Product Description

FUNCTIONS

This section describes the functions provided by the application and how users apply these functions to projects.

OPEN a job

Input data is stored in job files. Users create the files using the application or import substantial portions of the data from external sources.  The files are managed in two formats (a proprietary binary format and a text format that can be used as an open interchange format.

CUSTOMISE a job's map / model

Users customise the appearance of a network map's colours, symbol sizes, standard pipe sizes/materials and data validation limits.

Organisations can set company standards as default colour settings.  While users have the ability to customise individual jobs to their own requirements without losing the company standards.

To help users analyse the data colour bands can be set for:
   - pipe diameter
   - pipe head gradient
   - pipe velocity
   - node pressure
   - hydraulic level
   - flow
   - water age
   - chlorine concentration
   - trihalomethane concentration
   - impurity concentration
   - temperature
   - map lines, text and symbols

Data entries can be validated within practicable upper and lower bounds limits for:
   - pipe length
   - pipe diameter
   - pipe roughness or Hazen Williams coefficient
   - pipe fitting headloss coefficient
   - decay constants (reactivity) used in the Standard water quality calculations.

IMPORT model and map data

Information for all components can be imported for a new job from a:
   - DXF file (an AutoCAD drawing exchange file); or
   - INP file (an EPANET input data file).

Information for selected components can be imported for new or existing jobs from a:
   - DXF file (an AutoCAD drawing exchange file)
   - node coordinate file (in HCP compliant format)
   - text file (space or comma delimited)
   - copy and paste from an open source; or
   - ODBC compliant database / spreadsheet.

EXPORT model data, map data and simulation results

The export facility enables map data to be converted into formats usable in:
   - design teams working with computer aided drafting (CAD) tools.
          This interchange is based on AutoDesk's DXF file standard for CAD drawing data exchange.
   - project teams working with geographic information system (GIS) tools.
          This interchange is based on ESRI's SHAPE file standard for GIS data exchange.
          This standard works with a suite of three files (.SHP, .SHX and .DBF) to manage information in the SHAPE format.
   - database environments.
    This interchange is based on the dBASE Inc's DBF file standard as a foundation for importing into more complex database environments.

   The export facility currently only converts simulation results into database format.

NAVIGATE around the map

Pan, zoom and home functions typical of CAD applications are provided.

Users have the flexibility to use diagrammatic (not to scale) drawing coordinates or real geocentric mapping coordinates.
This allows diagrams of simple systems to be drawn in the application with real pipe lengths manually added to the pipe data.  Most modelling jobs however use geocentric mapping coordinates with the length of pipes automatically calculated by the application from the pipe geometry.

Many of the editing functions are available by pointing to a component on the map and using a right-mouse click to reveal actions that are possible for the selected component.

EDIT model and map data

A supply system can contain up to 100 sub-systems.  The application provides separate data management tools for GLOBAL DATA (attributes that apply to all sub-systems within a model) and SUB-SYSTEM DATA.  Each type of data has its own tab, which users select to view and edit data within tables and detailed dialog forms.

VALIDATE model and map data

Prior to each simulation the application scans the data and prepares a log file.  All errors are reported in the log file, which describes which component (pipe label, node label, etc.) contains the error and the nature of the error.

SIMULATE real-time and steady-state hydraulics

This is as simple as pressing a button.  The application then presents users with a progress panel:
   - data validation is completed before simulation begins
   - start and end times for the hydraulic simulation are shown
   - users see the time of the current hydraulic event being simulated.

SIMULATE fire flows

With a valid hydraulic simulation users can assess the fire flow capacity of user-specified points in the network. Single fire flow points can be specified manually or multiple points (e.g. all hydrants in a city) can have their location defined in a reference file.

The analysis allows users to define assessment criteria:
   - minimum pressure standard required to supply customers on all points of the network
   - target minimum pressure at the fire flow point
   - the range of fire flow rates to test.

The application provides tabulated flow / head results at the fire flow point and an exception report indicating points in the network that fail to satisfy minimum customer pressure requirements.

SIMULATE water quality

After a hydraulic simulation is complete this is as simple as pressing a button. The application then presents users with a progress panel:
   - data validation is completed before simulation begins
   - start and end times for the hydraulic simulation are shown
   - users see the time of the current hydraulic event being simulated.

The application is able to:
   - trace the fate of conserved chemicals as the water moves through the network
   - track the fate of chemicals that decay using a first order decay formulae
   - track water age
   - estimate chlorine decay throughout the network.

BROWSE simulation results

The application presents both hydraulic and water quality simulation results as:
   - user-selected attributes on a map
   - static and animated vertical sections along user defined routes
   - time based graphs (traces) of any component in the network.

When browsing the map users control the content displayed on a map:
   - flow rates are displayed through pumps and valves
   - flow rate through pipes
   - velocity through pipes
   - hydraulic level in pipe segments
   - residual head in pipe segments
   - hydraulic gradient in pipes
   - discharge (demand) from nodes
   - residual head at nodes
   - hydraulic level at nodes
   - valve and pump operating status (on / off / modulating)

REPORT on hydraulic or water quality simulations

This function allows users to select, preview, print or export a user-defined set of time-based graphs for hydraulic or water quality information.