Real Time Control
Real Time Control
This powerful add-on module extends the existing depth-only RTC to a comprehensive management and design tool.
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Real Time Control (RTC) elements such as regulators, bendable weirs, and telemetry-controlled pumps have been part of xpswmm since Version 2. This powerful add-on module extends the existing depth-only RTC to a comprehensive management and design tool.
Several real time control (RTC) elements such as regulators, bendable weirs, and telemetry-controlled pumps are part of the xpswmm/xpstorm. These powerful hydraulic elements allow changes to model elements in real time (evaluated at every time step) based on the depths of flow in any node in the model. Using a combination of rating curves and these RTC elements many control strategies can be evaluated in the program. However complex situations involving multiple sensors and Boolean logic are only possible by upgrading the xpswmm/xpstorm license with our RTC add-on module. This powerful add-on module extends the existing depth-only RTC to a comprehensive management and design tool.
A tree control in the RTC dialog allows multiple controls to be applied to the model. Multiple sensors can also be used to invoke the control when the sensor logic is true.
The RTC add-on module sensors can include any combination of velocity, flow and water levels and depths at nodes, conduits, pumps, orifices, and weirs. The values of the sensors can be compared to static values and with each other using typical Boolean logic and mathematical operators. For example, a control can be activated if the water level in location A is greater than location B by 2.3 feet.
Numerous hydraulic parameters depending on the Type of object being controlled. The parameters that can be modified include: flow, roughness, diameter, water depths, pump on/off levels, well volume and speed factor, weir crest and surface elevation, discharge coefficient and length, and orifice area coefficient.
Additional control properties include Start and Stop time of the control, ramp times and maximum and minimum values. Operators can be concatenated with Boolean operators, and parameters can be compared with other sensors or with absolute values. Secondary values for the sensor are a recent addition to the control strategy that the user can simulate. Real time control can be activated only during certain hours of the day, and control can turn on and/or off over a user-defined time period.
xpswmm can also be used as an analytical engine (slave) for an online real time control tool. In a case like this a control program runs xpswmm and receives input from telemetry from a network of sensors. Programmed logic based on xpswmm model prediction and real time data is then analyzed by the RTC program (master) and creates new input for the model. The model is rerun and the process is repeated. Although the RTC module is not required in this last scenario it may improve the model flexibility and output for use in this type of RTC implementation.
Several typical example models of the RTC are available in the Samples folder where xpswmm/xpstorm is installed.
