Lesson 3 : Add, Copy, Break and Move commands

In lesson 3 We will learn how to start a new FHC project at some pipes and then copy the array to create a simple system.  The use of the copy and copy rotate command greatly speeds up the data entry enable you to build complex systems very quickly.

 

•Starting a new FHC project

•Copy & rotate 

•Resequencing nodes

•Break pipe 

 

 

 

Starting a new FHC project

 

The first thing we need to do is to start a new FHC project to do this start the FHC program and then go to the File -> New menu command or press [Ctrl+N] you should now see FHC – project data information, this has a number of tabs across the top but will look into the detail of each one of these in future lessons for now will keep it quite simple and enter the minimum amount date we need to start our first new project.

 

You should type in the information shown below but for the design authority, welded elbows and pipe data files you should select from the drop-down box.  You will find the other text boxes that once you have typed in the information and save the project the information will be saved into a current list seeking just selected again using the drop-down list.

 

 

 

 

Once you've entered the information press the apply button and you'll see a new dialogue box Node number of source.  This is telling you the start of the FHC project is your water source this could be a town's main, pump or pressurised cylinder it doesn't matter is just the start of the system.  By default FHC always starts at node 100 but it doesn't really matter it can be any number. If you have Auto Node numbering turned on its always easier to start with a low node number and in lesson 3 will just accept the default of 100, press the OK button to accept.

 

FHC will now ask you to provide a file path and name so it can save your new project we recommend that you store them in Documents -> My FHC -> Project, I will call this FHC project lesson 3 and just press the Save button.  Once you saved the project FHC will will see display the Add Pipe dialogue box the same as in lesson2, we are were going to add a number of pipes before we start using the copy command.

 

In the dialogue box which is displayed enter:

 

•Node 100-110

•Pipe length: 5m

•Pipe size: 50mm

•Direction: UP

 

 

Press the Apply button and you'll now see a single dot in the middle of the screen.  Let's change the view  to south-west by pressing the F5 key as it will be more helpful when we add then next pipe.

 

Were going to add another pipe to the end of the first one so go to the Draw -> Add Pipe command and select the end of the first pipe (Node 110).  The add pipe dialogue box will open again and enter the following:

 

•Node 110-120

•Pipe length: 10m

•Pipe size: 50mm

•Direction: North

 

You should also notice that the pipe size is already at 50 mm, FHC always remembers the last pipe size so you don't need to change it unless you need to change it, press the Apply button.

 

You should be able to see the status bar this once we have used the add command that it remains selected until we choose different command.  This is very useful as we can keep adding pipes the system where our without having to reselect add command again.  We now going to add the 3rd pipe to the end of node 120 click on the end of the pipe and the Add pipe dialogue box will open again should now enter:

 

•Node 120-130

•Pipe length: 1.5m

•Pipe size: 32mm

•Direction: West

 

We also want to add a sprinkler to end of this pipe, to do that you need to select the 2nd tab Head at end node you will see a drop-down box called head code uses to select a head with just chosen the first head which has a K-factor of 57 and a minimum head pressure 0.35 bar.  When you finished press the apply button and you should now see the 3rd pipe being drawn with a sprinkler head.

 

Now add the 4^th pipe which will be identical to the last pipe  to do this make sure you have the Add command [Ctrl +A] selected then select the end of the 3^rd pipe  (Node 120 - 130) change the horizontal pipe length to 3m you also see in the bottom right-hand corner a button labelled LL press this button and it should change the LL – on.  This is the lock length command and it will remember the last pipe length which you used this will be useful for adding the next 2 pipes, now press the Apply button

 

•Node 130-140

•Pipe length: 3.0m

•Pipe size: 32mm

•Direction: West

 

 

In the next 2 pipes will be identical to pipe number 4 (Node 130-140) so just select the end of pipe (Node 130) and then press the Apply button, if you selected the LL command you should have an identical pipe to pipe for will do this again for pipe 6 your system should now look like this:

 

 

 

 

Copy & Rotate 

 

 

We have now added a range pipe with 4 sprinklers but the speed up the process of data entry we can use rotate copy command will use this to duplicate the first range.  We first need to select the rotate command and tell FHC to what angle to do this you need to go to menu Draw -> Rotate -> 180  command this will rotate the pipe by 180 deg.

 

The next step is to select the copy command and will use Copy by selection your find this command Draw -> Copy by selection or shortcut key [Ctrl + Y] it's also available on the menu bar for quick selection. 

 

We now need to select the first pipe we wish to copy from in this case between node 120 and 130 select the middle of the pipe.  The pipes you are going to copy will now be highlighted in red this is FHC showing you which pipes it intends to copy.  You now need to select the node number to which you wish to copy the pipes too, in this case it's node 120 once the copy node is selected you should see the 4 pipe and 4 sprinkler copied on the opposite side.

 

 

You should new have a drawing like this:

 

 

Will now add an additional length of main at Node 120 by using the Add pipe command [Ctrl+A]

 

•Node 120-171

•Pipe length: 4.0m

•Pipe size: 50mm

•Direction: North

 

We can copy the two existing range pipes to the end of the new main pipe by using the Copy by selection command we do not need the use the Rotate comman this time so select the command Draw -> Copy by selection and select the centre of Node 120-130 and then select Node 170. Select the command again Draw -> Copy by selection and select the centre of node 120-131 and then select Node 171.  When you have completed this you should have 4 range pipes and 16 sprinklers.

 

We will use the copy command Draw -> Copy by selection once more select the centre of Node 120-171 and then the end node 171 this will copy the main and the two range pipes in one go.  Your drawing should now look like this:

 

 

 

Resequencing all nodes

 

 

You may have noticed that when we use the copy command some of the node numbers FHC generate look to be a little random there not is just that when use the copy command FHC ensures that no node number is duplicated In the hydraulic model.

 

FHC has a command Draw -> Resequencing all nodes which will allow us to specify a new start node number and the node number increments.  You can try this command now and see what effect it has.

 

 

 

Break pipe

 

We may have been a little hasty in adding our first pipe and that actually we need to add a stop valve and alarm valve.  We can only add one valve to any pipe so if we need to add a stop valve and alarm valve we will need two pipes as these valves will be located at the beginning of the system we need to add an additional Node number between nodes 100-110, to do this we can use the Draw -> Break pipe command.

 

Select the command Draw -> Break pipe and then select the centre of node 100-110 and you will see the follow dialogue box:

 

 

Enter a node number which have not been used the system say 105 and we also need to give the length of pipe from the start node [100], for a stop valve 1m will be a good value press the Break button to complete the action and you should see a new node number 105 has been added.

 

 

Move Pipe

 

We may have accidentally added a pipe to the wrong end node and as such need to move it from one place to another. We can move any section of pipe from one end node to another, however, it is not possible to move one part of a pipe section by itself. Moving a pipe will move it, and everything that is connected to it after that specific end node. To do this we Draw -> Move Pipe

 

Select the command Draw -> Move pipe and then select the centre of node 100-110 and you will see the follow dialogue box:

 

 

Enter the node value that you want this pipe being moved to attach to and press ok.

 

 

 

Video tutorial 

 

You can now watch a short video which demonstrates all the different techniques which we spoke about above you may wish to watch the video first but we would always recommend that you try out each techniques before carrying on to the next lesson.

 

Watch the Video in HD Lesson 3 Video

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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