Modeling Hydraulic Networks for Control: How to Deal With Consumption?

With the focus set on water distribution networks, dynamics typically play a subordinate role in the modeling procedure. This letter intends to draw a different picture, where flow dynamics would allow engineers to gain more physical insight while offering them more sophisticated tools for manipulation. The handling of consumption values is crucial in this regard as it is the major drive for the flow distribution in the network's topology. Simulations with the derived model, incorporating linear consumption dynamics, are compared with measurements on a real experimental network. Moreover, the equivalence of the model's equilibrium with the conventional steady-state equations is proven.