Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Mathematics ITWM
Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Mathematics ITWM
Aufbau Pumpenhalle eines Wasserwerks beim Projektpartner ESW.
© EnergieSüdWest GmbH
Aufbau Pumpenhalle eines Wasserwerks beim Projektpartner ESW.

Saving energy and costs in the operation and planning of drinking water supply systems with interactive decision support.

© EnergieSüdWest GmbH

Energy- and Cost-efficient Drinking Water Supply

Project COpt2 – Optimization of Complex Drinking Water Supply Networks

In the project COpt2, we are building on the successful BMBF-funded project H2Opt with the aim of saving energy and costs in the operation and planning of drinking water supply. We simplify and improve the workflow of water supply companies and develop new ideas to prevent drinking water shortages. The focus is on the further development of the prototype, which has been successfully tested in Worms and demonstrated energy savings of roughly 30 percent. The challenge is the expansion to more complex drinking water networks.

 

In collaboration with the Department of Fluid Mechanics, Acoustics and Fluid Flow Machinery at the Rheinland-Pfälzische Technische Universität Kaiserslautern-Landau (RPTU), we investigate the drinking water areas of the Wasserversorgung Germersheimer Südgruppe (WGS) around Jockgrim and the water supply area of EnergieSüdWest GmbH (ESW) in Landau. In addition to the development of new modelling concepts, to answer questions that are of particular interest to the respective supply companies.

Topology of the drinking water supply of the Landauer Hochzone with drag & drop function of the H2Opt prototype
© Fraunhofer ITWM
Topology of the drinking water supply of the Landauer Hochzone with drag & drop function of the H2Opt prototype.

Clever algorithms for pump operation

The ESW requires a smart operation of the drinking water storage tanks. For if natural water resources become exhausted in summer, drinking water from neighboring wells must be used. That requires more energy. At the same time, the supplier is trying to avoid mixing drinking water of different quality, which in turn means more monitoring effort.

The WGS supply area, which consists of 13 joined networks, is of particular interest due to its size. It covers an area of more than 20 km in a north-south direction. To regulate the transport of drinking water, more than one waterworks are required. They influence each other's operation, which introduces additional complexity. Therefore, we adapt the algorithms that are necessary to calculate the best operation plans for the pumps as quickly and accurately as possible.

Project partners

  • Technical University of Kaiserslautern, Department of Fluid Mechanics, Acoustics and Fluid Flow Machinery
  • Wasserversorgung Germersheimer Südgruppe (WGS)
  • EnergieSüdWest GmbH (ESW)