Modelling of an optimized, automated water supply system with leak detection for Olkaria geothermal area, Kenya

Abstract

The use of water in geothermal operations can be controlled to allow sustained utilisation. The water supply system must be transparent, safe, reliable and controllable. To control the water supply system, monitoring must be introduced. This may be human, physical or remote computerised monitoring. Whatever method is chosen, the same principles must apply. The reliability of supply is key among all principles as it ensures all other principles are met. A reliable system requires that the supply meets the demand both in quality and quantity. Quality is guaranteed when the water reaches its destination at the required pressure and flow. The required quantity must be delivered to the user continuously as and when required. This means that there should not be any losses in the water supply system. However, this is not possible of any system since errors do happen, accidents are at times unpredictable and the response may not be immediate. This project proposes to replace the manual water supply operation of the Olkaria water supply system with an automated SCADA controlled solution to allow for continuous monitoring and reporting of the water delivery at all points of the network. Since it is impossible to control what is not monitored, pressure and flow sensors must be installed at critical points of the network and the data transmitted to a central location for analysis and control of the tank water levels, booster pump pressure and locations of leaks or bursts when they occur through a supervisory control and data acquisition system (SCADA). This project is restricted to the raw water supply to the three main water reservoir locations. An analysis of the pressure losses along the pipeline is done with the assistance of Engineering Equation Solver (EES) to determine the performance of the system as installed and operated. Models of best operation scenarios are created to simulate a controlled water