Feasibility study of the cost of transporting wastewater for irrigation purposes in the administrative district of Karbala, Iraq

Abstract

Introduction. The study presents an assessment of the economic feasibility of different pipe materials used to transport treated wastewater. The choice was made between pipes made of ductile iron, glass-fiber reinforced polyester (GRP), concrete, and plastic. Hydraulic calculations of operation of an irrigation water supply and distribution system were made using WaterCAD V8i software. Two options of the system operation, that entail different flow rates and diameters, are considered: if the flow rate is equal to 1.16 m3/s and pipe diameters vary from 800 mm to 1,200 mm, and if the flow rate is equal to 4.63 m3/s, and pipe diameters vary from 1,600 to 2,000 mm. Materials and methods. The article analyzes the legal and regulatory documentation on design and construction, urban planning solutions for residential areas, architectural and structural solutions for apartment buildings, statistical and analytical reports on housing construction in Russia, presented on the Internet. Results. Irrigation water represents treated wastewater fed by the wastewater treatment facilities in the city of Karbala, Iraq. Two hydraulic models were designed with account for the above-mentioned costs. Head losses were estimated for each model with regard for all studied materials and pipe diameters using the WaterCAD V8i software and a mathematical model for the purpose of selecting the optimal pipe diameter. Conclusions. A mathematical model was developed to calculate the cost of transporting wastewater in pipes having different diameters and made of four different materials. The ratio of costs to the diameter of pipes, made of four different materials, was identified by developing an empirical equation. The co-authors used the Darcy – Weisbach technique and the Hazen – Williams method to calculate the operating costs with regard for variable diameters, flow rates for the two models, head losses due to friction, annual operation time, annual cost of electric energy, and the energy efficiency of the unit. Thus, a mathematical model was obtained, that can be applied to select the most optimal pipe diameter.