OpenFlows SewerGEMS – 2,000 Pipes

Frequently Asked Questions

What is SewerGEMS?

Easy-to-use advanced engineering software, you can use SewerGEMS to analyze, design, and operate sanitary and combined sewer systems. Decrease decision risks by ensuring that the model uses the best available data, built-in hydraulic and hydrology capabilities, and a variety of wet-weather calibration methods. Create what-if scenarios to gain a better understanding of wastewater systems to make smarter decisions and improve your response times.  SCADA integration provides you with reliable model results, improves capacity and limits sewer overflows, which ultimately enable you to comply with sewer regulations set by regulatory agencies.

How much is SewerGEMS?

A practitioner license of OpenFlows SewerGEMS costs $5,859 – $14,644 USD depending on the desired pipes. Prices also vary per region. While there are various types of licensing available, a common choice is the 12-month practitioner license offered through Virtuosity, Bentley’s eCommerce store. When you purchase through Virtuosity, you get a Virtuoso Subscription. This means you get the software and “Keys” (tokens) to redeem for customizable training, mentoring, and consulting services.

How do I allocate and estimate wastewater and stormwater loading?

In SewerGEMS, you can assign sewer loads based on a variety of GIS-based sources such as customer water-use billing data, area-wide flow measurement, or polygons with known population or land use. Input and save an unlimited number of flow patterns, to accurately model flow changes over the course of a day. Load models with wet weather runoff flows derived from precipitation, using built-in rainfall distributions, or user-defined rainfall events. Runoff flows are modeled and calibrated using a choice of hydrograph methods, including RTK, SCS, Modified Rational, EPA-SWMM, or user-defined generic unit hydrographs. Users can also load the model based on property connections. Loading can be applied as user-defined hydrographs, pattern-based loads, and unit loads. Access and customize the comprehensive unit (dry weather) load engineering library with numerous typical unit loads based on population, area, count, and discharge.

How do you analyze using multiple solvers in SewerGEMS?

When analyzing, switch among multiple solvers, according to the type of system you are using. To solve the Saint Venant equations, choose between SewerGEMS’ explicit EPA solver based on SWMM and the implicit dynamic wave engine. These two dynamic engines account for storage effects within structures and quantify overflows should they occur. The convex/gradually varied flow solver uses convex routing to determine gravity sewer flows and gradually varied flow (backwater analysis) to determine hydraulic properties once the flow is known. With the rational/gradually varied flow solver, peak flows in the storm sewer system are calculated using the rational method. Use this solver to analyze peak flow conditions, or to automatically design storm sewers.

What is the difference between OpenFlows SewerCAD and SewerGEMS?

SewerGEMS is a superset of Bentley’s solutions for wastewater (SewerCAD) and stormwater (CivilStorm and StormCAD) network analysis and design.

• SewerGEMS includes a standalone version plus the ability to integrate with three platforms MicroStation, AutoCAD, and ArcGIS. SewerGEMS’ full GIS, CAD, and SCADA interoperability enables the cost-effective sharing and flow of information between utilities’ design, engineering, GIS, and operation departments, and their consultants.
• SewerCAD has a gradually varied flow engine for steady-state and extended period simulations for system design and rehabilitation that analyzes sanitary sewer networks under peak flow conditions with convex routing hydraulics. SewerGEMS uses a fully dynamic engine to help you accurately model looped networks, flow splits, overflows, and storage capacity. CivilStorm analyzes, designs, and operates stormwater systems. It is a fully dynamic, multi-platform, hydraulic modeling solution developed for the analysis of complex stormwater systems. StormCAD provides calculations for catchment runoff, inlet capacity, and gutters and pipe network flow with rational method peak flows

Do I have to use SewerGEMS inside of ArcGIS?

No. SewerGEMS can be used as a standalone product. Additionally, enjoy the power and versatility of working across multiple applications with superior interoperability. Choose from Windows standalone, ArcGIS for GIS integration, MicroStation, and AutoCAD.

Do I have to purchase functional modules for SewerGEMS?

No. Unlike other platforms, SewerGEMS includes all calculation capabilities.

What is the difference between SewerGEMS and SWMM?

SewerGEMS has an easier to use interface.