Acronimo: HYDE
Titolo: HYDraulic Energy recovery strategies for future green water supply systems
Responsabile scientifico: Prof. Andrea DIANI - Dipartimento di Ingegneria Industriale-Università' degli Studi di PADOVA
Coordinatore: Prof. Massimiliano RENZI – Libera Università di Bolzano
Partner-Unità di ricerca: Dipartimento di Ingegneria Industriale-Università degli Studi di PADOVA, Università degli Studi di FERRARA
Bando: PRIN 2022 - Decreto Direttoriale n. 104 del 02-02-2022
Durata: 04/02/2025 - 03/02/2027 (24 mesi)
Budget totale progetto: € 79.139,00

Abstract del progetto

According to 2018 ISTAT data, the energy footprint of Water Supply Systems (WSSs) accounted for the 5% of the overall Italian energy consumption, due to water pumping, distribution and treatment. This situation is also worsened by the lack of monitoring devices that can help to detect water losses and imbalances in the WSS.

Novel solutions and strategies need to be introduced to support the transition to a resilient, smart and sustainable urban water system, envisioned by the recent European guidelines aiming at the EU climate neutrality goal set for 2050, as well as in the national recovery plan that promotes actions in the field of WSS digitalization and in the sustainable and efficient use of the water resources through investments on the grids.

New methodologies and techniques, like big data analysis, artificial intelligence, digital twins and smart energy recovery solutions are promising tools of the 4.0 paradigm that can be used to face the new challenges for the management of WSSs. In addition, within the concept of the Water-Energy nexus, an integrated policy for water and energy management is mandatory. Therefore, in the next years, water industry has to be guided towards solutions designed specifically for the future energy-efficient water grid. In this context, the aim of the project is to develop and test technologies and management strategies that can contribute to the smart control and digitalization of WSSs. These tools will contribute to: (i) exploit the hydraulic energy potential of the water to produce valuable electric energy in the core nodes of the WSS and for proper pressure control; (ii) use this energy to power equipment and sensors that can be used to monitor the status of the WSS and to optimize its operation; (iii) detect failures, losses and the quality of the water and of the service.

In particular, the energy optimization of water distribution, treatment and pressure regulation will be addressed, by also considering the fluctuating nature of the flows in WSSs, while preserving customer demand. In addition, the project will also tackle the challenges of complex control, off-design operation and instabilities that can limit the application of energy recovery machines, as well as techniques to detect the health state to propose a smart management of the WSSs. The hydraulic machines will be tested experimentally, and novel design solutions will be proposed to widen the operating range and facilitate the flow and pressure control in WSSs, by also considering the possibility of using variable speed drives.

Finally, the ultimate goal of this project is to develop and test technologies and management strategies suitable to fit the National Recovery Plan, the 2030 UN SDGs and the 2050 EU targets related to producing "green" energy (by recovering wasted hydraulic energy) and securing water demand fulfilment.