Optimization-simulation model for real-time pump and valve operation of water distribution systems under critical conditions

A new methodology is developed for the real-time operation of water distribution systems (WDS) under critical conditions of limited electrical energy and/or water availability due to emergencies such as extreme drought conditions, electric grid failure, and other severe conditions including natural and manmade disasters. The methodology is tested for three different scenarios of limited electrical energy availability for an example WDS, but it is also applicable for conditions of limited water availability. The basic objective of optimizing the operations of WDS under critical conditions is to minimize the difference between requested demands and satisfied demands while meeting pressure requirements of the system. The approach adopted here is to interface an optimization procedure (genetic algorithm) with a simulator (EPANET) in the framework of an optimal control problem to determine the real-time optimal operation (pump and valve operations) of a water distribution system. Interfacing of the simulator and the genetic algorithm has been accomplished within the framework of MATLAB.