Investigating the Correct Operation of Domestic Water Meters in the Range of Water Consumption of Evaporative Coolers According to the Different Atmospheric Conditions for four Cities of South Khorasan Province

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Assist. Prof., Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Birjand, Birjand, Iran

2 MSc., Mechanical Engineering, University of Birjand, Birjand, Iran

Abstract

Water meters, as one of the most important components of the urban water distribution network, like other mechanical equipment, are gradually degraded and lose their desired efficiency. The poor performance of the water meter for estimating the amount of subscribers’ water consumption has a negative effect on planning for the provision of water production resources and also causes financial losses to water and wastewater companies. Therefore, in the present study, the accuracy of measurement of domestic water meters including 2 new meters (Baylan and Talayeh) and 7 used meters (about 35 years old) has been experimentally investigated in the range of water consumption rates of evaporative coolers (up to the start-up flow-rate). For this purpose, each of the above meters is separately installed on the test bench and placed in the water flow path in series with an ultrasonic test meter (owned by South Khorasan Province Water and Wastewater Company) and a digital turbine meter (owned by the project manager). Then, the flow rate shown by each of these three meters (apparent flow rate) was simultaneously read and compared with the actual flow rate (measured by a calibrated container and a stopwatch). Therefore, in the range of flow rates of evaporative coolers,  the error of meter operation in measuring the correct amount of water consumption (or unaccounted-for water) and the values of Root-Mean-Square Error can be determined. The results showed that the best operating range of domestic meters is between 15 and 22 liters per hour and RMSE values for this range of rates for the two new meters of Baylan and Talayeh are 7.79 and 3.61 liters per hour, respectively. Also, the start-up flow-rate values for Baylan and Talayeh meters were measured at 13.8 and 7.7 liters per hour, respectively, which are closely similar to the results of other researchers. In addition, by changing the network’s water pressure by means of a pressure regulating valve, the effect of this parameter on the accuracy of the meters is evaluated. Moreover, the effect of changing the parameters such as altitude, dry-bulb temperature, and relative humidity on water consumption of an evaporative cooler with a capacity of 7500 m3/h was theoretically investigated for 4 cities of South Khorasan province. Through psychrometric calculations, it was observed that the highest consumption of water cooler occurred in conditions of high dry temperature, low relative humidity, and higher air pressure (Tabas city) at the rate of 56.39 L/h.

Keywords

References

Azali, S. 2010. The effect of subscribers' flow meters replacement on non-revenue water (a case study of two cities, Fereydunshahr and Nain). 3rd National Conference on Water and Wastewater (With the Approach of Reforming the Consumption Pattern). Shahid Abbaspour Power and Water University of Technology, Tehran, Iran. (In Persian)
Du Plessis, J. A. & Hoffman, J. J. 2015. Domestic water meter accuracy. WIT Transactions on Ecology and the Environment, 200, 197-208.
Ekramnia, A. & Alikhasi, M. 2011. Assessment the accuracy of domestic water meters and its effect on the actual amount of water consumption of residential subscribers. 4th Iran Water Resources Management Conference. Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, Iran. (In Persian)
Garmaye Jonoob Company 2019. http://GarmayeJonoob.com. (In Persian)
Jafari, H., Nikdad, H. R. & Hoseinibidar, S. H. 2016. The effect of changing subscribers' worn-out flowmeters on decreasing non-revenue water and increasing revenue of water and wastewater companies. 3rd National Conference on Fluid Flow Measurement in Oil, Gas, Refining, Petrochemical and Water Industries. University of Science and Technology, Tehran, Iran. (In Persian)
Khosravi, M., Mollaei, M. & Damirchi, F. 2017. Investigating the effect of optimization and reduction of flow meter diameter on customers consumption pattern and measurement of weak flows. 1st National Conference on Water Loss and Consumption Management. Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran. (In Persian)
Mbabazi, D., Banadda, N., Kiggundu, N., Mutikanga, H. & Babu, M. 2015. Determination of domestic water meter accuracy degradation rates in Uganda. Journal of Water Supply: Research and Technology-AQUA, 64, 486-492.
Mehrdadi, N., Jalali Amin, F. & Haghollahi, A. 2008. A research on unaccounted water due to customer metering inaccuracies. Journal of Ecology (University of Tehran), 34, 13-20. (In Persian)
Moahloli, A., Marnewick, A. & Pretorius, J. H. C. 2019. Domestic water meter optimal replacement period to minimize water revenue loss. Water SA, 45, 165-173.
Ncube, M. & Taigbenu, A. E. 2019. Assessment of apparent losses due to meter inaccuracy using an alternative, validated methodology. Water Supply, 19, 1212-1220.
Pooladi, R. 2018. The effect of aging water meter on the accuracy of their measurement in the city of Kazerun. 2nd Congress of Iranian Water and Wastewater Science and Engineering. Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, Iran. (In Persian)
Poor Nosrat, M., Sharifpour, M. & Heydari, J. 2010. Consumption management and identification of factors affecting on reducing non-revenue water in Rural Water and Sewerage Company of Kermanshah Province. 3rd National Conference on Water and Wastewater (With the Approach of Reforming the Consumption Pattern). Shahid Abbaspour Power and Water University of Technology, Tehran, Iran. (In Persian)
Journal of Water and Wastewater; Ab va Fazilab ( in persian )
Volume 32, Issue 3 - Serial Number 134
September and October 2021
Pages 40-54

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics