Effectiveness of methods for selecting pumps as turbines to operate in water distribution networks

Abstract

Pressure control is an important feature for reducing leakages in water supply systems, and the use of pressure reducing valves has been well established as an efficient option for this purpose. However, several studies have demonstrated that the energy available on such sites could be used to generate electrical energy, instead of being dissipated as head loss; therefore, a more efficient and sustainable solution could be applied for pressure control. Due to the low amount of power available, the use of pumps as turbines (PATs) is highly recommended. However, manufacturers do not provide pump curves operating as turbines, making PAT selection challenging. Different empirical methods can be found in the literature for estimating PAT performance based on the pump operating conditions. Thus, this paper presents a comparative analysis of nine different methods, using real data from 14 pumps. Furthermore, the effectiveness of these methods for PAT selection is evaluated in a hypothetical network