Eng. Dobromir Simidchiev from Hydrolia presents the technology of digital twins in the context of water supply and sewage systems

The digital twin of the Earth, of the pet, and even man – such extravagant ideas exist, some of them are currently being developed, from an objective standpoint – the concept for digital twins (Digital Twin) works. The technology represents the creation of a digital model of an object or process that is as close to reality as possible, which is able to analyze, predict and influence the function of its prototype. For more than 15 years, systematic efforts have cost Indrica – Spanish water supply operator, to create a digital twin of the water supply system of Valencia and neighboring municipalities. The model operates as an organically developed, functional instrument, allowing prediction of future events at any point in the network over a 24-hour period based on 11,000 variables.

The project is impressive for the entire water supply and sewerage sector, and gives a completely new perspective for the future and optimization of water supply services and water resources. The development was presented during the specialized event HydroHacks: H₂AI, which took place on November 18 this year at the University of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Geodesy. Presenter and moderator was eng. Dobromir Simidchiev, manager of Hydrolia, with active participation of Mr. Carlos Orea from Indrica.

Creating a digital model of a system such as a water supply system requires in-depth knowledge of the existing circumstances, as well as a working hydraulic model – which is actually the basis for the digital twin.

Let's look at the water supply network of Valencia and the surrounding area in numbers:

• The system includes the city of Valencia and 48 municipalities;
• 1,600,000 inhabitants are supplied with water;
• Water sources are two rivers, the water from which is purified by two drinking water treatment plants (WWTP);
• Consumption: 290,000 m3/24 h.
• Main water supply network:
• Length: 380 km (from DN400 to DN1600);
• Pumping stations: 9;
• Reservoirs: 8;
• The system includes: 177 electric taps; 350 pressure sensors; 152 flow meters.
• Secondary water supply network:
• Length of the urban network: 1,300 km;
• Length of the rest of the network: 1,200 km.

Photo source: Hydrolia, ©Engineer BG via Canva