Virtual River is approved for Windows 7, 8.1 and 10 /(professional versions).

Virtual River supports OPC-UA and a specific OPC-UA server is part of the software package. You can use any OPC-UA server; it doesn’t have to be on your local PC.

To connect classic OPC you can use Softing’s data suite, which is available for download on Softing’s homepage. It is free of charge.

In addition, Virtual River supports an files based interface as well. But this interface is mainly provided for tests and as a debugging tool.

Virtual River is provided as a standard Windows setup. You only need to care for the connection to your personal OPC-UA server.

If desired, simulations can be run at any specific speed. Thus, Virtual River supports slow motion and fast motion as well.

From the technical point of view you can implement the hydrodynamic model by yourself. Nevertheless, we want to emphasize that doing so requires specific knowledge. Thus, if you are not experienced in implementing hydrodynamic models, we highly recommend you to cooperate with experts on the field of water resources management.

Yes, you can. And this is one of the major virtues of Virtual River. By implementing hydraulic structures like weirs, overflows etc. you can provide the best possible model of reality and this is the best basis for testing control units or for training staff.

The “rule-of-thumb” is that the model shall represent all the details relevant for the unit to be tested or for the staff to be qualified.

Two examples to explain this:

1. When applying Virtual River for the river Main, we modelled some 350 km with 34 HPPs. Thus, we did not implement any structures of the HPPs in detail. Most important was to include all the basins along the Main, which are connected to the river plus the channels connecting the locks with the river.
2. When implementing Virtual River for one single HPP in most cases is it important to implement all pipes, channels, basins and sometimes even the trash rack.

When supporting our customers, we introduce the entire knowledge we received during the past 30 years of modelling in the field of water resources management. In doing so, we do not distinguish whether you want to get just a few clues or if you want us to implement the entire model. Additionally there are many engineering companies, with lots of experience in implementing hydrodynamic models.

For establishing a model you need:

1. data about the river geometry (provided as cross sections or as raster data)
2. information about all relevant structures (e.g. weirs, turbines, basins, …)
3. observed water levels for the calibration of the model (if not available, the model can be implemented with some default values as well)
4. some data about the hydrological conditions in order to design some use cases for the simulation
5. some data and/or information about the scenarios, that shall be used for testing equipment or for qualifying staff

Virtual River 4.0 is a completely re-engineered version of Virtual River. Of course, the basic concepts are the same as we had them in previous versions but the software was completely re-implemented using C# and .NET and we have developed lots of new, valuable features.

The hardware interface is in our storage room and it is not used any longer. However, we will preserve it for being prepared to make a Virtual River museum 😉

Virtual River 4.0 will be available in October 2018. However, if you wish to order it ahead of time please send an email to virtual-river@gr-consult.at or to office@gr-consult.at.