Supporting real-time pressure control in Oppegård municipality with WDNetXL

The Pressure Control module in the WDNetXL system [1] was recently developed to support planning and real-time operation of classic and remotely real-time controlled (RRTC) pressure control valves (PCVs). The latter allow pressure regulation by means of target values, which can be set in strategic (remote) points in the network named critical nodes. Today it is technically possible transferring pressure readings in real-time from critical node to PCV, so that it can be automatically modulated according to pressure variation at critical nodes (i.e., influenced by the network behaviour over time). This allows background leakage reduction by maintaining a constant value of pressure into the network. In this paper, the WDNetXL Pressure Control module is used to support real-time operation of RRTC PCVs for leakages reduction in the Oppegård municipal network (Norway), while considering three main strategies for the electric regulation of PCVs, which are discussed into a hydraulically consistent framework.