CadreFow and Pipe Flow can replace OpenFlows WaterCAD Pipe Network Analysis

The two best alternative software which can be treated as the WaterCAD for independent researchers

May 14, 2023

OpenFlows WaterCAD is a user-friendly hydraulic and water quality modeling application for water distribution systems, with features ranging from fire flow and constituent concentration analyses to energy cost management and pump modeling. You can effectively design new water systems and manage existing water networks to reduce disruption risks and energy consumption. You can use OpenFlows WaterCAD from within MicroStation or AutoCAD, or you can use it as a stand-alone application for more flexibility.

But its cost is USD 789.33 for a 12-month subscription. A network with only 250 pipes can be analyzed. Renewal of the subscription is also the same and you have to renew once the 12 month is over.

What is WaterCAD?

WaterCAD is an easy-to-use software that is a reliable, resource-saving, decision-support application for your water infrastructure. You can quickly analyze, design, and optimize your water distribution systems from fire flow and water quality analysis, to energy cost management and pump modeling. The built-in water quality features help you perform constituent, water age, tank mixing, and source trace analysis to develop comprehensive chlorination schedules, simulate emergency contamination events, visualize zones of influence for different water sources, and improve turbidity, taste, and odor by identifying water blending problems in your water distribution systems.

This software is a pioneer in graphical user interface-based pipe network analysis software where the user can also analyze the impact of water quality and energy on the flow output. This software has numerous features like :

Stand-alone application
Ability to run from within MicroStation (MicroStation license required)
Seamless compatibility with WaterGEMS and HAMMER
Unlimited undo and redo
Element morphing, splitting, and reconnection
Merge nodes in close proximity tool
Automatic element labeling
Scaled, schematic, and hybrid environments
Element prototypes
Aerial view and dynamic zooming
Named views library
Multiple background-layer support
One of the major alternative
Shapefile, DXF and DGN file, spreadsheet, database, and ODBC connections
Oracle Spatial support
GIS-ID property to maintain associations between records in the data source/GIS and elements in the model
SCADAConnect for live data connections to and from SCADA systems (available for an additional fee)
Graphical SCADA element
Customer Meter element
Lateral link (no need to split pipes)
Automatic demand allocation from geospatial data
Geospatial demand allocation from customer meters
Demand allocation from lump-sum geospatial data
Geospatial-based water consumption projection
Daily, weekly, monthly, and superimposed patterns
Unaccounted for water and leakage estimation
Composite demands global edition
Area, count, discharge, and population-based loading
Pipe length-based demand loading
Elevation extraction from DEM, TIN, and shapefiles
Elevation extraction from CAD drawings and surfaces
User-data extensions, including formula-based
Bing Maps support
Model sync In/Out, update a model or sync out to an external file
hematic mapping with property-based color-coding, symbology, and annotations
Dynamic, multi-parameter, and multi-scenario graphing
Scenario and element comparison
Shapefile contouring
Advance profiling
Advanced tabular reporting with FlexTables
Creation of Google Earth (KML) files
Publishing of i-models in 2D or 3D, including Bentley Map Mobile
Video recording of result animation
Customizable reports

The first alternative: Pipe Flow Expert

One of the first major alternatives to WaterCAD has most of the features that WaterCAD offers and is inexpensive compared to Water CAD.

This software has the following features :

The Pipe Flow Expert program allows users to design, model, and solve complex pipe systems, to calculate the flow rates and pressure drops in the pipes throughout their system. Pipe Flow Expert was first released in 2006 and became an instant success with engineers that needed a powerful but easy-to-use software program to model open-loop and closed-loop pipe systems with multiple tanks, multiple pumps, and multiple components.

As a software application for modeling pipe system flows and pressure drops you'll find it hard to beat. It can model both open-loop and closed-loop piping systems, with multiple supply tanks and discharge points, multiple pumps in parallel or pumps in series, and it comes with its own pipe database, fittings database, and fluids database. And most important of all, it is easy to use, taking the pressure out of piping design, pipe flow calculations, and pipe pressure drop analysis.

The cost of the annual subscription is USD 595 for 25 pipes only but renewal is USD 195.

This two software can be referred to as the most similar alternative to Water CAD.

The Second Alternative: Cadre Flow

CADRE Flow is an application for fluid system flow analysis used for simulating flow networks based on finite element principles. It will determine flow rates and pressures throughout a system accounting for friction and discrete losses. CADRE Flow determines pump and turbine parameters; power required and extracted. It also provides fluid momentum and pressure forces on joints and fittings. These forces can be exported for subsequent import to CADRE Pro for structural analysis of piping support systems. Besides the software has the following features and cost of the product.

Cadre Flow’s Features

Flow rates, pressures, losses, and velocity
Hydraulic grade lines, energy lines
Power available, required, and lost
Forces on joints and fittings
Joint and fitting losses
Pump requirements
Turbine requirements, unit discharge
Cavitation detection and evaluation
Vary viscosity, temperature, and vapor pressure within the system
Unrestricted variations of the Reynolds number within the system (laminar, turbulent, transition)
Unlimited complex 3D networks and piping layouts
Automatic environmental conditions and fluid setups for common fluids in any system of units
Easily handle low-speed flow systems (biofilters)

This software has some bugs but the price of this software is: USD150 and all upgrades are free. This software also uses the Finite Element Concepts.

Besides a higher resolution of the reports and some advanced programming techniques, this two alternative software is a copy of the original software. From the way the pipe networks need to be drawn to the way the analysis report is generated these three software is exactly the same.

Conclusion

The price of an annual subscription and renewal for WaterCAD with 250pipes is USD789.33 every year whereas the same price for Pipe Flow Expert with 25 pipes is charged as USD766, 2.96% less compared to Water CAD. Cadre Flow on the other has an annual subscription for an unlimited number of pipes against a cost of USD150. No cost for renewal. So Cadre Flow is the cheapest software that can perform the flow analysis objectives.

After Cadre Flow the next expensive software is Pipe Flow followed by Water CAD.

Else You may browse the following :

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