Optimisation of operations of a water distribution system for reduced power usage
- Authors: Bagirov, Adil , Ugon, Julien , Barton, Andrew , Briggs, Steven
- Date: 2008
- Type: Text , Conference paper
- Relation: Paper presented at 9th National Conference on Hydraulics in Water Engineering: Hydraulics 2008, Darwin, Northern Territory : 22nd-26th September 2008
- Full Text: false
- Description: There are many improvements to operation that can be made to a water distribution system once it has been constructed and placed in ground. Pipes and associated storages and pumps are typically designed to meet average peak daily demands, offer some capacity for growth, and also allow for some deterioration of performance over time. However, the 'as constructed' performance of the pipeline is invariably different to what was designed on paper, and this is particularly so for anything other than design flows, such as during times of water restrictions when there are significantly reduced flows. Because of this, there remain significant benefits to owners and operators for the adaptive and global optimisation of such systems. The present paper uses the Ouyen subsystem of the Northern Mallee Pipeline, in Victoria, as a case study for the development of an optimisation model. This has been done with the intent of using this model to reduce costs and provide better service to customers on this system. The Ouyen subsystem consists of 1600 km of trunk and distribution pipeline servicing an area of 456,000 Ha. The system includes 2 fixed speed pumps diverting water from the Murray River at Liparoo into two 150 ML balancing storages at Ouyen, 4 variable speed pumps feeding water from the balancing storages into the pipeline system, 2 variable speed pressure booster pumps and 5 town balancing storages. When considering all these components of the system, power consumption becomes an important part of the overall operation. The present paper considers a global optimisation model to minimise power consumption while maintaining reasonable performance of the system. The main components of the model are described including the network structure and the costs functions associated with the system. The final model presents the cost functions associated with the pump scheduling, including the penalties descriptions associated with maintaining appropriate storages levels and pressure bounds within the water distribution network.
- Description: 2003006758
Securing water supply in Western Victoria through the implementation of regional pipeline systems
- Authors: Mala-Jetmarova, Helena , Barton, Andrew , Briggs, Steven
- Date: 2012
- Type: Text , Book chapter
- Relation: Pipes, Ponds and People: Adaptive water management in drylands p. 43-76
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
Identification of five bryozoan species in the Northern Mallee Pipeline, Australia
- Authors: Mitra, Robin , Barton, Andrew , Briggs, Steven , Orbell, John
- Date: 2013
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: New Zealand Journal of Zoology Vol. 40, no. 2 (June 2013), p. 81-92
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: Five species of freshwater bryozoans were identified in the Northern Mallee Pipeline (NMP) system in Victoria, Australia, from statoblast morphology using scanning electron microscopy. The five species were Plumatella emarginata, Fredericella australiensis, Plumatella reticulata, Rumarcanella minuta and Fredericella sultana. The latter three of these have never previously been reported as occurring on the Australian continent and samples have been preserved for safekeeping at Victoria University. The statoblasts were isolated from samples collected as intact colonies from filters and membranes at a number of different locations.
Coping with severe drought : Stories from the front line
- Authors: Barton, Andrew , Briggs, Steven , McRae-Williams, Pamela , Prior, Darcy
- Date: 2011
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Australian Journal of Water Resources Vol. 15, no. 1 (2011), p. 21-32
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: The last 12 years has seen extreme drought in western Victoria. This has impacted on the area in many ways, but none more so than in the provision of basic water supplies to people. To meet the challenge of drought, headworks storages have had to be operated at record low levels, severe water restrictions imposed, water carting programs established, alternative sources of water, and new technologies developed and used. Significant changes have also been made to the water supply infrastructure in the region, most notably the Northern-Mallee and Wimmera-Mallee Pipelines. This paper relates the story of how water resources were managed and bulk water was delivered to around 70,000 customers over a geographic spread of 62,000 km2, or about 30% of Victoria. Discussion on the social, environmental and economic impacts on the region are also provided. © Institution of Engineers Australia, 2011.
A benign approach to the preparation of freshwater bryozoan statoblasts for scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging
- Authors: Mitra, Robin , Crawford, Simon , Barton, Andrew , Briggs, Steven , Orbell, John
- Date: 2013
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: New Zealand Journal of Zoology Vol. 40, no. 2 (2013), p. 154-159
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: Several different species of freshwater Bryozoa, belonging to the genera Plumatella, Rumarcanella and Fredericella, were detected within the Northern Mallee Pipeline (NMP) system in Victoria, Australia, that required definitive identification. These organisms produce asexual buds called statoblasts, with valves composed of sclerotised chitin that bear minute micro-ornamentations of considerable taxonomical significance. Imaging and analysis of these distinctive micro-ornamentations using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) is often employed for species identification. Meticulous preparation of statoblast samples is therefore required that necessitates the removal of adhering debris, dehydration and drying - whilst mitigating specimen damage and distortion. This technical note describes an approach whereby each of these three steps have been individually designed to be as benign as possible, using mild detergent/sonication to remove debris, a gradual and gentle dehydration procedure using ethanol, and critical point drying. For the overall process, these methods are chosen to optimise control and to minimise the use of harsh and hazardous chemicals. © 2013 The Royal Society of New Zealand.