The following work presents a multivariate statistical technique applied to the control of water inflows into district metering areas (DMAs) of urban networks. This technique, called principal-component analysis (PCA), allows for a sensitive and quick analysis of the inflows into a DMA without hassling mathematical algorithms. The PCA technique simplifies the original set of flow rate data recorded by the supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system, synthesizing the most significant information into a statistical model that is able to explain most of the behavior of the water distribution network. The PCA technique also allows for the establishment of control charts that help system operators in the identification of anomalous behaviors regarding water use, bursts, or illegal connections. The described technique has been proven to offer high detection sensitivity to bursts or other unexpected consumptions.

Water transients with entrapped air can originate large pressure peaks that can severely damage distribution networks. Entrapped air can have a damping or amplifying effect on these undesirable pressure peaks. Unfortunately, the complexity of the phenomenon too often makes it difficult to obtain a fully reliable prediction about when air pockets will mitigate or accentuate water transients. Furthermore, the value of some of the parameters involved in the conventional numerical models cannot be calculated or measured and need to be determined through a calibration process. With the aim of overcoming most of the aforementioned uncertainties, this paper summarizes a complete set of tests conducted at WL | Delft Hydraulics. These tests were simulated by means of a tailored numerical model that includes a set of parameters whose values were determined by means of a calibration process. The experimental setup, a large-scale facility, consisted of a single steep pipeline with an air valve installed at its top end. Air release through different air valves was tested under different conditions.

To determine the influence of geometry on the hydrodynamic behavior of Venturi injectors, using computational fluid dynamics techniques, we studied, at the Universitat Politècnica de València, Valencia, Spain, the geometric parameters that exert the most influence on head losses: the relationship between throat diameter and nozzle (β), nozzle angle (α1) and diffuser angle (α2). In addition, three throat morphologies (B1: nozzle-throat and throat-diffuser with a sharp edge; B2: nozzle-diffuser with a zero-length, sharp-edge throat; B3: nozzle-throat and throat-diffuser with rounded edge). We analyzed their influence on the velocity distribution and differential pressure between inlet and throat (DP/γ), throat and outlet (Δhv/γ), and outlet and throat ((P3-P2)/γ). The development of the velocity profile from the throat is slower the greater β is and the lower α2 is. DP/γ decreases with β, increases with α1 and varies little with α2. Δhv/γ decreases with β and increases with α1 and α2. (P3-P2)/γ decreases with β and increases with α1 and α2. Geometry B3 decreases the losses and delays the onset of cavitation. Thus, the lower β and the higher α2, the greater the losses; however, the influence of α1 is less clear. The rounded edges produce lower head losses.

Electromagnetic and ultrasonic flowmeters are high precision devices that can measure the water flow in pressurized irrigation networks. In these networks, the inadequate installation distance of flow control valves generates upstream disturbances which will increase measurement errors and reduce the accuracy of the equipment. Therefore, estimating these errors is important to establishing the correct installation distance of the hydraulic accessories and to ensuring the metrological reliability of the flowmeters. This work proposes a numerical study using Computational Fluid Dynamics to evaluate water flow behavior in pipes and estimate measurement errors caused by gate and butterfly valves in installation configurations found at pressurized irrigation networks. The numerical simulations were made for gate (15, 50 and 75 % closed) and butterfly (open and 30º closed) valves installed three and six diameters (3D and 6D) from the flowmeters. The numerical study with three-dimensional simulation allows for evaluating the flow behavior and estimating measurement errors correctly. According to the study, the installation configurations of the gate and butterfly valves change the flow velocity profile at different positions in the pipe, generating both positive and negative measurement errors at both flowmeters. Among the tested configurations, only the butterfly valve installed 3D and 6D from the electromagnetic flowmeter ensured the measurement accuracy required by ISO 4064.

DIMSUB is a computer program to complement a decision support tool (DST) to effectively study different hydraulic design alternatives in microirrigation systems. We developed environments in Visual Basic for applications for Microsoft Excel ® that allow specific step-by-step functions to be created for the design of irrigation subunits. Different alternatives can be considered, such as types of emitter, lateral and submain pipe sizes, different feeding points, irregular subunit shapes and topography slopes. Furthermore, specific uniformity criteria need to be considered to achieve efficient water applications and proper design systems. Lengths of run lateral and submain pipes, position of the hydrant connection, pressure head and head loss in pipes or pressure-compensating emitters can be assigned to evaluate the results and choose the best design alternative. This user-friendly tool to study hydraulic variables is expected to be a valuable aid for the decision-making process in designing irrigation systems. Some examples of practical cases under specific crop conditions to design drip irrigation subunits are given using DIMSUB.

On numerous occasions, we often have very little information or must make a decision considering qualitative aspects that are difficult to evaluate. This study focuses on obtaining objective criteria to assist in decision-making in the design phase of pressurized water pipes in collective irrigation networks. In the layout of these networks, various types of paths and roads for laying pipes can be encountered, and it is not always a simple task to obtain the least costly layout or the one with the fewest issues during construction. In order to obtain objective results, different layout alternatives are evaluated using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) Multicriteria Analysis Methodology and the Dijkstra algorithm to obtain optimal solutions. This is applied to twelve case studies where the types of available layout paths are identified as alternatives, and four criteria are established for their evaluation. Recognized experts in irrigation modernization conduct the evaluation to derive weighting coefficients for selecting the optimal layout. The coefficients or resistances obtained weigh the lengths of the pipes, allowing the selection of the most suitable alternative based on the defined criteria. The results are compared with a network designed by an expert using classical methodologies, revealing cost improvements in the design phase and a reduction in conflict points, thus leading to faster execution of the works.