Modeling Bidirectional Flow Between Water Tanks and Mains

[RG2]

Hi everyone,

I'm working on a water distribution model where some storage tanks are connected to a single main line that functions both as an inlet and outlet — meaning the same pipe segment feeds the tank and receives water from it, depending on system conditions.

Given that the Utility Network relies on terminal configurations to define flow, I’d like to ask:

• What are the recommended best practices to model such a scenario?

• Is it preferable to use two coincident line features (duplicate feature) with opposing terminal directions?

• Can a single bidirectional line connected to a dual-terminal tank (e.g., using the “Pipe Bidirectional Dual Terminal” network category) handle this situation correctly or I need to create a new terminal configuration?

• How will this impact tracing workflows, especially upstream/downstream or isolation traces?

Any insights, especially from those who have modeled similar configurations, would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

[RobertKrisher · Accepted solution]

It depends on how you want to model your system. Typically, you want to model the tank as a potential pressure source for a pressure zone, so you'll connect that pipe to the outlet port on the tank and make it a subnetwork controller for the pressure zone it can provide pressure to.

At any given moment water could be getting pumped into the tank, or water could be getting drained from the tank, but setting it up as a subnetwork controller allows you to model it as a potential pressure source for your network which typically helps solve the most requirements.

Doing the moment-by-moment analysis of pressure typically requires you to take the data to an engineering analysis or planning tool where you have pump curves, valve status, etc available to understand what is actually going on in the system/zones.

[RG2]

Thanks Robert!