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Initiative

Installation of intelligent energy management and energy saving systems in the water supply networks of the Municipality of Domokos

Installation of intelligent energy management and energy saving systems in the water supply networks of the Municipality of Domokos
SUBMITTED FROM:

MUNICIPALITY OF DOMOKOS

The Municipality of Domokos is a Municipality of the Region of Central Greece, established in 2010 with the "Kallikratis" Program and operating since 01-01-2011. It was created by the merger of 3 pre-existing Municipalities, which operated from 01-01-1999, until 31-12-2010 and were created in 1997, with the "Kapodistrias" Plan. These municipalities were, the Municipality of Domokos, the Municipality of Thessaliotidos and the Municipality of Xyniados, which were subsequently converted into Municipal Units. Seat of the enlarged Municipality of Domokos, Domokos was designated. The administrative boundaries of the Municipality correspond to those of the older Domokos District.



Objective Action

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The Water Supply Services of the Municipality of Domokos, as it happens with the most Services of this type in the country, face serious problems in managing water and electricity consumed. Significant water losses associated with leakages across their installations and overflows in their tanks, lack of planning in the organization of networks, lack of automation in water transport and unnecessary electricity consumption are some of the components that lead to a lasting waste of water and energy national reserves.

Municipality of Domokos’ initiative concerns the supply and installation of intelligent energy management and energy saving systems in the water supply networks of the Municipality.

Energy savings consist of trying to improve the energy efficiency of the productive assets and generally, finding ways to reduce the energy consumed at each level. However, energy savings are also indirectly achieved by increasing the energy efficiency of the various systems.

 

Target Audience

This initiative is addressed both to the employees of the Municipality and the elected ones who are responsible for the optimal functioning of the Municipality's services, and to the residents for whom excellent services are ensured through the savings of resources and energy.

 

Duration

From the year 2021 until its renewal with new intelligent systems of supervision of water systems and networks of the Municipality of Domokos.


Description

The significance of this initiative lies in the term of remote surveillance. This term characterizes the remote supervision of facilities. More commonly, of course, we find the combination of the terms remote control and not the term remote supervision. However, although rarer, this term can give a more global picture of the overall system.  Remote surveillance is thus also directly linked to the monitoring of the electromechanical installations of a water supply network from a distance. Remote surveillance of facilities offers significant benefits in time, resources and other areas, as it will be seen in the following description. The ability to control and operate remotely is of the utmost importance in a water supply network. Remote monitoring of the water supply network facilities will ensure that the network functions properly, that consumers receive the best possible service and that the product, that is water, is the best quality.

 

The water supply networks of the Municipality of Domokos are actually a complex system, which consists of water distribution pipes and a large number of components. These components ensure the correct operation of the network. In the event of problems, these components make it possible to deal with them immediately and in a timely manner.

From a more general point of view, the Municipality's water supply networks include pipelines and facilities. The pipelines serve to transport potable water, which has undergone the necessary treatment. In other words, they transport the water from the Water Treatment Units (WTP) to the final consumers' meters. The term facilities refers mainly to pumping stations (simple or pusher) and tanks. These facilities help to supply water to areas which, due to altitude, are impossible to supply with natural flow.

In more detail, the initiative concerns the procurement, installation and commissioning of new power boards with built-in turn regulators for the Drilling of the Water Supply Network, the procurement, installation and commissioning of energy analyzers and Energy Optimization Software operation and replacement of old energy-intensive pumping assemblies, with new high energy efficiency and their integration into the Central Remote Control System of Remote Control and Leak Control of Tanks and Water Pumping Stations of the Service.

 

On the basis of the above proposed system that will include interventions in forty-one (41) places - forty-one (41) Local Control Stations (TSEs) Drilling in the water supply networks. The Control Stations will continuously and in real time measure the energy consumed. This data will be sent to the Central Control Station (CENTRAL CONTROL STATION) where they will be processed appropriately.

 

The proposed interventions in the water network control system complete and improve existing infrastructure. This improvement is achieved through selected automation, remote control and remote control functions which offer more efficient management and exploitation of the water supply network. Energy simulation and optimization software will be a tool to optimize the energy consumption of a selected unit or groups of electrical/mechanical equipment (e.g. pumps in boreholes or pumping stations).

 

For each drilling, the hourly consumption (water demand) for a reference date chosen by the user should be automatically identified, as well as possible values to be added to or multiplied by water demand, at the user’s request, as part of alternative tests. In addition, the nominal flow rate of the pump or pumps shall be taken into account. The software will be based on water demand data and pump production to simulate system operation. It will also make it possible to record the operating parameters of the equipment (e.g. tanks, pumps) combined with the possibility of reading energy consumption data from the SCADA. The software will conduct an automated proposal for the operation that will satisfy as much as possible water demand.

 

General description of the operation - Contribution of the proposed operation to the objectives pursued

 

The proposed interventions in the existing water network control system will achieve integration and improvement of existing infrastructure through selected automation, remote monitoring and remote control functions, which will provide more efficient energy management and exploitation of the water supply network. The Energy Simulation and Optimization Software will be a tool to optimize the energy consumption of a selected unit or groups of electrical/mechanical.

Pump motors tend to be sized for the intended maximum load of the pump, but not necessarily for normal continuous duty conditions. In this case, the use of a speed controller can significantly contribute to energy savings. Typically, for every 1% reduction in the output power of the drive, the user saves approximately 2.7% of energy costs, making the use of drives in pump set applications a key contributor to reducing energy consumption.

The advantages and flexibility provided by the use of a speed controller lies in its mode. It is widely known that the speed of an asynchronous engine depends initially on the number of poles of the engine and the frequency of the voltage supplied. The range of voltage supplied and the load on the engine axle also affect the engine speed, but not to the same extent. Therefore, changing the frequency of the electrical supply is an ideal method for controlling asynchronous engine speed. To ensure the proper motor magnetization, it is also necessary to change the voltage range.

 

The most basic module of a speed controller is the frequency converter, whose basic task is to change the constant voltage/frequency supply. The frequency/voltage control leads to a shift of the characteristic torque through which the speed is changed.

 

In addition, the use of a speed controller for underwater pumping assembly applications contributes to a significant reduction in maintenance and repair costs and to an extension of the engine and the equipment with which it is interconnected. Submersible pumps driven by an electric motor are subject to rotor currents at actuation that are 6 to 7 times the full load current values. This is due to the high starting torque required to activate the engine from zero speed at the desired operating speed. Frequent start and stop puts the engine in high mechanical and electrical stresses, significant damage, insulation stress and long-term engine wear. It is common practice to limit the number of start/stops per hour to fifteen when the equipment is operated with full voltage starters.

 

Speed regulators provide a gradual and smooth engine scaling instead of direct activation by full voltage initiators reducing mechanical and electrical voltages. The use of speed regulators sees greater benefits in variable torque applications compared to constant torque applications. Examples of variable torque loads are centrifugal pumps, underwater sewage pumps and other rotating equipment. When load requirements are less than full speed, a speed controller provides the means for less energy and increased cost savings.

The advantages become more apparent during the life cycle of a pump. On average, 90% of the life cycle costs of a pump are attributable to energy consumption, while only 5-8% relate to initial costs and 2-5% to maintenance costs. It is therefore important to keep the operating costs of a pumping system at the lowest possible level. Efficient operation results in lower power consumption and therefore lower operating costs. The decisive reduction in energy consumption is reinforced by the fact that on average pumps are operated for more than 2000 hours a year.


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Impact on Society

Achieving unimpeded public access to safe quality and sufficient drinking water, which is of particular importance for maintaining a healthy life. As it regards the concept of safe quality, this refers to the lack of micro-organisms or harmful substances in water, the concentration of which undermines public health. While, as it regards the adequacy of this quantity, it is necessary to address the daily needs of individual and domestic hygiene and the preparation of food.



Initiative Location

Within the administrative limits of the Municipality of Domokos.


Working with Organization

Two departments of the Municipality, the Technical Service and the Water Supply Agency, are working closely to achieve the proper functioning of the system.


Workers Participation

The participation and understanding of the necessity for the implementation of the initiative concerns the workers mainly in the Autonomous Departments of Technical Services and Environment, who are involved with particular willingness for the success of the project.


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Benefits for Οrganization

Therefore, the procurement and installation of equipment to improve energy efficiency and energy saving in the water and sewage networks of the Municipality of Domokos (Speed Regulators, new pumping units of high energy efficiency, continuous recording of the electrical parameters of the pump operation combined with specialized energy improvement software) aims to achieve the following objectives:

Optimize the operating arrangements related to the drilling of the network and reduce its energy consumption and make more efficient use of energy.

 Maximizing the energy efficiency of the equipment in both full load and part load design conditions.

 Minimizing the necessary operating time of relevant equipment and subsystems of installations through appropriate control systems.

Pump function according to the water supply demand - change of speed and consequently change the characteristic of the pump, so that it always works at the optimum operating point, thus achieving:

Increase pump motor life and decrease produced heat due to frequent and steep pump starts.
Extinction-Reduction of hydraulic wounds, which is undesirable because during the course of the conductor is routinely stressed in tensile and compressive voltages by waves of superpressures and hypopressures respectively.
Reduced maintenance requirements due to system health. The possibility to monitor the water balance, to process statistics on water consumption and energy measurements, to link them and to plan the necessary investments in the water sector, in order to:

Anticipating possible water system failures (leaks, pipeline breakage) providing increased security of the operation of the water supply system installations.

Prevention of emergencies and network failures at maintenance level. Managing water resources in a rational way, reducing water abstraction.




Connection with Global Goals







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