| The current computer models used for simulating water quality in potable water distribution systems assume perfect mixing at pipe junctions and non-dispersive solute transport in pipe flows. To improve the prediction accuracy, the present study examines and expands these modeling assumptions using transport phenomena analyses. Whereas the level of solute mixing at a cross-type junction is evaluated numerically via Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), the axial transport in laminar flows is investigated with both CFD simulations and corresponding experimental runs in a single pipe. The findings show that solute mixing at junctions is rather incomplete owing to the limited spatio-temporal interaction that occurs between incoming flows with different qualities. Incomplete mixing shifts the expected propagation patterns of a chemical or microbial constituent from widely-spread to narrowly-concentrated over the service area. On the other hand, solute dispersion is found to prevail over advective transport in laminar pipe flows. Thus, this work develops axial dispersion rates through parameter optimization techniques. By accounting for axial dispersive effects, the patterns of solute delivery shifted from high concentrations over short time periods to lower doses at prolonged exposure times. In addition, the present study integrates the incomplete mixing model into the optimal placement of water quality monitoring stations aimed at detecting contaminant intrusions.;Keywords: drinking water, model, quality, axial dispersion, mixing, sensor location. |
