Improving incomplete mixing modeling for junctions of water distribution networks

Abstract

Most of the existing water quality models for water distribution networks assume complete mixing at junctions. Albeit few models offer the possibility to consider incomplete mixing (IM) at junctions, most of them were developed under laboratory conditions and for equal pipe size junctions. In real-world distribution networks, however, cross junctions of 150 × 100 × 150 × 100 mm or 100 × 150 × 150 × 150 mm are common, yet no model has been developed for these configurations. This paper presents a new equation to compute concentrations in cross junction outlets while considering IM for six cross junction configurations, including unequal pipe sizes and 150 mm pipes. For each cross junction configuration, mixing was studied under 25 flow scenarios in the laboratory and 40 simulated flow scenarios using OpenFOAM software. Two new flow rate ratios were selected as independent variables to compute different outlet concentrations. For two specific cross junctions with equal pipe sizes, the root-mean-squared error between the observed and simulated concentrations of the newly developed model was 0.02, while it was 0.05 and 0.07, respectively, for the AZRED IM model and the Shao et al. IM model. HIGHLIGHTS Laboratory experiments were conducted under real-world conditions with 150 mm pipes.; New principal combinations of independent variables for mixing were identified.; A single equation was developed for mixing in different cross junction configurations.; The developed model reproduces observations more accurately than the other models.;

Keywords

• computational fluid dynamics
• incomplete mixing
• openfoam
• twoliquidmixingfoam
• water distribution networks
• water quality models