Understand the Flow Network topographical structure

The two most important elements inside the Flow Network model are segments and nodes. These form the backbone of how topographical data is stored and are typically the first elements configured when creating a Flow Network model.

The example below illustrates a simple Flow Network model. The black circles represent nodes (Node A and Node B), while the green line represents the segment (Segment A) that connects the two nodes. In this example, Node A and Node B are only connected to a single segment, but a node may connect to as many segments as needed.

In the example below, five nodes are connected with four segments. Nodes A, C, and E only connect to one segment, while node B connects to two segments, and node D connects to three segments. This simple concept can be built upon to create models containing a very large numbers of segments and nodes. The only restriction is that the RealTime database (RTDB) must be able to support the desired number of nodes and segments.

There are two rules that dictate how nodes and segments interact with each other:

1. Nodes cannot connect to other nodes, and segments cannot connect to other segments. Elements can only connect to elements of a different type.

   

2. All segments must connect to two different nodes. A segment cannot form a loop with a single node.

   

Loops are permissible as long as the above rules are adhered to, although they may cause complications when determining flow direction. The following example illustrates a valid model configuration containing a large number of loops. For more information on loops, see Understand Flow Network check valves and flow direction.

.