EXPLICIT CALCULATION OF WATER-QUALITY PARAMETERS IN PIPE DISTRIBUTION-SYSTEMS

Explicit algorithms have been developed for use in water quality studi es and management of distribution networks with sources of dissimilar quality. The proposed algorithms can be effectively used for directly determining a variety of blended water quality parameters for a given set of network loading and operational conditions. The parameters incl ude the spatial distribution of constituent concentrations, the flow i nfluence characteristics of supply sources, and the water age distribu tion throughout the system. The developed algorithms are formulated an alytically from mass balance relationships as contingent linear bounda ry value problems in conjunction with a topological sorting methodolog y. The resulting formulations yield coefficient matrices, of order equ al to the number of junction nodes, that are triangular and positive d efinite. The parameter solutions sought are, thus, derived through a d irect application of a one step substitution process. The proposed alg orithms are both robust and efficient, and guaranteed to yield mathema tically consistent solutions. Moreover, the algorithms are simple to u nderstand and implement, and are well suited to the needs of those pra cticing engineers who wish to write and run their own programs. Two ex ample applications are presented. Enhancement of distribution system w ater quality management is a principal benefit of the algorithms.