Determining the optimal position of pressure reducing valves in water distribution network(Case Study: Water Distribution Network In Birjand)

There are direct relationships between leakage and consumption in the distribution network with the pressure. Due to the relationship between leakage and consumption with pressure, those can be reduced by the reduction of the pressure. One of the best and most cost-effective methods in order to reduce the leakage is pressure management. By installing pressure reducing valves, we can reduce the network pressure. In order to operate the pressure reducing valves better in the network, it is important to determine their optimum position and regulated pressure. In this research, we investigated the optimal position for installing pressure reducing valves in the water distribution network. The study is conducted by using a dynamic link between MATLAB and EPANET and a review of all possible states for installing pressure reducing valves. The research is considered as a multi-objective case. It was considered as a multi-objective case. The objective functions in this research are: minimizing the rate of leakage and consumption in the network, Minimizing the points with the pressure more than the tube's capacity and minimizing the number of nodes with a pressure lower than the standard rate. These analyzes were conducted over a 24-hour period. Based on the results, by installing three pressure reducing valves in optimal position and pressure-regulation from 40 m to 33 m in Birjand network, the average of consumption and leakage in 24 hours was reduced to 48.24 liters per second, compared to the situation with the same number of pressers reducing valves were installed in different position. As it is derived from the results, this approach has a very high efficiency in reducing the leakage and consumption in the water distribution network.