Presenting a New Method of Estimating the Amount of Leakage in pipeline Networks Using Nodal Pressures Analysis

The water supply networks have always been of significance to researchers as a hydraulic system of transferring and distributing water. The pressure gradient is the main reason of water transfer in networks, and in case of non-standard pressure increase, the undesirable phenomenon of leakage occurs in the network. Leakage in urban water distribution networks causes water waste and enormous financial losses. Therefore, there exists the need to manage and minimize the amount of leakage. In this study, a water distribution network is modeled using the potentialities of hydraulic analysis model, the EPANET 2.0, and, by presenting a new model, the leakage location is recognized. In order to do this, we, firstly, entered all the network parameters into the software. Then, the network was analyzed supposing the non-occurrence of leakage, and the amounts of nodal pressures were measured. Moreover, the nodal pressures were estimated by creating a hypothetical leakage in one of the network node and analyzing the network. Finally, the position of laekage was determined by defining the leakage index and comparing it in various nodes. The results show that the suggested method is efficiently capable of predicting the laeakage position in the network so it could safely replace other methods, especially destructive methods used in recognizing the leakage position in the network.