Simulator methodology
Technical and scientific transparency on estimating water volumes preserved from passive evaporation.
1. Introduction & objective
The water-impact simulator developed by Hydropreserve aims to give farmers, industry and municipalities a rigorous estimate of water volumes preserved from passive evaporation. Calculations rely on proven physical models and empirically measured in-situ data.
2. Physical calculation model
Assessing water loss through evaporation on an open, exposed water surface relies on the following fundamental relationship:
Annual evaporated water volume
V = (S × Eref) / 1 000
- • V: total annual evaporated water volume (m³)
- • S: total exposed water surface area (m²)
- • Eref: reference annual evaporation rate for the agro-meteorological zone (mm/year)
Water volume preserved with Hexprotect AQUA cover
Vs = V × η
The secured water volume after deploying Hexprotect AQUA modules is determined by applying the empirical efficiency coefficient η.
η = 88 % (conservative simulator coefficient) · maximum measured (Nevada 2024): 96 %
3. Reference climate data sources (E_ref)
Surface evaporation rates in our simulator come from historical records and official climate atlases from European environmental and agricultural agencies (global radiation, air temperature and saturation deficit).
| Agro-meteorological zone | E_ref | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Andalusia (Southern Spain) | 1,500 mm/an | IFAPA — Instituto de Investigación y Formación Agraria y Pesquera |
| Catalonia (Northern Spain) | 1,200 mm/an | Servei Meteorològic de Catalunya |
| Southern Italy (Sicily, Apulia) | 1,200 mm/an | Regional agro-meteorological networks / ARPAE and Southern Italy climate data |
| Po Valley (Northern Italy) | 1,000 mm/an | ARPAE — Agenzia Regionale per la Prevenzione, l'Ambiente e l'Energia |
| Occitanie / PACA (France) | 1,100 mm/an | Météo-France / Water Agency hydrological bulletins |
4. Empirical validation — Nevada 2024 proof
The maximum 96% reduction rate comes from a rigorous technical monitoring protocol conducted in 2024 on an industrial storage basin in Nevada (USA), under extreme arid climate with high thermal and wind stress. Deployment of AWTT's Hexprotect AQUA modular floating cover demonstrated near-total interception of direct solar radiation and disruption of the water-vapour transfer boundary layer.
5. Limits of the indicative model
This online estimate is provided for guidance to kick-start project engineering. It does not replace a full on-site hydraulic and microclimatic study. Actual performance depends on basin topography, exposure to dominant winds and inter-annual temperature variations.
6. Next operational step
Use the simulator for an order-of-magnitude estimate on your basin, then request an on-site audit to integrate real geometry, water inflows and local water cost.