Is It Possible to Improve Energy Efficiency in Water Purification Plants? The Case of Drinking Water in La Presa DWPP in Valencia, (Spain)

Abstract

Energy in water purification plants plays a critical role for the sustainability of the entire water supply network, as multiple factors affect flow quality and pressure. This paper analyzes the possibilities of installing turbines to optimize the operation of one of these plants in the city of Valencia (Spain), integrating them with reservoirs and implementing hydraulic machinery for energy recovery. This analysis could be extrapolated to many other cities’ water purification plants with significant benefits for the sustainability of the whole system, considering their local variations of consumption and pressure levels.

This research analyzes the energy balance of the purification water pumping system at the La Presa drinking water purification plant (DWPP) in Manises (Valencia) and evaluates alternatives to improve its energy efficiency. These alternatives include the construction of a storage tank at an elevation of 75 m between La Presa Plant and Valencia city, allowing the lower area of the city to be supplied independently from the upper zone. This configuration will adapt to the pressure levels of the whole city and control the residence time in the tanks, thereby improving both energy and quality parameters in the whole network. Hydraulic simulations were conducted in EPANET using models representing the system from the La Presa gallery to the delivery points under various demand scenarios and operational criteria. Three alternatives for feeding the new tank are studied: using additional pumps; using turbines; and a combination of both. From the data obtained in the simulations (flows and heads), the net energy consumed was calculated, and the average water residence time in the tanks was simulated as an indicator of water quality, using certain theoretical criteria. The results indicate that all alternatives represent a significant energy saving and maintain water quality at any moment. The best solution is proposed, which involves combining pumps and turbines and minimizing residence time in the tanks. In this case, a saving of 42.26% of energy is achieved when compared with the actual situation, with an average residence time in the tanks of less than 50 h. The combination of both restrictions of quality and energy savings represents a novelty in the management of future decisions for purification plants supplying real networks.