Decentralized predictive controller for delivery canals

Presents the design of a predictive controller for decentralized control of an irrigation delivery canal. The overall canal is decomposed into single subsystems (pools) separated by a control structure (gate). The subsystems are inter-dependent because flow through the structures depends on both upstream and downstream water level. In the paper, predictive control theory is used to formulate a set of local controllers for the automatic operation of gates of each pool. The control scheme presented takes into account explicitly the interactions among subsystems. The objective of each controller is to maintain the downstream end water level of each pool at a constant target value under external perturbation. To evaluate the controller performance in realistic conditions, it is tested on an open-canal flow nonlinear model