• Energy Research
• 6. Clean water close
• PT close
• Aurora Universities Network close

New challenges in water systems include different approaches from analysis of failures and risk assessment to system efficiency improvements and new innovative designs. In water distribution networks (WDNs), the risk function is a measure of its vulnerability level and security loss. Analyses of transient flows which are associated with the most dangerous operating conditions, are compulsory to grant the system liability both in water quantity, quality, and management. Specific equipment, such as air valves are used in pressurized water pipes to manage the air inside associated with the filling process, that can also act as a control mechanism, where the major limitation is its reliability. Advanced tools are developed specifically to smart water grids implementation and operation. The water system efficiency and water-energy nexus, through the implementation of suitable, pressure control and energy recovery devices, and pumped-storage hydropower solutions, provide guidelines for the determination of the most technical cost-effective result. Integrated analysis of water and energy allows more reliable, flexible, and sustainable eco-design projects, reaching better resilience systems through new concepts. The development of model simulations, based on hydraulic simulators and computational fluid dynamics (CFD), conjugating with field or experimental tests, supported by advanced smart equipment, allow the control, identification, and anticipation of complex events necessary to maintain the water system security and efficiency.

Urbanization and population growth have been responsible for a significant increase in consumption of water and energy at a global scale. A careful management of water resource and infrastructures is crucial for Energy Transition, as well as for achieving a sustainable efficiency of these systems. High pressure values along with the ageing of the systems contribute to high leakage levels of Water Distribution Networks (WDN). The simultaneous control of excess pressure and containment of water losses are mainly performed by using Pressure Reducing Valves (PRVs) in WDN, which dissipate the surplus of hydraulic energy. Instead of being dissipated, energy can be recovered by the transformation of the excess pressure into electrical energy with the use of Pump as Turbines (PAT), which results in an increased reliability, reduction of cost and an overall improvement in the efficiency of WDN. The work aims on presenting an integrated efficiency management methodology in terms of Effectiveness (E), capability (ηpi), reliability (μpi) and sustainability (χpi) with values between 47 to 98%, also associated with the pressure and leakage management, and energy recovery. This research presents a modelling of a real WDN of a District Metering Areas (DMA) of Beloura endowed with seasonal consumption variability to better show its applicability. Additionally, an economic analysis to assess the solution’s feasibility is presented concluding an annual energy recovered of 9.8 MWh and a saving of about 30% of water leakage, which correspond, in the analyzed case study, to about 3523 m3. The payback period found is around 9 or 12 years, for only one PAT or two different PATs installed, due to the small available energy of the analyzed case study. Acknowledging the synergy between water and energy efficiency and taking advantage of these integrated smart management methodology exemplification, it resulted in more efficient systems to achieve both effectiveness solutions, digital and energy transition in the water sector.

Water resources globally are affected by a complex mixture of stressors resulting from a range of drivers, including urban and agricultural land use, hydropower generation and climate change. Understanding how stressors interfere and impact upon ecological status and ecosystem services is essential for developing effective River Basin Management Plans and shaping future environmental policy. This paper details the nature of these problems for Europe's water resources and the need to find solutions at a range of spatial scales. In terms of the latter, we describe the aims and approaches of the EU-funded project MARS (Managing Aquatic ecosystems and water Resources under multiple Stress) and the conceptual and analytical framework that it is adopting to provide this knowledge, understanding and tools needed to address multiple stressors. MARS is operating at three scales: At the water body scale, the mechanistic understanding of stressor interactions and their impact upon water resources, ecological status and ecosystem services will be examined through multi-factorial experiments and the analysis of long time-series. At the river basin scale, modelling and empirical approaches will be adopted to characterise relationships between multiple stressors and ecological responses, functions, services and water resources. The effects of future land use and mitigation scenarios in 16 European river basins will be assessed. At the European scale, large-scale spatial analysis will be carried out to identify the relationships amongst stress intensity, ecological status and service provision, with a special focus on large transboundary rivers, lakes and fish. The project will support managers and policy makers in the practical implementation of the Water Framework Directive (WFD), of related legislation and of the Blueprint to Safeguard Europe's Water Resources by advising the 3rd River Basin Management Planning cycle, the revision of the WFD and by developing new tools for diagnosing and predicting multiple stressors.