Improving the Operation of Main Irrigation Canal Using in-Line Storage Operational Strategy and Applying Model Predictive Control (MPC)

In this paper، application of in-line storage strategy to improve operational activity of main irrigation canal is assessed. The mentioned strategy is implemented using Model Predictive Control (MPC) method. The designed MPC applies a prediction of water perturbation due to water off taking along the main canal، in an appropriate 7 hours horizon time in future، and taking physical limitations of the system into account. A normal canal operation and an unconventional operational scenario with a 6 hours limitation on the head-gate adjustment، based on night storage conditions، is considered for simulation. The proposed strategy is tested on the Dez main canal with 44 Km length which consists of 13 canal reaches. Different Target bands are created between the predefined maximum and minimum water level for the canal reaches and the MPC controller is allowed to control water levels in this range. The results show that the best inflow values are calculated by the designed MPC controller، so that during the first 3 hours canal reaches are forced to store water and in the next 3 hours the stored water is consumed. Water level profiles imply that water level changes for all of the canal reaches are within the target band، so water off-taking activities are not thrown into any disorder. Hydraulic performance indicators show that just in one canal reach and for a short time، water level exceed the target band with the MAE value of 1. 4 %، and for the other canal reaches water levels never violate the allowed maximum and minimum target.