Accounting for Phasing of Isolation Valve Installation in Water Distribution Networks

Abstract

This study investigates the effect of applying scenario-based phase designs for isolation valve installation by developing an optimal multiphase valve design model while previous research focused on the single-phase design approach. During the design period, scenarios such as demand change, pipe breakage, and pipe age were considered. The model was applied to a medium-sized water distribution network, and optimal valve locations and installation timing for both single-phase and multiphase designs were determined. For the single-phase design, all valve locations were determined by forecasting changes in the future, while for the multiphase design, valves are added at the start of each phase. The results show that the single-phase design approach is more reliable and has fewer shortages than the multiphase design approach; however, the latter enables the determination of the valve installation locations based on need (e.g., the demand and changes in the pipe roughness and breakage probability). Further, cost and energy analyses show that the multiphase approach provides benefits such as low maintenance/operation costs.