Pressure control in a supply grid

An apparatus for controlling pressure in a supply grid, wherein the supply grid is configured to supply consumers with a fluid and comprises a plurality of first sensors for measuring flow rates and/or pressures of the fluid at a plurality of first locations in the supply grid, and a pump for pumping the fluid or a valve for controlling a flow of the fluid, the apparatus comprising:

• a self-learning system capable of training itself by:
• (1) measuring the flow rates and/or the pressures of the fluid at the first locations in the supply grid using the first sensors;
• (2) determining a pressure, by the self-learning system, at a second location among a plurality of second locations in the supply grid based on the flow rates and the pressures measured at the plurality of first locations;
• (3) determining a difference between the determined pressure and a target value;
• (4) adjusting the self-learning system taking into account the determined difference;
• and (5) repeating the measuring, the determining of the pressure, the determining of the difference, and the adjusting of the self-learning system until a specified termination criterion is met;
• a first detection unit configured to detect fluid flow rates or the pressures measured by the plurality of first sensors at the plurality of first locations in the supply grid;
• a prediction unit configured to predict a pressure at the second location among the plurality of the second locations by the trained self-learning system based on the flow rates or the pressures detected at the plurality of first locations by the first detection unit;
• and
• an actuation unit configured to actuate the pump or the valve.

An arrangement comprising:

• a supply grid configured to supply consumers with a fluid;
• a plurality of first sensors configured to measure flow rates and/or pressures of the fluid at a plurality of first locations in the supply grid;
• a pump configured to pump the fluid or a valve configured to control a flow of the fluid;
• and
• an apparatus configured to control pressure in the supply grid, wherein the apparatus comprises:
• a self-learning system capable of training itself by:
• (1) measuring the flow rates and/or the pressures of the fluid at the first locations in the supply grid using the first sensors;
• (2) determining a pressure, by the self-learning system, at a second location among a plurality of second locations in the supply grid based on the flow rates and the pressures measured at the plurality of first locations;
• (3) determining a difference between the determined pressure and a target value;
• (4) adjusting the self-learning system taking into account the determined difference;
• and (5) repeating the measuring, the determining of the pressure, the determining of the difference, and the adjusting of the self-learning system until a specified termination criterion is met;
• a first detection unit configured to detect the flow rates or the pressures measured by the plurality of first sensors at the plurality of first locations in the supply grid;
• a prediction unit configured to predict a pressure at the second location among the plurality of second locations by the trained self-learning system based on the flow rates or the pressures detected at the plurality of first locations by the first detection unit;
• and
• an actuation unit configured to actuate the pump or the valve.