Plumbing Africa January 2019 | Page 33

HEALTH AND SANITATION where demand exceeds supply to determine the storage capacity (Fewkes and Butler, 2000). The critical period methods base the reservoir capacity on a single worst critical period or a synthesized one (Ndiritu et al., 2011). yield before spillage (YBS) algorithm. The two release rules were originally developed by Jenkins, et al. (1978), but later further development was done by Fewkes (2000). BEHAVIOURAL ANALYSIS The continuous simulation method (behavioural analysis) uses a simple mass balance equation. This approach is popular because it can be applied with simple mathematical tools as spreadsheet applications and incorporates seasonal changes with relative ease (Raimondi and Becciu, 2014). The limitations of the model are that: depending on the length of the annual inflow data, storage size for high reliabilities cannot be estimated (McMahon et al., 2007). Considering stochastically generated annual streamflows, Pretto et al. (1997) found that biases occur in the mean and higher order quantiles of storage estimates before the estimated storage size converges to a stationary value after a long sequence (typically 1 000 years or more). The yield after spillage operating rule: • Yt=min {Dt Vt−1 • Qt=min{Vt−1+Qt−Yt S−Qt The yield before spillage operating rule is: • Yt=min{Dt Vt−1+Qt • Qt=min{Vt−1+Qt−Yt S Where: Rt= Rainfall [m] during interval, t; Qt= Rainwater run-off [m 3 ] during time interval, t; Mt= Mains supply make-up [m 3 ] during time interval, t; Ot= Overflow from store [m 3 ] during time interval, t; Vt= Volume in store [m 3 ] during time interval, t; Yt= Yield from store [m 3 ] during time interval, t; Dt= Demand [m 3 ] during time interval, t; S= Store Capacity [m 3 ] and; A= Roof Area [m 2 ]. Behavioural models simulate the operation of the reservoir with respect to time by routing the simulated mass flows through an algorithm which describes the operation of the reservoir (Fewkes and Butler, 2000). The input data, which is in time series format, is used for the simulation of the mass flows through the model and will be based upon a time interval of either a minute, hour, day or month (Fewkes and Butler, 2000) — they have found more preference (McMahon and Adeyole, 2005; Ndiritu et al., 2011a, Raimondi and Becciu, 2014), because they represent the storage behaviour more realistically than other methods and it can be adapted with ease to model complex configuration and operating rules (McMahon and Adeyole, 2005). There are two releases rules mainly involved in behavioural models, namely yield after spillage (YAS) or www.plumbingafrica.co.za In the YBS rule, the water is supposed to be abstracted for use before the inflow at each time step and which leads to underestimation of the storage volume that is needed. The opposite is the case with the YAS, which is more conservative and then is usually preferred (Raimondi and Becciu, 2014). Fewkes and Butler (2000) found that a YAS model using either hourly or daily input time series could be used to predict system performance. Continued on page 33 >> The operation of the system is usually simulated over a given period of time using a time step of a minute, hour or month (Fewkes and Butler, 2000). Several models that can be used for the design and modelling of the storage tank have been developed (Fewkes and Butler, 2000; Su et al. 2009; Ndiritu et al., 2011). The difference in the models is the release rule which may be YAS or YBS as explained later. Fewkes and Butler (2000) investigated the accuracy of behavioural models using different time steps with the YAS and YBS release rule for both small and large storages. Each model run was one year; the results of this preliminary analysis indicated that a YAS model using either hourly or daily input time series could be used to predict system performance. Some models have been incorporated into software packages while others operate in Excel. 31 Calculating rainfall is critical for determining storage capacities. January 2019 Volume 25 I Number 1