A mathematical modelling approach towards efficient water distribution systems: a case study of Zomba - Malawi's water distribution network

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dc.contributor.authorFodya, Charles
dc.date.accessioned2016-10-17T07:36:57Z
dc.date.available2016-10-17T07:36:57Z
dc.date.issued2016
dc.descriptionA thesis submitted to the Faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Johannesburg, May 2016.
dc.description.abstractThis thesis presents work on four problems identi ed in the Zomba Water Distribution Network. The research was carried out on the existing network infrastructure with the aim of improving e ciency by reducing Unaccounted-For Water (UFW). The rst challenge was to develop a demand model for the city based on its in uencing factors: daily and seasonal uctuations as well as population dynamics. The model was to capture demand patterns for short-term, medium-term to long-term time periods, thereby becoming an important input factor into decision making. The developed model may be employed to generate demand which can be input into the city's 10 year infrastructure expansion plan. The second problem was to explain why houses built too close to tanks are at risk of inconsistent water supply. It was found that the requirement of observing the tank elevations, helv, had been violated. As a result, the discontinued supplies occurred. Once the required tank elevation helv had been established, an extra increase in the elevation so as to accommodate a larger population was determined to be on the order of one centimeter. Third problem was to explain the continued mains pipe failures observed in the network. It was established that the main cause was the hammering e ects started through the process of manually closing ow control valves (FCVs) tted next to tanks. A possible remedy was to rather t the FCVs at joint nodes and not at the tanks. This was estimated to greatly reduce the hammering e ects, eventually turning them into minor head losses due to elbow bends. Finally, a structural approach to designing tanks that optimize the use of gravity is presented. This is an input into the infrastructure expansion planning of the city. Regardless of any design shapes they may take, tanks with height-radius, h=r, ratio of less than 1 exhibit diminished, as opposed to increased, height changes with demand changes. Such a property would ensure consistency in the pressure at the tank, allowing for delivery of the demanded load.
dc.description.librarianGR2016en_ZA
dc.format.extentOnline resource (89 leaves)
dc.identifier.citationFodya, Charles (2016) A mathematical modelling approach towards efficient water distribution systems: a case study of Zomba - Malawi's water distribution network, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, < http://wiredspace.wits.ac.za/handle/10539/21202
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10539/21202
dc.language.isoenen_ZA
dc.subject.lcshWater--Distribution--Mathematical models
dc.subject.lcshWater-supply engineering--Mathematical models
dc.subject.lcshHydraulics--Water-supply engineering
dc.titleA mathematical modelling approach towards efficient water distribution systems: a case study of Zomba - Malawi's water distribution networken_ZA
dc.typeThesisen_ZA
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