Thinking Cap 41

Streamlining Water
Management Operations:
Moving Beyond Mechanical
to Automated Electronic
Control By Ryan Spooner,
Singer Valve

or many years, water management

systems have used exclusively This X156 Positions Senor coupled with dual micro
mechanical components. There is limit switches gives the end user an analog 4 20mA
signal for exact position of the valve as well as a
no doubt that these tried and true digital contact for when the valve is fully closed as
systems have given useable results, but well as fully open.
in recent years, there has been a large
push to develop better methods for
controlling water. The primary focus for
solutions has been in the areas of
reducing maintenance, saving water
and reducing pipe breakage. With our
ever growing population, it has become
a necessity to be able to control a large
municipality water supply from one
central location.
Designing such large, complex
systems is no easy task. The design
starts at each and every individual
chamber and choosing the correct
control valve. Even when a valve is
deemed right for the application, it is
usually used for specific situations. For
example, a pressure reducing chamber
may be set based on high capacity flows
and pressures of the system. However,
a large system reducing pressure to
the same point at all times of the day
can put excess pressure on the system.
Being able to fluctuate the pressure
setpoints as the system demands, such
as night time flow and day time flow can
prevent pipe breakages, reduce water
loss and overall improve the eciency
of the system. The control panel will

Water & Wastewater Asia September October 2015

42 Thinking Cap
give the capabilities to have a live system and gain access
to the chamber at any time of the day with the capability
to change the pressure set point based on the feedback. All
of these can be done from a local control room instead of
traveling throughout the city from chamber to chamber to
change mechanical setpoints. Depending on the size of the
distribution system and the variable demands, the design
can become very complex.
The first question to ask yourself is this: what are you
trying to control? A few of the most common options are:
Flow Control
Pressure Reducing Control
Pressure Sustaining Control
Valve Position Control
Tank Level Control
Booster Pump Control
Surge Anticipation Control
Choose one option or choose three, a panel can be
designed and programmed with the most ecient algorithm
based on your applications priority sequence, ensuring that
the system works exactly as you expect it to.
Here, a Dual Solenoid Control Valve is used to
control the flow of a recirculation line. The flow
is measured with a SPI-MV flow meter and a
4 20mA signal is sent to the Control Panel in
the Onsite Control Room.
September October 2015
The type of control or the way you would like control a
system is often based on the types of feedback elements you
plan to use these may be sensors or switches purchased
with your valve, or existing components already connected
to your system.
A good control panel can integrate with one or many
of these feedback modules and control the system to user
set points. One implementation could be as basic as using a
control panel to control a single valve for position or pressure
management or possibly using that same panel to control two
valves in one station for position or pressure management.
A more complex design can use flow rate as a primary
feedback element for filling a tank, while simultaneously
monitoring pressure as a sustaining feature and tank level
control for system alarms. This type of configuration would
ensure that the system does not overdraw water upstream of
the valve, all while filling and monitoring the level of the tank.
The second question to consider is how the system will
be maintained and controlled by the operator. Some control
panels have the option to be controlled locally on site or via
complete remote control o-site. Depending on the size of
Water & Wastewater Asia

The Control Panel then receives the flow signal from
the SPI-MV as well as a remote set point via the onsite
SCADA control PLC (left) and controls the valve to
the correct set point needed by the system.
the system or site this becomes a key feature to consider in
controls. It may be beneficial for onsite sta to adjust a valve
parameter based on the changes in site parameters or it may
be beneficial for site parameters to change and have them
automatically adjust valve parameters remotely.
A control panel can also be integrated with a SCADA
system via 4-20mA signals and dry contacts, or via industrial
communication protocols such as Modbus. The panel
can receive all necessary set points and I/O controls and
retransmit any necessary data needed. Without getting out
of your seat at your SCADA control room, you have complete
access to your control panel.
Once the communication protocols are set and the
control algorithm of the system is decided, the final features
to consider are the desired inputs and outputs. A digital input
is usually used to remotely control an option on the panel. A
digital output of the system is usually configured as an alarm
or status indicator to show whether the system is currently
idle or running a control sequence.
Final question before design is to determine the
installation location and power source. A control panel can
be designed for either AC or DC input supply voltages. The
environment in which the panel will be installed needs to be
taken into account. A control panel can accommodate both
indoor and outdoor installations.
Water & Wastewater Asia
Thinking Cap 43
Order checklist for choosing your panel:
1. Type of Control
2. Sensor Inputs
3. SCADA/Remote Inputs
4. SCADA /Retransmission Outputs
5. Alarm Outputs
6. Supply Voltage
7. Indoor/Outdoor Use
When all parts of the checklist are answered the work on
the control panel can begin. A valve manufacturer can supply
both the control panel and the control valve it integrates with.
With the checklist complete the manufacturer can take the
control sequence and turn it into PLC logic to program the
panel to all your specifications. Depending on the application,
the turnaround time on a small panel can be as quick as four
weeks.
If you are new to the electronics world, your best option is
to have a valve manufacturer come down to the site and start
up and commission the control panel and train the operators.
A good customised control panel can save a municipality
many man hours, loss of water, disaster from an unknown
situation and give peace of mind that the system is operating
as it should 24 hours a day. WWA
September October 2015