并提供供应和分配建议，为作业人员提供最佳操作方案。明确量化实时控制的相对效益和最大效益的方法以及应用新颖的优化算法将是这项工作的关键成果。以圭尔夫市为例研究，潜在的好处是巨大的。例如，在整个安大略省，在供水和分配方面节省10%的电力，减少2%的失水，每年可以节省1.2亿千瓦时的电力。

In Ontario and globally, reduced water losses and energy savings from increased operational efficiency are common goals of drinking water distribution system modeling. Most water utilities have limited capabilities for on-line distribution system monitoring; most often only at the demand metered area level, making it hard to locate specific problem areas related to leakage, water age, and water quality. In this project, a real time distribution system monitoring and simulation platform will be developed using a newly developed, patented technology for real-time in-network distribution system pressure monitoring and a district metering area flow monitoring system together with a wireless communications data collection system that can be integrated into water utility supervisory control and data acquisition systems so that relevant data (e.g., power, pressure, level, flow etc.) can be instantly transferred to water utility hydraulic models. Coupling these data with demand forecasting and hydraulic model interfaces will enable a new operational tool for utility staff to review the impact of supply and distribution operational decisions. The ability to optimize operational decisions over the short term and hence solve challenging optimization problems in a very short amount of time is lacking from these systems and precludes real-time control. This research will develop a real-time optimization approach to address this problem. An optimization program will interact with a hydraulic model to automatically assess current conditions and provide supply and distribution recommendations to deliver optimal operational schemes to operations staff. A methodology for explicitly quantifying the relative and maximum benefits of real-time control and the application novel optimization algorithms will be key outcomes of this work. Using the City of Guelph as case study, the potential benefits are substantial. For example, a 10% power savings in water supply and distribution and a 2% reduction in water loss extrapolated across the province of Ontario represents a potential savings of 120 million kW-Hr of electricity per year.