Question

The design technique, adopted in design of large water supply networks, as an aid to simplify and separate the smaller loops is

• A. Hardy cross method
• B. Circle method
• C. Electrical analyser method
• D. Equivalent pipe method

Hint:

Hydraulic analysis of complex pipe networks often requires simplification techniques to make calculations manageable. The equivalent pipe method is a fundamental tool that allows engineers to model sections of a network as a single pipe, preserving the head loss-flow relationship. This is particularly useful before applying iterative methods like the Hardy Cross method to the simplified overall network.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

Step 1: Understand the context of water supply network design.
Designing large water supply networks involves analyzing complex pipe systems to determine flow rates and pressure drops. Methods are needed to simplify these networks for analysis and design.
Step 2: Analyze the given options in the context of simplifying loops in networks.

• (1) Hardy Cross method: This is an iterative method used for solving pipe networks to determine flows and head losses. It is not a simplification technique that separates smaller loops; rather, it's a computational method applied to the entire network or its loops.
• (2) Circle method: This is not a standard, widely recognized design technique for simplifying water supply networks in the way implied.
• (3) Electrical analyser method: This is an analogue method where the pipe network is simulated using an electrical circuit (resistors representing pipes). It helps in solving complex networks but is not primarily a technique for simplifying and separating loops into smaller ones for analytical purposes, but rather a tool for direct simulation.
• (4) Equivalent pipe method: This method is used to simplify complex pipe networks by replacing a series of pipes or a branched network with a single "equivalent" pipe that has the same head loss for the same discharge. This technique is specifically used to simplify and reduce the complexity of branched or looped pipe systems into a more manageable single pipe, effectively separating or combining smaller sections for analysis. It is a common technique to simplify networks for easier hydraulic analysis.

Step 3: Select the correct option.
The Equivalent Pipe Method is the design technique used to simplify and separate smaller loops or sections within a large water supply network by replacing them with a single hydraulically equivalent pipe. This aids in reducing the complexity of calculations for the overall network. $$\boxed{\text{Equivalent pipe method}}$$