On the Potential of Real Time Control of Urban Drainage Systems

Abstract

The conventional solution to urban drainage problems employs a system with a certain storage, transport and treatment capacity. The limited efficiency of this solution is due to the lack in flexibility in operating the system under dynamic loading. Optimal systems performance can only be achieved by means of real time control (RTC) of the system. The potential of RTC should be considered not only after the system has been constructed, but in the design phase of the system as well, as it will influence the required capacities of the system elements. A model is presented that can be used to assess this potential on the basis of simulation of time series of rain events. For a simple fictitious system it is shown that by means of RTC considerable savings can be achieved. These are expressed in terms of extra storage or discharge capacity that would have been required in an uncontrolled system to reach the same overflow volume as when RTC is applied. Besides it is demonstrated that currently monitored process data provide sufficient information to operate the system in a proper way. Inflow forecasts may be useful but they are not absolutely necessary to derive a suitable operation strategy.

Simulation of urban storm system based on situations of different return periods

“…Model parameters are calibrated based on application of code of practice for the hydraulic modeling of storm system [1] and real-time control method [2], as shown in Table II.…”

Modelling, Simulation and Control of Urban Wastewater Systems

“…Various approaches to this are outlined in this section. A more detailed overview of various methods is given by Schilling (1989) and Nelen (1994a).…”

“…Kido and Sueishi (1990) propose a decision matrix search procedure, which allows for selection of the best control action out of a predefined set of strategies when the control decision has to be taken. Nelen (1994a) extends the rule-based method of strategy representation by including some adjustable control parameters within the rules ("control scenario"). Thus, the rules can be easily adjusted to the actual drainage conditions by a proper setting of these control parameters.…”

Wireless Real-Time System for Monitoring the Storage of Urban Storm Drainage: A Case Study of Caohejing Drainage System, Shanghai

“…Real-time control system (RTC), based on remote data acquisition and optimized strategy to control pumping stations, sluice gates and other hydraulic structures, is state of the art system for the operational management of urban drainage system [2][3] . In the developed nations, real time control sewer systems were applied to make the sewer systems more efficient for inundation caused by heavy rainfall or sewers [4][5][6][7] .…”