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| Hydraulic Model Construction
involves a collection of various data sources from different utility
departments which may not be used to working together, yet. As a
result, data collected may at times be disparate in formats, linkage
opportunities, and without spatial reference. IDModeling works with
various utility departments to reconcile these differing sources
and consolidate this data to the hydraulic model database, adding
spatial intelligence to the data throughout the process and where
applicable.
Be it a manual, automated, tabular or spatial linkage, the resulting
hydraulic model may benefit in its construction with data from the
following utility departments:
• Engineering
• Planning
• Operations
• Customer Billing/Finance
• IT/GIS
• Fire, Treatment Plant, Water Quality, as necessary
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NETWORK TOPOLOGY
Frequently, the up-front portion of model creation may involve manual
digitization of pipelines from paper maps (Atlas Sheets, As-Builts, Ink
& Mylar Sheets, etc). Additionally, the utility may represent its
system with AutoCAD drawing files and/or GIS, which may facilitate the
pipeline and model creation process.
IDModeling specializes in methods of facility creation, including topology
checks for correct connectivity. Some specialized techniques used by IDModeling
include:
- Searches for “Orphaned Nodes”
- Tracing exercises to visually display lines of disconnect
- Network-wide duplicate ID and Alignment pipe searches
- Confirmations for Order of Connectivity or Slope (differing “to/from”
nodes canceling connectivity)
- Hydraulic Disconnections (system inabilities to meet demand or loadings)
- ...and more
Model Construction involves the digital creation of existing facilities.
With the growing prominence of GIS, coupled with increasingly stringent
regulatory requirements, the hydraulic model is more frequently involving
the entire distribution system as one unified system, with all pressure
zones connected, or the entire sewer collection system, with the inclusion
of all tributary sub-basins and branch gravity collection mains.
DEMANDS/LOADS
Critical to the development of an accurate hydraulic model is the quantity,
and the distribution of, demand or loadings placed to the system nodal
points. Although hydraulic model planning and design conditions would
typically fall under a stressed condition, the model usually begins with
a “Base” Condition, or an Average Day Demand or Average Dry
Weather Flow.
IDModeling is adept at these challenges and employs several techniques
to accurately represent demands or loadings to the system, demand factors,
and the temporal adjustments of these loadings over the course of a day
for Extended Period Simulations.
A sample-set of source data which IDModeling may use to evaluate demands
are as follows:
- Customer Billing Data
- Parcel & Land Use Layers
- Approved Water Duty Factors or EDU conversions
- Return-to-Sewer Ratios
- SCADA/telemetry data
- Operations Staff
- ...and more
“Base” Model Development includes 1 Base Scenario for 1 demand
condition. Additional demand, operational, facility alternative, operational
and planning scenarios may be developed as desired.
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