RainCycle rainwater harvesting software: features

Detailed Feature List

Overview of Primary Analysis Features

Detailed hydraulic and financial simulation of any rainwater harvesting (RWH) system for a time period of up to 100 years on a day-by-day basis
Allows for the use of site-specific data on 18 key parameters
Incorporates all of the hydraulic components found on the majority of RWH installations
Takes into account all associated costs, such as capital (build), maintenance/operating and decommission costs
Long-term analysis results are output as: whole life cost comparison between the RWH system and an equivalent mains-only system, percentage of water demand that the proposed RWH system can meet and pay-back period (the amount of time it takes before the system becomes cost-effective)
Average per-year hydraulic and financial results also available
Tank size optimisation routine allows the range of viable tank sizes to be identified early on in the design process
Cost savings optimisation routine enables the whole life cost and hydraulic performance of up to 10 storage tanks to be compared simultaneously, allowing the best choice of tank to be identified and selected for a more detailed investigation
Can also optimise for quickest pay-back period or greatest water efficiency savings
Catchment size optimisation routine automatically calculates the minimum catchment area required to meet a given percentage of water demand
Sensitivity analysis module allows the robustness of the RWH system to be assessed, helping to identify areas of possible risk and/or potential improvement
Monte Carlo simulation module uses random sampling of probability distributions to automatically assign different (but realistic) values to key parameters and is capable of running thousands of independent simulations of the proposed system. This allows for a very thorough assessment of system performance under a wide range of operating conditions. Results are output as probability distribution graphs that enable the user to ascertain the chances of the system satisfying a set of criteria, such as the probability of meeting a given percentage of water demand, the probability of the system paying for itself within a given number of years and so forth
Scenario modelling: allows the user to manually change the values of a number of key parameters and to instantly see how this affects system performance. Results can be recorded/compared and are automatically presented in the System Report for printing
Contains a total of 12 hydraulic and 19 analysis modules

Main Hydraulic Components

12 user-definable hydraulic parameters allow for a comprehensive system assessment. Parameters are: daily rainfall profiles, catchment surface area, catchment runoff coefficient, first flush volume, rainwater filter coefficient, daily additional water inputs other than rainwater (if any), storage tank volume, tank drain-down intervals (e.g. to facilitate maintenance), power rating & capacity of pump, UV unit power rating & operating time and daily water demand profiles
Multiple values (below average/low, average/expected, above average/high) are enabled on a number of the hydraulic parameters in order to allow the sensitivity analysis, Monte Carlo simulation and/or scenario analysis modules to be used
Pre-defined water demand patterns are available for school and commercial/industrial buildings

Main Financial Components

6 user-defined financial parameters are available: capital cost, decommission cost, discount rate, electricity cost, mains water cost (both supply and sewerage charges) and disposal cost, if any (i.e. additional trade effluent charges)
Multiple values (below average/low, average/expected, above average/high) are enabled on a number of the financial parameters in order to allow the sensitivity analysis, Monte Carlo simulation and/or scenario analysis modules to be used
Inclusion of a discount rate allows for proper financial accounting to be undertaken and the true Net Present Value (NPV) of the assessed RWH system to be calculated. This feature is almost always missing from similar software
Ability to plan and cost all future maintenance activities. Can take into account both recurring activities and one-off items
Takes into account down-pipe disconnection rebate, if applicable
Select from three default currency types ($, € or £) or specify a user-defined currency type

Other Features

Comes complete with a number of useful data sets: monthly average rainfall data for all UK regions; water supply and sewerage charges for all 10 primary UK water authorities and charges for 22 water supply only companies; RWH system capital cost examples for a variety of system types
Automatic report generation for the system under study so no need to export results to another workbook or word processor. Two types of report are available: Basic and Full. Both reports have been set up so that printing is quick and easy
Keeps a track of all user inputs and brings any erroneous data entries and/or changes to key parameters to the user’s attention
Both the hydraulic and financial assessment elements comply with current UK best practice guidance
Easy to use and attractive user interface.
Extensive help and documentation has been provided, both in the application and the user manual. This includes a feature that allows the user to alter the appearance of the program depending on the task being performed. Unnecessary modules and features can be hidden from view, making it easier to locate the modules/sections that are required for a particular task
Can be used to assess rainwater harvesting systems in countries other than the UK

Detailed Results Modules

The Detailed Hydraulic Results module contains the following information:

Parameter	Tables	Graphs
Rainfall Profiles	Summary of yearly rainfall data for above average, average and below average rainfall depths	Daily and cumulative above average, average and below average rainfall depths.
Catchment Surface	Summary of catchment surface data: catchment surface area, first-flush volume, high, expected and low runoff coefficients	Daily and cumulative rainfall volume falling on catchment surface
	Summary of rainfall/runoff results: yearly volume of water falling on catchment surface, effective runoff volume and runoff losses	Daily and cumulative effective runoff volume
		Daily and cumulative runoff losses
Rainwater Filter	High, expected and low filter coefficients	Daily and cumulative volume of water entering filter
	Summary of rainwater filter results: yearly volume of water passed to filter, volume of water passed to tank and volume of water lost from filter	Daily and cumulative volume of water to tank from filter
		Daily and cumulative filter losses
Additional Inputs	Summary of above average, average and below average yearly additional inputs	Daily and cumulative above average, average and below average additional inputs
Storage Tank	Summary of storage tank details: storage volume and number of drain-down intervals	Daily and cumulative volume of water entering tank
		Daily volume of water in tank
	Summary of storage tank simulation results: volume of water entering tank, overflow, withdrawal, total number of days per year tank is empty and longest consecutive number of days per year tank is empty	Days when drain-down occurs
		Daily and cumulative overflow from tank
Pump	Summary of pump details: power rating and pumping capacity	Daily and cumulative operating time
	Summary of pump results: operating time, total power usage and total energy usage	Daily and cumulative power usage
		Daily and cumulative energy usage
UV Unit	Power rating and daily operating time of UV unit	Daily and cumulative UV unit operating time
	Summary of UV treatment results: UV unit operating time, total power usage and total energy usage	Daily and cumulative UV unit power usage
		Daily and cumulative UV unit energy usage
Water Demand	Summary of above average, average and below average yearly water demand	Daily and cumulative water demand
	Summary of water demand results: total yearly water demand used in simulation, average daily water demand, water supplied and shortfall	Daily and cumulative water supply from tank
		Daily and cumulative shortfall (mains top-up required)
Water Sources	Summary of water sources results: total input to tank, rainwater input to tank and additional inputs to tank (if any)	Daily and cumulative total input to tank and sources of water
		Daily and cumulative sources of water supplied to end users

The Detailed Financial Results module contains the following information:

Parameter	Tables
Whole Life Cost (WLC) Summary	Summary of WLC data at current prices: capital and decommissioning costs, discount rates, electricity costs, mains water costs, disposal costs and number of active maintenance items
	Summary of WLC results (at Present Value). Cost items include: capital, maintenance, decommissioning, pump operation, UV unit operation, mains top-up, total WLC of RWH system, total WLC of equivalent mains-only system and RWH system savings (if any)
	WLCs Data Table: shows detailed year-by-year results for financial calculations
Maintenance Costs	No. of maintenance items selected (active maintenance items)
	Summary of maintenance activities and associated values (at Present Value). A list of all maintenance activities, frequencies, total cumulative cost over whole analysis runtime and % of maintenance costs. Also displays the total cost (at Present Value) of all maintenance activities over the whole analysis runtime
	Maintenance costs data table: a detailed year-by-year breakdown of all maintenance activities and their yearly costs (at Present Value)
Water Costs	Summary of water cost data: mains water costs and water disposal costs (if any)
	Summary of water demand data: above average, average and below average yearly water demand figures
	Summary of long-term water supply and demand: total water demand over ‘x’ years; water supplied from RWH system over ‘x’ years and percentage of demand met by RWH system; shortfall from RWH system
	RWH system and mains-only system cost comparisons: WLC of RWH system, amount of water supplied by RWH system over ‘x’ years, cost of harvested water on a per m3 basis, WLC of equivalent mains-only system and cost of mains-only water on a per m3 basis