Smart Water Grid: A Canal Control System for

Pakistan

Hassan Ilyas: 2012-10-0041

Ahmad Bilal Asghar: 2012-10-0087

Ahmed Khalid: 2012-10-0082

Muhammad Usama: 2012-10-0081

Department of Electrical Engineering

School of Science and Engineering

Lahore University of Management Sciences

Supervisor:

Dr. Abubakr Muhammad

(Assistant Professor Electrical Engineering)

TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Problem Statement …………………………………………………………………….1

2. Background ………………………………………………………………………..........2

2.1 Current System ………………………………………………………………………2

2.2 Planned Improvements ……………………………………………….......................2

3. Theoretical Background ……………………………………………………………….3

3.1 Distant Downstream Control…………………………………………………………3

4. Project Details ……………………………………………………………………….…5

4.1 Location ……………………………………………………………………………..5

4.2 Actuation……………………………………………………………………………..6

4.3 Sensor ………………………………………………………………………………..6

4.4 Communication ………………………………………………………………….......6

4.5 Controller ……………………………………………………………………………6

5. Overview of the Project Setup …………………………………………………………7

6. Cost …………………………………………………………………………………..….8

6.1 Available Sponsors ………………………………………………………………….9

6.2 Other Potential Sponsors ……………………………………………………………9

7. Proposed Timeline …………………………………………………………………….10

8. Project Coordinators ………………………………………………………………….11

8.1 PMIU ………………………………………………………………………………..11

8.2 CYPHYNETS Team ………………………………………………………………..11

8.3 Matt MacDonald Group …………………………………………………………….11

9. Potential Impact …………………………………………………………………….....12

9.1 Partly Automated System …………………………………………………………...12

9.2 Efficient Monitoring ………………………………………………………………...12

9.3 Prevention of Water Theft …………………………………………………………..13

9.4 Flood Prevention …………………………………………………………………….13

10. References ……………………………………………………………………………...14

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1. PROBLEM STATEMENT

Pakistan has one of the largest irrigation systems in the world. Currently Pakistan's

irrigation system consists of a massive 90,000 km long network of canals.

Due to inefficient operation of the water networks in Pakistan, a large amount of

irrigation water is wasted, and adds to the shortage of water in the country. In this project,

using cyber physical systems and feedback control technique, we intend to implement the

flow and level control of a canal which will be more efficient and result in saving

significant amount of water.

Many countries are in process of automating their irrigation system to save water and use

it more efficiently. Pakistan is also in a dire need of such a system which should not only

save water but should also be robust enough to work in the environment of Pakistan. In

this project we intend to demonstrate a fully operative automated irrigation control

system, tailor made for Pakistan. Our cyber physical system would be able to improve the

current system on the following lines.

Reduction of water spillage

Detection and localization of theft and leakage

Better flood management

Efficient monitoring

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2. BACKGROUND

2.1 Current System

The canals in Pakistan are operated manually using local upstream control. Water is

distributed according to a pre-specified schedule which decided before the start of every

crop season. So the discharge from the upstream cannot be changed according to the

downstream demand resulting in a lot of water loss.

The water flow measurement system is also slow and incomplete. All the water flows are

measured manually and only once a day. The flow measurement data of canals is

transported to the local irrigation office and from there it is sent to the head office

through the internet. This inefficient measurement system hinders water flow planning

during floods.

Water theft and spillage is virtually undetectable due to incomplete and slow

measurement system. Firstly any water theft that is done in than less than a day is

undetectable. Secondly even pronounced thefts cannot be localized in the canal.

2.2 Planned Improvements

Irrigation department of Punjab is currently planning major improvements in their

system. PMIU (Punjab Monitoring and Inspection Unit), a sub-department in Irrigation

department are planning to automate the flow measurement system. They are also

interested to know the ideal sensors, communication protocols and power sources to use

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for their system. This project is still in analysis stages and feasibility reports are being

generated.

In our meetings with PMIU chief Mr. Habib Ullah Bodla, we introduced our project goals

to them and they explained what they are planning to do. He agreed to provide us a canal

for our design implementation and on the other hand, we could provide him a report

about what we think is the best measurement system.

3. THEORETICAL BACKGROUND

Our project is to implement and demonstrate distant downstream control. In this approach

the upstream gates are used to control the downstream water level of a pool. The

discharge from the upstream gate adjusts to the water demand automatically.

3.1 Distant Downstream Control

The distant downstream control will be implemented using feedback where sensors will

be used to measure the downstream water level. Like any feedback control system this

also requires the model of the system to be controlled, which in our case is flowing water.

This is a complex non-linear system. The open channel flows is modeled by Saint Venant

Equations which are given below.

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Q : The cross-sectional flow magnitude

A : The Cross-Sectional area

x : The distance along the canal bed from any set point

g : Gravitational Acceleration Constant

S0: Natural Geometrical Slope

Sf : Frictional Slope Co-efficient

They are a set of two non-linear equations which describe conservation of mass and

momentum of water thus giving the open channel profile in time and space. This equation

predicts the evolution of water profile completely. To form a controller on them, we need

to linearize them and implement a controller on them.

The basic control diagram of our system is given below in figure 3.1.

We would start with a simple PID + Low pass filter. The set the controller parameters

would be linearize the Saint Venant Equations and attach the appropriate PID, on the

other hand we would also test the result of a PID simply tuned using system identification

and assuming linearity.

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Controller System

Sensor

+

Figure 1.3

4. PROJECT DETAILS

4.1 Location

As already mentioned PMIU granted us a canal for the execution of our design.

We are allowed access to Khaira distributary of BRBD link canal. The head regulator of

this canal is some 20 km away from LUMS campus. This distributary is 10 feet wide and

4 feet deep. It has 3 minors branching from it. The tail gate is 55,000 feet downstream

from the head. The regular discharge from the head regulator is about 87 cusecs. It is a

perennial canal irrigates all the villages near DHA phase 6 to 8. The head regulator has

two manually operated gates.

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4.2 Actuation

We will need to use position control at the gates to accurately control the

discharge/level. We intend to use servo motors to control the hydraulic structures at the

head of the pool.

4.3 Sensor

Ultrasonic range sensors will be used to measure the water level. The sensor

circuit would be power using solar cells.

4.5 Communication

Since canal pools can be of lengths along which data transmission using small

range devices is not feasible. Therefore, we will be using GSM modules to transmit the

sensor measurements from downstream to upstream controller.

The sensor and communication system will form a single assembly controlled by a

microcontroller and powered by a small solar panel.

4.6 Controller

Controller will be implemented on a computer as open channel flow is a slow

system and controller speed is not an issue, we can always implement this later even on a

microcontroller.

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5. OVERVIEW OF THE PROJECT SETUP

The figure 1 below shows the basic outline of our setup.

erugiF 5.1

GSM would be used to communicate with upstream gates. Ultrasonic range sensors are

used to measure the water level. DC motors are used to actuate the regulators as depicted.

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6. COST

Table no. 6.1 gives the detailed cost description

Item Unit

Cost

(Rs.)

Amount Cost

(Rs.)

Availibility in

EE labs

Description

Automation

of gates

80,000 Not available Encoders, Motors

and control

Level

Sensors

2,500 10 25,000 Few are

avialable

Ultrasonic sensors

NI DAQ - 1 - Available Controller

implementation

GSM

modules

8,000 3 24,000 Communication

Solar Panels

(Small)

200 5 1000 Not Available Power Source

PCBs and

µCs

- 5 - Available

Total - - 125,000

Table 6.1

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6.1 Available Sponsors

A private company has agreed to co-sponsor this project and motorize and automate the

gates at a much lesser cost.

6.2 Other Potential Sponsors

PMIU’s Automation project is sponsored by World Bank. We are also negotiating to get

some sponsorship from them as well.

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7. PROPOSED TIMELINE

Table 7.1 gives the proposed time line.

Month / Year Field Work Theoretical/ Lab Work

July-Sep 2011 Finding sponsors for the project. Sensor selection and reading

theoretical background.

Sep-Oct 2011 Finding Canal Reading

October 2011 Finding Canal Designing sensor circuit

November 2011 Sensor Installation Getting in sensor values for

system identification

December 2011 Motorization and Automation System identification.

The rest of the

academic year.

Controller Testing and

Debugging,

Trying out different controllers

Calculating the increase in

efficiency,

Trying to find the minimum no.

of measurements to get a

workable system

Table 7.1

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8. PROJECT COORDINATORS

8.1 PMIU

We are in complete co-ordination with PMIU and hope to continue this co-ordination.

8.2 CYPHYNETS team

We will also coordinate with the Research Assistants at EE department LUMS who have

done research work in this area. Hasan Arshad Nasir, RA at CYPHYNETS published a

paper on simulation of the exact same idea.

8.3 Matt MacDonald Group

This is a consultancy firm, hired by irrigation department for the upcoming project. Dr.

Sarfraz Munir, a water measurement and Bathymetry Specialist, currently heads this

projects from Matt MacDonald’s side. He has agreed to lend assistance and guidance for

our project.

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9. POTENTIAL IMPACT

Our technology and design can later be used by the irrigation department or any other

private company to implement this system on large scale. Besides that the project can

serve the following purposes.

9.1 Partly Automated System

As our system only supplies water when needed the overall efficiency should increases.

We also intend to find the minimum number of readings required to achieve a good

controller. If we could control the system with a controller with say only 12 readings, we

might not even need complete automation in the case. The gates can manually be

operated by the on-site irrigation department personnel.

9.2 Efficient monitoring

Discharge monitoring in the canals is also achieved through this project. The irrigation

department currently has a manual system to do that that which is inefficient, incomplete

and unreliable. With this automatic system in place data will automatically be sent to the

main office at specific times of the day and uploaded on the irrigation department's

website.

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9.3 Prevention of water theft

Water pilferage is a major problem in Pakistan at the moment. Because of the current

incomplete and inefficient data transmission it is usually not possible to detect such cases

on time and take appropriate action. By using a reasonable number of level sensors in a

canal, the system would be able to report the precise position and time of thefts or dumps.

This can help solve a major problem in our irrigation system.

9.4 Flood Prevention

Once the system has been implemented on the main canals, using mathematical model of

open channel flow, water flows from and to the canals can be efficiently and accurately

controlled. During the season of flood excess water in one river or canal can be timely

routed to other canals which can hold water, thus preventing any potential floods.

Moreover, if the floods cannot be prevented timely reports can be generated so that

appropriate measures can be taken on time to minimize the damage caused by the floods.

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10. EEeEEEEFER

1. Litricio, X. & Fromion, V. 2009, Modeling and Control of Hydrosystems,

Springer Verlag

2. Nasir, H.A. & Muhammad, A. 2011, Feedback control of very-large scale

irrigation networks: A CPS approach in a developing-world setting, IFAC World

Congress

3. Nasir, H.A. & Muhammad, A. 2011, Towards a Smart Water Grid for the Indus

River Basin, Department of Electrical Engineering, LUMS School of Science &

Engineering, Lahore, Pakistan