title: Optimal operation of a potable water distribution network.
abstract: This paper presents an approach to an optimal operation of a potable water distribution network. The main control objective defined during the preliminary steps was to maximise the use of low-cost power, maintaining at the same time minimum emergency levels in all reservoirs. The combination of dynamic elements (e.g. reservoirs) and discrete elements (pumps, valves, routing) makes this a challenging predictive control and constrained optimisation problem, which is being solved by MINLP (Mixed Integer Non-linear Programming). Initial experimental results show the performance of this algorithm and its ability to control the water distribution process.
authors.affiliation: Pollution Research Group, School of Chemical Engineering, University of Natal, Durban, South Africa. biscosc@nu.ac.za
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Biscos
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mulholland
authors.forename: M V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Le Lann
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Brouckaert
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bailey
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Roustan
mesh_terms: D004738:Engineering; D005160:Facility Design and Construction; D005544:Forecasting; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D018508:Water Purification; D014881:Water Supply