Any suggestions on how to model a reclaimed water system that delivers water to multiple (bulk) storage ponds? Each pond has a level control and a pressure staining valve. Is there a way to simplify this model, I can't justify trying to model all the ponds and the levels? I've considered modeling the ponds as a demand based on approximate filling rates, but the rates can vary. Also, in a system with 15-20 bulk ponds, how do you decide which ponds are filling simultaneously for a steady state model? Another thought is to model the pressure staining valves at each pond and discharge to a reservoir and let the model solve the filling rate at each pond, but again do you assume all ponds are filling at the same time? or a percentage of the ponds??
I would be tempted to model all of the ponds as tanks. If you have 15-20 it shouldn't take too long to set up.
You mention one issue with modelling these as demands. Another issue is that the model will assume that the demands are always satisfied...even if the PSV would make that impossible. So you can end up with an irrational model that gives weird results (like large negative pressures).
If you are designing the system, you will want to run one scenario when all the ponds are filling (if there is a chance that could happen) because that is the 'worst case'. If your pipes can deliver water under that situation then they should be fine for the cases where only a handful of ponds are filling. Are there other design considerations other than how big you need to make the pipes?
Regards,
Mal
Mal, Thank you for your reply..... what difference would it make to model the ponds at tanks as opposed to reservoirs? For a steady state model, both a tank and reservoir would represent a fixed HGL as a receiving source. I think a tank would make sense for an EPS model. Is there some other reason why the tank instead of a reservoir?
Thx
-Brian