Numerical tool for hydraulic modelling – An educational approach

Abstract

The scientific research devoted to modelling and simulation of water supply systems is, most of the times, dependent on the use of computer simulation programmes that requires a previous understanding on each specific programme particularities. At the same time, such programmes do not demonstrate to be open, with unconcealed data, simple and intuitive enough for teaching practices in the field of hydraulics. Therefore, other educational tools or approach should be taken. A numerical educative tool, developed in an Excel spreadsheet for the modelling and simulation of water networks operations is presented in this article. Intuitive and easy to adapt to several situations, the developed Excel-based tool presents large possibilities, not only for decisionsupport concerning the application of certain efficiency measures but also for pedagogical activities, allowing to understand with detail and immediately the effect of any control and/or design change in the daily operation of a water network, and hence in the associated daily energetic costs. Additionally, a number of analyses concerning the convenience of applying efficiency measures in such systems (namely the use of variablespeed pumps) is suggested and performed resorting to the developed tool. The developed tool has been applied in Fluid Mechanics classes with large success, demonstrating great potential for educational purposes.

Teaching Sprinkler Irrigation Engineering by a Spreadsheet Tool

“…DU = average depth applied in the lowest one quarter average depth of irrigation water applied (25) where x i [L] is the irrigation water depth received in an individual pluviometer, x [L] is the average irrigation water depth received in pluviometers, and n is the number of pluviometers evenly distributed in an irrigated plot. The Christiansen [58] coefficient was also applied to kinetic energy in sprinkler spacing…”

“…For the measurement of sprinkler irrigation performance is one of major indicators used in order to quantify water use efficiency in agriculture, the sprinkler irrigation tool provides performance indicators, as described in Equations ( 23)- (25). Table 5 includes percental values of CU and DU for 15 × 15 and 18 × 18 rectangular and triangular frameworks under 200 kPa, 300 kPa, and 400 kPa operating pressures.…”

“…provides performance indicators, as described in Equations ( 23)- (25). Table 5 includes percental values of CU and DU for 15 × 15 and 18 × 18 rectangular and triangular frameworks under 200 kPa, 300 kPa, and 400 kPa operating pressures.…”

“…Strictly speaking of spreadsheet packages, manifold studies have been published in specialized literature to accurately ascertain how far these computational tools support the academic performance of students, either in terms of engineering fundamentals comprehension or properly handling equations which rule water systems [19][20][21]. In addition, there is documental evidence on the assessment of certain technical scenarios via spreadsheets; although they have been formulated as a didactic tool to bring up engineering professionals, they have also been used to assist decision-making in the domain of work [22][23][24][25][26]. Although a wide range of alternatives currently exist to address topics related to water resources via spreadsheets [27,28], offering a particular approach for engineering irrigation is aimed at evaluating its use for planning and design following some existing methodologies to determine aspects such as crop water requirements, irrigation performance (effective irrigation rate, uniformity of water application in the field, water use efficiency, and water productivity), irrigation scheduling, and irrigation waterworks from a hydraulic design perspective [29][30][31][32][33].…”

Development and evaluation of a virtual simulation experiment system for the course of fluid mechanics

“…The variables in this type of experiment are fewer than those in interactive experiments, and the relationship between experimental variables and results is also clear, which can be solved by simple mathematical equations. For example, Coelho and Andrade-Campos 22 developed a numerical educative tool for the modeling and simulation of water networks operations in an Excel spreadsheet, which has been applied in Fluid Mechanics classes with large success. Students can directly observe the relationship between the influencing factors through the spreadsheet.…”