Optimal pumping scheduling model considering reservoir evaporation

This paper presents a new optimal pumping scheduling model that integrates the evaporation losses from the reservoirs into the optimisation algorithm and provides the optimal pumping policy that minimises both pumping and water costs. The developed model was tested using a real irrigation water distribution system located in southeast Spain to serve as a case study. When evaporation losses were considered, water and energy savings were achieved in comparison to the optimal solution found when evaporation is not considered in the optimisation process.A sensitivity analysis of the optimal solutions to the price of water was then performed. For increasing water prices, the optimal solutions provided by the model tend to delay the pumping decisions with the aim of diminishing the evaporation losses. Although this implies a slight increase in the energy cost, it is compensated with the higher reduction in the water cost.