Numerical transient analysis of random leakage in time and frequency domains

ABSTRACT

Models of water pipeline systems should take into account the distribution in space and time of user demands and leakage. In the usual approach such a distribution is simplified lumping the system outflows at a reduced number of nodes. To investigate the effects of such a simplification, in this paper we explore by numerical models, both in the time and in the frequency domain, the uncertainty introduced by the random variation in leak size, location and number. The novelty is also in considering the number of leaks as a parameter. In the time domain, results show that the damping increases with the number of leaks. The spreading of the simulated pressure signals increases with time whereas it decreases with the number of leaks. In the frequency domain, the local minima and maxima values of the impedance are affected by the number of leaks for a given total outflow from the system.

KEYWORDS:

• Leak
• random leakage
• transient
• pipe system

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

ORCID

Marco Ferrante http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5594-6555

Caterina Capponi http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5308-5189

Bruno Brunone http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7106-2116

Silvia Meniconi http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7843-7147

Additional information

Funding

This research has been funded by the University of Perugia and by the Italian Ministry of Education, Universiy and Research (MIUR) under the Project of Relevant National Interest ‘Tools and procedures for an advanced and sustainable management of water distribution systems’.