Continuous and discrete operation of water distribution networks

Control of Water Distribution Networks (WDNs) is a well-researched domain due to its societal relevance. WDNs can be operated in the continuous or discrete mode using appropriate continuous and discrete (ON/OFF) valves, respectively. However, the variation in performance of the network due to the different modes of operation has not been quantified. In this work, we quantify the performance of the network in terms of the time required for completing the operation and study the variations in the system performance. In the first part of the work, we present the analysis based on simulations of a real-world network. A scheduling problem is formulated for a class of WDNs, and the problem is solved under different scenarios to identify the variation in operational time for the network. The effort required for changing the schedule to meet variations in demand is also discussed. In the next part, we present the theoretical analysis for a specific class of networks. An upper bound on the variation in operational time is derived for this class of networks.