Author: / Sarah Thorstensen / Date: / 8 April 2013 /
Subject: / Aquadapt Developments to 5.15 / Our Ref: / 7710009
Derceto Aquadapt™ 5.15
Derceto Aquadapt™ version 5.15 was released in April 2013. This version builds on the Aquadapt 5.14 platform, incorporating many of the new features requested by our clients. These new features are detailed below.
User Interface Improvements
DB Query Tool Improvements –This tool for extracting data from the Aquadapt database has been improved and now runs faster for large queries. It now also makes sure only date ranges with valid data can be selected and does not require a reset before running additional queries. Data can easily be copied to Excel for graphing and reporting.
DB Query Tool Improved Missing Data Handling – Added ability to fill in missing historical data values with zero or null.
Smarter Missing Value Display – More accurate display of missing and modified transient data on charts and in details list in Application Manager.
Solve Diagnostics – Where possible reduced the number of facilities listed as problem areas when Aquadapt cannot find a better solution.
Operator Panel Visual Information
Multi Function Information Form–The Alerts, Solve Diagnostics and Operator Log have been consolidated into one Information formfor easier operator viewing.
Module Not Run Banner – Now also shows which site the module relates to.
Checklist Complete Button – A button can be added to record the daily checklist review and related text information added to the Operators log.
Alerts now timed to the Minute – The Guardian module that monitors and issues alerts now runs every minute to update operational alerts published to the Operator Panel.
Control and Availability Options in Operator Panel – Extended the capability of setting up buttons in the Operator Panel for putting Water Treatment Plants and Pump Stations into / out of Aquadapt Control. Adds to the existing capability for reading this information from SCADA.
Faulted Pumps F Indicator – An F indicator for faulted pumps similar to the T for pumps not in service has been added to the physical pump displayto make it easier for operators to identify why a pump is not being selected or running..
Live Operations Simulator Visual Indication – The graphics indicating Simulation mode is active have been changed to make it more obvious simulation mode is active.
Networking and SCADA Interfaces
Improved Tag Not Found Diagnosis– Added SCADA Read and Write event and exception handling for Tag Not Found Events.
Improved Tag Bad Quality Diagnosis – Added SCADA Read and Write event and exception handling for Tag Bad Quality Events.
String Format Tags – SCADA Read can read the value part of tags in string format e.g. ‘12.8 l/s’
Modify Tag Values before Write– Tag Values written to SCADA can be limited to configurable min and max values.
Derceto Task Manager runs As Administrator by default – Prevents permission issues on server restart.
Editable Email From Addresses – The support request from address can be modified if required for network settings.
Schedule Export Resync Changes – Added function to reset commands sent to Scada during long periods of status mis-match.
Aquadapt Tidy Up– Functionality added to automatically clean up specified temporary files on the Aquadapt Servers improving HDD space management.
Iterative Replication– Replicator will now defer and iterate through changes that would otherwise cause problems from being applied to the Historian database out of sequence.
Replication Robustness –Replicator will now delete any leftover rows in the destination database that have higher primary keys once we have reached the end of source rows.
Multiple SCADA Server configuration–Allow different SCADA servers to be configured with different TagPrefix configuration option for SCADA Read and Write.
Multiple SCADA Server heartbeats – Added capability to write multiple heartbeat tags.
OPC Asynchronous Read–The reliability and speed of OPC communicationsto SCADA has been improved with the addition of modern asynchronous read methods replacing our synchronous approach to OPC. This allows the OPC driver more time and flexibility to respond on busy SCADA servers. Options have also been added for COM Authentication, COM Impersonation and COM Cloaking.
Faster, more robust OPC SCADA connections–The OPC server connection process has been upgraded to use a tiered approach that follows industry standards and runs through a hierarchy of connection methodsspecifically aimed at both modern and older OPC drivers. If available a saved OPC server GUID from the config file is used, else the QueryInterfaces2 or the QueryInterfacesmethod (now deprecated) is used.
Multiple SCADA Server connection order – Added additional options for SCADA server connection order to enable pre selection of first server to try and option to try one server only.
Improved Derceto Task Manager Robustness – Improvements at server restart; set Windows service Start-up type to Automatic(Delayed Start) and do not try to start Derceto service if generator database is not available. Use Halt instead of re-raising exceptions as the Windows service failure recovery does not recognize unhandled exceptions but it does recognize a halt.
Derceto Task Manager Sleep Option –Added option to allow Derceto Task Manager to use sleep instead of windows messages when run as a service.
Aquadapt Dashboard
More Pumps –Increased the number of pumps possible in a pump station, reformatted and aligned Efficiency and EVH charts (Energy Usage and Savings: Pump Station Detail page).
New Online Help Documentation –Dashboard specific help is now accessible online from the top right corner of Dashboard.
More Hints – All charts now have information ‘mouse over’ hints to display the value details.
Tank Elevation Offsets – Improved display of tank level charts where tanks have non zero base elevation.
New Multi Facility Page –A new page has been added to allow the user to select multiple charts of different demand, level and flowdata types. The data is viewable in day, week, month and year options.
Additional Date Range Options –Date range options of day, week, month, and year are now available on more charts.
New Multiple Tank Group –A new tank group allows viewing of multiple tank levels on one chart (zone level chart).
Fixed Supply chart type – Changed the Supply chart type from funnel to volumetrically accurate pie.
Dashboard shortcut – A Dashboard desktop shortcut to the intranet page is now automatically installed by default.
Solver Enhancements
Optional Level Control Modeling– Added option to model level control in the embedded Epanet hydraulic model on a tank by tank basis.
Xpress Version 7.4 Support – The interface to the Xpress optimization library has been upgraded to the latest version enabling faster solves and better utilization of multiprocessor servers.Theoption to use the Dual Simplex algorithm has been added.Significant improvements in speed have been observed to make the system even more responsive and lower cost solutions produced.
Standardization of iteration algorithms– The algorithms used for making modifications during a solve in cases of infeasibility have been standardized. Added reservoir groups for this purpose.
Optional Pump Speed Recalculation– Added option to recalculate VSD pump speeds after the final Epanet simulation for closer convergence between simulation and speed settings.
Plant Power modeling options– Added power multiplier constructs to Plantswith power cost curve modeling. Allows modeling of a second level of power use and/or grouped Water Treatment Plants.
Continuous Integration and Testing
Schedule Reporter – Added to automated regression testing process.
Automated Derceto UpdateTesting – The continuous integration process at the Derceto development facility in Auckland improves the robustness of the software and upgrade process. It now includes automated testing of upgrade scripts on a test version of all client databases every day to detect any upgrade or script naming errors before clients are upgraded.Derceto Updatecan run automatically as a console application on both the Live and Historian databases.
Anytown 24/7 Live Test System – The Anytown test system is a fully functioning Aquadapt client running 24/7 at the Derceto development facility in Auckland using a Live and Historian server and new daily demand generator module. Anytown contains most client features and enables immediate testing of changes to improve robustness of the software and upgrade process.It also receives Windows patches and updates, allowing us to detect any problems and alert users before those patches are applied to live systems.
Real Time Tester Upgraded – This in-house module enables testing of all Aquadapt modules in as close to the live operation as possible. RTT uses historical demand data to emulate values in the SCADA system in real time. It does that by performing hydraulic simulations to calculate current reservoir levels and flowmeter flows. The RTT has been upgraded to include:
A simplified database structure, Live DB and config, conversion to Derceto base objects
User Interface improvements, streamlined to assist configuration,new RTT parameter set
A quick copylastsolve results function instead of previous slower method
Message and/or cancel process if first solve has failed
Before test back up log folder content, clear tblChanges and optionally parameter history
Pause Task Manager when RTT is paused or cancelled
Move time changing code to Task Manager
Upgraded tag processing functionality; pressuremeter tags, Pump VSD setpoints in alternative units, Valve setpoints in alternative units
SCADA Interface Tag Type Test Facility – Upgraded the simulated SCADA tag repository to enable testing of variants, OPC qualityand decimal point selection.
Multiple Automated Regression Tests – Added multiple test parameters for a single test project.
Support
Email Report Static Text – Static text can be added to any section of the email report.
Email Report Chart Legends – Legends have been added to email report charts.
Email Report Custom Content – Section inclusion/exclusion can be customized for specific recipients.
User Manuals Upgraded – All manuals have been upgraded to 5.15.
Derceto Debug Reader Optimization–In-house support tool upgraded to provide faster validation of configuration changes and diagnosis of errors in assumptions between Epanet and theoretical calculations.
Matrix Diagnosis tool upgrade– In-house support tool upgraded to provide faster diagnosis of infeasible problems.
Database statistics alert messages – Derceto Guardian now includes information about server and database statistics, connections, transactions, queries and transactions of interest in emails.
Guardian Monitoring of Historian Task Manager – Guardian can now monitor the Historian Derceto Task Manager and alert any errors.
Under the Hood – things we get excited about
Smarter Meter Sizing checks – Improved detection of meter sizing or roll over setting errors.
Delphi XE2 – The Derceto development environment has been upgraded to Delphi XE2.
Smart New Curves –New curves now default to valid date ranges.
Automatic detection and fixing of generator mismatches – Generator values are validated on the fly when Application Manager connects to the Historian database. Automatic fixing by DBReplicator.
Driveloss parameter discontinued– Removed all references and replaced with scaled curves.
Xpress CPU interface simplified– Discontinued parameters XPressNumMIPThreadsOnline, XPressNumMIPThreadsOffline. Xpress now uses all available CPUs by default.
Improved Derceto Task exception logging– Improved Run Completed function to log exceptions to file that might not otherwise be logged due to database transaction failures.
Consistent zero value storage– Forced storage of important zero values in database (all SCADARead, Data Cleaner and most Solver results).
Multi Threading Time Tracking–Added functions to Aquadapt tasks for real-time tracking of multi-threaded applications to assist in timing error diagnosis.
Database Server Upgrade– Firebird database server upgraded to version 2.5.2.
Database documentation – Added database documentation of internal tables.
Consistent Volume Cleaning - Data Cleaner now checks tank volumes against a fixed volume offset from predicted for more consistent volume cleaning.
Improved Demand Calculation data records – Data Cleaner now calculates and stores raw demand values as well as clean to assist in investigating erroneous demand calculations.
Fixed in 5.15
Operator Panel - Fixed bug where flow chart bars sometimes displayed with a different width.
Operator Panel - Fixed bug in the determination of page controlled state.
Operator Panel - Fixed bug resulting in flickering of buttons in Windows 7 with Windows 7 Classic resolution settings.
Operator Panel - Fixed bug resulting in exception box when exiting at the same time as a refresh occurs.
Data Cleaner – Fixed bug in Clean Flow procedure to set assessed flag after a rollover event
Operator Panel – Fixed bug in area login permission preventing view of other areas when set to area zero.
Schedule Export – Improved the determination of schedule changes in the current period. If so issue a change to SCADA regardless of if the status matches. Fixes bug causing stale Aquadapt control tags when using control feedback.
Task Server Registry Access - Changed saving of settings in registry to use HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE instead of HKEY_LOCAL_USER reducing permission errors.
Operator Panel – Fixed bug preventing changes to Step Period points on left of yellow bar.
Live Operations Simulator – Fixed bug in determination of current parameters from parameter history.
Dashboard – Fixed standard demand value one day out; Water Supply and Demand: Demand.
Derceto Aquadapt™ 5.14
Derceto Aquadapt™ version 5.14 was released in November 2012. This version builds on the Aquadapt 5.12 platform, incorporating many new features. These new features are detailed below.
User Interface Improvements
Physical Pump Schedules on the Operator Panel – Operator Panel has the capability of viewing schedules for each pump rather than pump combinations so that a complete list of pumps at the station can be viewed in numerical order.
Alarm Messages on Operator Panel – Aquadapt alarms and messages have been updated and separated into 3 categories in a list with ‘Acknowledged’ checkboxes
‘Aquadapt Alarms’ – Indicates any issues with Aquadapt itself
‘Operational Alarms’ – Alarms related to the water distribution network e.g. pump performance (flow different from anticipated), tank flatlineand the “pump not run”indicator to allow periodic pump starts on infrequently used equipment.
‘System Mode/Info’ – This covers site specific settings such as peak energy demand periods (known as Triad Events in the UK and PLC in the US), as well as special modes of operation such as fire or storm warning days when tanks are filled to higher levels.
Solve Diagnostics – Improved reporting of problem areas when Aquadapt cannot find a better solution. Assists both Operators and Engineers diagnose the likely problems in the network to avoid prolonged periods of water deficiencies. Extended reporting time up to 48 hours in advance.
Secure Data Access–A ‘view only’ user typehas been added to permit external read-only database access (for example a connection from Excel). Hour and half hour summary views have been added to databases and are available to the view only user.
Operator Panel Visual Information
Fixed Speed Pumps - Clearer naming on the Operator Panel which allows you to identify all pumps in priority order groups.
Schedule Changes page for all areas – All areas can now be shown on one page.
Networking and SCADA Interfaces
Valve Stagger Position Setpoints–Position valve can now have a staggered setpoint (e.g. incrementally increase the % open by 5% every 2 minutes).
SCADA Write Delay – Added write delay time functionality to read (similar to delay used between loading and reading tags in SCADA Read).
SCADA Read Variant types– Fixed error resulting from reading variant types that cannot be converted to a string or number (e.g. blank).
Solver Enhancements
Best Efficiency Priority Order – Aquadapt software has the ability to calculate and set pump long term priorities for pumps of equal size according to best efficiency. The most efficient pumps are always run ahead of less efficient pumps when duty pumps need to be specified if this method is selected.
Handling of Tanks Breaching Maximum or Minimum – Aquadapt Software can now incorporate additional measures to bring tanks back within operating limits when they have been breached.
Energy Market Enhancements
Improved Handling of Tiered Tariffs – The Aquadapt Software can handle situations where energy is provided at a set price for the first x kWh and another price for the next x kWh in a billing monthinstead of or in addition to traditional Time-Of-Use pricing.