Pressure Reducing Valves in Pipe Network Analysis

The three separate systems of equations that are in common use in solving steady flow problems in pipe networks are described and the method for including pressure reducing valves in each of these systems is given. The emphasis is on use of efficient computer oriented methods. In the method presented the pressure reducing valves are permitted to operate normally in maintaining a constant downstream pressure, or are permitted to act as check valves, preventing reverse flow should downstream pressures exceed valve settings. The inclusion of pressure reducing valves as an integral part of the network of pipes, pumps, reservoirs, and minor loss devices causes no appreciable reduction in the performance of computer programs that have been specifically written to carry out the computations for solutions.