Trevor English
Youssef Al Fahham
As engineers, we understand the need for simple modeling interfaces that work as efficiently and autonomously as possible. Our ability to access and leverage GIS data and platforms is a critical component of the model creation process as well as our results analysis. So, as we make our way through the plan, design, build, operate, and maintain phases of our water infrastructure assets, how can InfoWater Pro help us in the water distribution modeling process?
Analyzing, operating, and maintaining water distribution networks is a huge feat, and it requires a modeling platform that is up to the task. From water loss and leakage to cybersecurity threats and staff shortages, water professionals are faced with a plethora of challenges in their noble mission to deliver clean, drinking water to residents and businesses. Picking the best hydraulic modeling platform shouldn’t be one of these challenges.
Water distribution networks, big or small, hilly or not at all, require a modeling platform that can support the (often rapid) decision-making process needed day in and day out. From analyzing the network for future system expansions to operating the system for present-day satisfaction, InfoWater Pro has the tools you need for the outcomes you desire.
In this post we’ll walk through 4 key features that we think sets it apart from competitors:
- How ArcGIS Online can be enabled to interactively view modeling results for stakeholder engagement and buy-in, without needing to share a copy of the model
- How fire flow simulations can be exponentially sped up by leveraging the latest cloud capabilities
- How the built-in surge analysis engine can simplify the implementation of an appropriate surge mitigation strategy
- How Pressure Zone Manager can streamline the delineation of pressure zones and the creation of an interactive system schematic
1. Deep ArcGIS Online integration
At its core, InfoWater Pro’s powerful integration with Esri’s ArcGIS Pro is exactly what you need to streamline your model build, validation, and calibration process. But InfoWater Pro goes deeper, with the ability to share scenario results to ArcGIS Online for the visualization of these results on interactive web maps. You no longer need to create and share copies of your hydraulic model to get stakeholder buy-in. Static maps and tables no longer need to be solely relied upon to collaboratively review and analyze modeling results.
Publishing web layers from InfoWater Pro to ArcGIS Online for the creation of web maps is easy enough, it can be covered in a 90-second video. Have a look.
2. (Very) fast fire flow cloud simulations
While there are an abundance of use cases for hydraulic models in water distribution networks, fire flow simulations constantly rise to the top as one of the most popular. InfoWater Pro gives you an edge with fire flow simulations that are parallelizable in the cloud, giving you the benefits of rapid cloud simulations on your core desktop application.
Internal testing on a 60,000-node model showed dramatic time savings from over 60 minutes of computing fire flow on the desktop to 3 minutes of leveraging the cloud. This was further validated by customer feedback: “I am up and running per the 2024.2 update and my fire flow simulation times went from over 1.5 hours to 5 minutes!”
3. Built-in surge analysis
On the flip side to fire flow simulations, surge analyses tend to be somewhat less common. Firstly, it is worth clarifying that surge in this context also covers hydraulic transients and water hammer, which are all loosely used interchangeably in the water industry. While analyzing the risk of pressure transients is critical to protecting your water systems from extreme maximum and minimum pressures, pipe movement and vibrations, and equipment failure, the application of surge analysis has been limited by the need for specialized software.
With InfoWater Pro, you get the powerful surge engine at your disposal, which is now included with your subscription, so you can analyze the risk of water hammer in your system and implement the appropriate surge mitigation strategy. Curious how it works? Check out the 90-second video below.
4. Powerful Pressure Zone Manager
Continuing the theme of InfoWater Pro’s powerful functionality that focuses on usability and productivity, the Pressure Zone Manager is another critical component in your toolbox. The Pressure Zone Manager can streamline the delineation of pressure zones and automate the creation of an interactive system schematic, with strong emphasis on the interactive nature of the schematic.
The potential impact of Pressure Zone Manager on your projects far exceeds what can be described in a paragraph, so let’s dive a little deeper in this short 2-minute video.
More than just 4
We’ve chosen to highlight these four key features as they are significant differentiators for InfoWater Pro and specifically address the hydraulic modeling needs that you face. As water engineers ourselves, we’re constantly striving to meet the needs of our customers inside of each of our water solutions, as well as help advance the technological capabilities at your fingertips.
Some of these features have been evolving over the past few years, but some have only been released in the past year. We want all Autodesk customers to be able to see what’s coming in the future and adopt every new feature we add to the app, which is why we’ve created a public product roadmap and a feedback portal so you can give us feedback about what we should build next.
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