Author(s): Stefania Piazza; Mariacrocetta Sambito; Gabriele Freni

Linked Author(s): Mariacrocetta Sambito, Gabriele Freni

Keywords: Advective-dispersive-diffusive model; EPANET model; Numerical indicator; Water distribution network

Abstract: To adequately and timely detect contamination events, water quality modelling within distribution networks plays a significant role. Currently, to model water quality within distribution networks, simplified models are used, which adopt an advective-reactive approach and neglect diffusion and dispersion phenomena, which are relevant for low values of the Reynolds number. The Péclet number has been applied in numerous studies to discriminate cases in which one-dimensional advective transport can be allowed within water networks without losing model reliability. A recent analysis conducted by the authors extended the use of the Péclet number to two-dimensional advective-dispersive modelling, highlighting its ineffectiveness for identifying the dominance of the advective or dispersive process in real systems. The present study aims to determine a new indicator that can effectively discriminate the dominance of the advective or dispersive process, to have a rapid decision-making tool capable of establishing a priori the behaviour of the distribution network, to use the numerical model more for water quality modelling.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.64697/HIC2024_P199

Year: 2024