Canal automation system demonstration at MSIDD
Date
2002-07
Authors
Clemmens, A. J., author
Strand, R. J., author
Feuer, L., author
Wahlin, B. T., author
U.S. Committee on Irrigation and Drainage, publisher
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Abstract
A new canal automation system, known as SACMAN (Software for Automated Canal MANagement), has been developed at the U.S. Water Conservation Laboratory in cooperation with Automata, Inc. through a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement. SACMAN works with a commercial Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition (SCADA) system. It allows canal operators to automatically route scheduled changes in demand through their canal system utilizing volume-compensation and time delay calculations. SACMAN can automatically maintain constant water levels on the upstream side of check structures with either downstream or upstream control logic. SACMAN is also capable of automatically maintaining constant gate flows and making incremental gate flow changes. The operator can also make manual changes to the system without turning the automation off. The SACMAN system is currently being tested in real time on the WM canal, a lateral canal of the Maricopa Stanfield Irrigation and Drainage District (MSIDD) in Central Arizona. At the control center, the SACMAN system uses a standard personal computer and commercial SCADA package. Each gate is operated with limitorque motors (not part of this package), which are controlled with Automata's "Mini" Remote Terminal Unit (RTU). Control is based on water level and gate position sensors. A new gate-position sensor was developed that includes both absolute (potentiometer) and very fine relative (optical encoder) position. Communication between the personal computer and RTUs is accomplished with spread-spectrum radios and MODBUS communication protocol. The entire system is available through Automata, Inc. The paper includes a brief description of the software, hardware, and field-test results.
Description
Presented at the 2002 USCID/EWRI conference, Energy, climate, environment and water - issues and opportunities for irrigation and drainage on July 9-12 in San Luis Obispo, California.