Water Distribution Network performance and device placement location schemes assessment under multiple hydraulic transient generative scenarios

Water Distribution Networks (WDNs) have been thoroughly investigated in terms of uncertainty in the demand at the household level. Meanwhile, novel frameworks exploring the resilience of such systems under contemporary threats (such as cyber-physical attacks) have also significantly contributed to the enhanced security, reliability, and efficiency in the process of their design and operation. On the contrary, other network effects such as hydraulic transients -also known as pressure surges or water hammers- are often overlooked, despite the significant disturbance they could induce to the steady-state flow conditions of the WDN due to the added pressure variability and the heavily increased internal pressure forces exerted on pipelines. Pressure forces and pressure variability are dependent on highly variable phenomena, such as pipe failures and/or operational decisions (i.e., valve closing schedules, pump operations).  Evidently, predicting the behavior of transients under an ensemble of scenarios is of utmost importance, which is not limited only to the network design and operational scopes, but extends to applications such as optimal sensor and protection device placement, dimensioning or placement of pressure neutralizers (e.g., surge tanks/chambers), establishment of appropriate pump shutdown schedules. Avowedly, commercial software for transient simulation in WDNs is available, yet open-source packages suitable for research applications, such as TSNet, have only recently become publicly available and, hence, provide a flexible framework for coupling with other applications. In this work, the python packages WNTR and TSNet are integrated to present a framework for evaluating hydraulic transient conditions via EPANET simulation of multiple scenarios of pipe bursts and valve closures according to control schemes. The results can be utilized to assess the WDN’s performance and monitoring sensors placement location schemes in the light of protection under transient flow occurrence.