Energy Dissipation Mechanisms in Water Distribution Systems

An important issue in the context of design and analysis of a water distribution system is the rate of energy dissipation of a transient disturbance. In this paper, a preliminary numerical investigation is undertaken to establish the role and significance of primary energy dissipation mechanisms commonly found in water transmission and distribution systems. The role of steady friction, unwanted leaks, topological complexity and surge control devices in the decay of transient energy is preliminarily investigated. An energy approach previously derived is reviewed and used to track the progress of dissipation in a system. Transient simulations are run on a hypothetical series pipeline and distribution network with a waterhammer simulator to explore the dissipative effectiveness of some of the primary mechanisms.