Content uploaded by Syed Sheraz Ul Hasan Mohani
Author content
All content in this area was uploaded by Syed Sheraz Ul Hasan Mohani on Sep 03, 2014
Content may be subject to copyright.
Abstract—The industry has always focused to devise
engineering methodologies for establishment and modification
of relatively easier Controlling and Automation methods for
any scrupulous process. This paper presents the design and
implementation of a control system by means of
microcomputers and data transmission networks. To verify the
principle operation of the Controlling design to be presented a
miniature Automated Dam model is experimentally tested using
a PC-based system.
Index Terms— Automation, Control System design, Dam,
Monitoring system.
I. INTRODUCTION
ONTROLLING and automation of various processes,
machines and devices is a fast growing business and
application areas include fields as diverse as the industry,
maintenance business, customer service, security, biology,
medicine and social sciences. This paper presents the
demonstration of a simple control system, and to do so the
controlling of a Dam is considered and for this purpose a
miniature dam was also built as a testing and simulation
model. To enhance the features the test model is also fully
automated and includes a PC interface for user inputs for
important parameters, such as threshold or cut-off water
level for gate openings, flow rate and Manual/Automatic
mode selection.
With water playing a vital role in our daily lives, it is an
important factor that cannot be eliminated and the potential
lack of water in the future is a concern to one and all. Its
distribution and usage is, therefore, of utmost consideration.
Another issue rising with the passage of time is the
requirement of energy and water, as it is increasing with the
increase in population day by day. Hence to cater the above
mentioned problems dams are built. Dams can fulfill these
needs, as they are a source of hydro-electric power and water
storage. Moreover, if dealt correctly Dams may present a
considerable amount of benefit to national economies and to
other related beleaguered beneficiaries. For instance, the
Manuscript received December 08, 2011.
S. M. U. Talha, corresponding author, was with Iqra University,
Karachi, Pakistan. He is now with the Department of Telecommunication
Engineering, Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi,
Pakistan. (e-mail: engr.umartalha@gmail.com).
S. S. Mohani and Mansoor Ebrahim are with the Department of
Telecommunication Engineering with Iqra University, Karachi, Pakistan.
(e-mail: smohani@iqra.edu.pk and mebrahim@iqra.edu.pk).
S.H. Ahmad, is with the Department of Electronic Engineering, Sir
Syed University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi, Pakistan.
(phone: 0092-345-8226-166; e-mail: syedhassan_ahmad@hotmail.com).
Tarbela dam in Pakistan, contributes a heavy percentage of
the country’s electric supplies, about 20%, with its massive
electricity production and thus relaxing the other electric
suppliers, also with its efficient network it irrigates millions
of hectares [1].
Prior to moving forward to the comprehensive analysis
of the said miniature automated dam model a brief
introduction of Dams is important so that it will be
beneficial in the understanding of the changes offered in
proposed model. A dam is a barrier constructed across
flowing water course in order to control, direct, hold or raise
the flow or the level of water [2]. The construction of a dam
can be made from many non-erosive materials as diverse as
rocks, concrete, steel and wood [3]. Since there are
numerous methods of withholding or preserving water,
therefore, many different types and shapes of dam
construction can be found. Dams are needed for many
purposes, the indented purposes may include the
preservation of excess water, effective measures for flood
controlling, supply of water to various locations, providing
water for the purpose of irrigation, improving industrial
uses, proving space for the protection of fish and other wild
life, production of hydro-electric power [4]. As there are
many methods and purposes that exist to create a dam,
various types of dam are also present. The factors which
determine the type of dam to be built may include the
following [3] [5]:
§ The secondary products required, such as Hydro-
electricity.
§ The height of water to be accumulated.
§ The construction materials to be used in the dam.
§ The discharge amount and its rate.
§ The geographical nature of the site which includes its
width, shape and size.
§ The labor and machinery being employed in the
construction.
II. OBJECTIVE
Apart from proposing and developing a control system the
main objectives are to automate the dam to control the flow
of water so that it can be effectively used in the irrigation
system, to control the distribution of optimum amount of
water to various areas, as considered necessary by them
according to their requirements, also to control floods and
prevention from the damages that can be caused by it and
lastly to generate the electrical power for load driving. As
often observed in usual Dams, in the rainy seasons, when the
water level in the reservoir exceeds the danger level the
Design for an Irrigation and Monitoring System
of an Automated Dam
Syed Muhammad Umar Talha, Syed Sheraz Mohani, Syed Hassan Ahmed and Mansoor Ebrahim.
C
Proceedings of the International MultiConference of Engineers and Computer Scientists 2012 Vol II,
IMECS 2012, March 14 - 16, 2012, Hong Kong
ISBN: 978-988-19251-9-0
ISSN: 2078-0958 (Print); ISSN: 2078-0966 (Online)
IMECS 2012
water stored in the reservoir is flooded out to the fields
which in effect would almost always damage the fields and
farms in its way [6] [7], which in case of an agricultural
country, for instance Pakistan, is of much more concern then
otherwise. Along with controlling and automation, the model
Dam built for testing purposes would cater this situation and
would try to rectify this issue and would, in-fact,
demonstrate how this hazardous scenario can be changed to
a beneficial one.
III. SYSTEM DESIGN
The importance and the need of dams are not new
concepts, having discussed these factors we now move on to
the design of the proposed model. The design of the model
includes not one but two complete reservoirs, the upper and
lower reservoirs, and both are embedded with eight different
water levels which are electronically monitored by the
sensors. These levels are not fixed in height or depth, the
measure of which can be altered by the user, the reasons for
which will be illustrated in the functional blocks section. At
first the upper reservoir, as in conventional dams, stores the
water offered to it and in case the water is found, by the
sensors, suitably more than the required level it can then be
transferred to the lower reservoir through the gates (interior
spill ways, triggered by the control panel on the status of the
level sensors) where it is feed to the distribution chamber.
The distribution chamber is a very important part of the
model, in addition to enriching the normal irrigation system,
the distribution chamber distributes water among various
cities or villages, the distribution chamber may include
multiple pumps or pipelines to feed the different locations
with the optimum amount of water, as described by them
depending upon their requirements. The transferring of
water from the upper reservoir to the lower reservoir is also
used to produce the hydroelectricity; however this is
considered a secondary purpose for the considered model.
To demonstrate the proper working of the proposed model,
the miniature model was assembled and tested under
different scenarios to simulate the performance of the
proposed dam under real conditions.
IV. DESCRIPTION OF FUNCTIONAL BLOCKS
To best illustrate the performance and working of the
model, the different functional blocks are distinguished.
These blocks operate in conjunction with one another to
make the model work properly. The separated functional
blocks of the proposed model in form of a basic block
diagram is illustrated here in Figure I, which is reflecting the
actual working progress of the automated dam irrigation and
monitoring system, the function being performed by each
block is mentioned below.
A. Upper Reservoir
At first the water starts to accumulate in the upper
reservoir, and if found necessary the excess water should be
evacuated to the lower reservoir by the orders of the control
system. The explanation of the term excess water is here
closely related to the levels being sensed by the sensors,
there are two important levels out of the eight different
levels, namely the upper threshold, danger or the flood level
and the lower threshold, minimum or the dry level. If the
water level in the reservoir is near the flood level the water
would immediately be evacuated to the lower reservoir,
where it is further distributed, but if the water level is near
dry level the water will not be given to the lower reservoir
even it is required by the distribution chamber. In other
situations the appropriate amount of water will be given to
the lower reservoir for distribution and irrigation purposes.
The reason for not having fixed heights for the levels is that
in different seasons the expected water to be stored is
different and the levels are adjusted as per these
requirements. For instance in the rainy or monsoon season
huge amount of water is expected to be offered to the upper
reservoir, so the water to be accumulated in this reservoir
will be limited in order to reduce the flooding danger and
giving margin to get the stored water evacuated before the
new intake enters the system. Instead the water is stored in
the lower reservoir but not distributed unless required, here
the purpose of this block is same as in any conventional
Dam, i.e. to preserve water and prevent from flooding.
B. Electronic Sensors
The electronic sensors are used here for formulating the
level status of the reservoirs. Each reservoir is provided with
a set of eight sensors, one for each level. The level sensors
present in the reservoirs will start to sense water level and
feed this status to the control panel which also enables the
displaying of the water levels on the screen with the help of
a GUI (Graphical User Interface) in the PC based system. It
will also set the desired parameters, such as the adjustable
value of the water level to be considered as the Danger level
set point. The danger or flood level (the level upon which
the gates should open and water should be allowed to
evacuate from the upper reservoir) can be selected from a
range of eight different preset points. However it is
appropriate to select a lower level for this in Monsoon
season or when flood is expected, so that a greater margin
Fig. 1. Architecture of the proposed model
Proceedings of the International MultiConference of Engineers and Computer Scientists 2012 Vol II,
IMECS 2012, March 14 - 16, 2012, Hong Kong
ISBN: 978-988-19251-9-0
ISSN: 2078-0958 (Print); ISSN: 2078-0966 (Online)
IMECS 2012
for storage is available for the dam when the heavy amount
of water suddenly enters the system.
C. Gate Control
When the water is found to be extraneous in the upper
reservoir the control panel triggers the gate control unit to
open the gates and allow the water to evacuate to the lower
reservoir. The opening and closing of the gates for the
interior spill ways are also to be controlled by the gate
control unit, this is achieved in the test model by Linear
Solenoids, and it will open and close on command of the
gate control panel depending upon the level of water in the
upper reservoir. When the water level exceeds the pre-set
threshold of the danger level the gates are opened through
energizing this linear solenoid, which consecutively pulls the
gate up, emulating the interior spill ways and allowing the
water to be withdrawn.
D. Upper Pump
This block may not be required in the actual dam but is
required in the miniature model so that to provide the thrust
for the water leaving the upper reservoir to generate the
hydro-electricity as the height of the test model is not as
such to provide the required speed for the turbine (dynamo)
to rotate appropriately for power generation. Sensing the
presence of water the gate control unit instructs the pressure
pump to be activated, resulting in a pressure in the flow of
water leaving the upper reservoir and producing hydro-
electricity.
E. Hydroelectricity - Dynamo
As water is transferred down to the lower reservoir,
producing spillway effect, the pressure of this will make the
turbine rotate and the dynamo motor will be activated [8],
resulting in the generation of small amount of voltage since
the pressure required for the generation of a considerable
amount of Hydro-electric power is unavailable in the said
testing miniature model of the Dam. As told earlier the
hydroelectric power generation is considered a secondary
function in the proposed model.
F. Lower Reservoir
The water that slides down will accumulate in the lower
reservoir, here instead of flooding the water out from the
upper reservoir directly to the exterior spillway or fields, the
water is first stored in this reservoir and then this stored
water can now be navigated to remote areas where water is
required, which may include cities, villages and even a sea.
This navigation is achieved by the distribution chamber. The
lower reservoir is also embedded with the set of eight water
level sensors for monitoring, which regularly updates the
control panel of the status of the reservoir.
G. Distribution Chamber
The distribution chamber is another important aspect of
this proposed model. Located in the lower reservoir, it
includes in it multiple pumps or irrigation route outlet pipes.
When the water is stored in the lower reservoir, the
distribution chamber allows the water to be transferred to the
remote locations, depending upon the need of these remote
locations. If the remote locations are in need of water when
there is no or less water, like near the dry level of lower
reservoir, then the distribution chamber provides the main
control panel a signal and depending upon the upper
reservoir’s status the water is provided to the lower
reservoir, if applicable. In the rainy season or in case of
flood, the main advantage of this distribution chamber is that
it will provide in conjunction to the conventional exterior
spillway these other additional pumps which will distribute
the water in various locations, including a sea (if available)
to draw off the extraneous water. Hence it limits the chances
of flooding by distributing the load and allowing more
evacuation rate. Submersible pumps inside the lower
reservoir perform the duty of the distribution chamber in the
test model.
H. Control Panel
The control panel is the most important part of this
automated dam irrigation and monitoring model. The
managerial duties of it include the controlling of all the
gates, valves, the distribution chamber and the pumps. The
control panel is also supported with a GUI, which facilitates
a quick status check of the entire system and also defining
important decision making parameters like determining the
flood or activation water levels and dry or the deactivation
water levels for pumps in both the reservoirs. Initially the
level sensors take the water level status of the upper and
lower reservoirs as its input, and feed this status to the
microcontroller through two of its ports. The microcontroller
then feeds this monitored status of the reservoirs to the
Computer based controlling unit through the serial port, as
the level of water rises in the actual system it will also
increase on the screen for both the reservoirs in the virtual
system. This will provide the information about water level,
consumption rate, and rainfall and dam capacity. Figure II
illustrates the Graphical User Interface (GUI). The GUI
analyzes this provided status and also considers the danger
level margin as described by the user through the computer
interface. The computer interface enables the operator to
control the flow and the decision making at any given time,
for instance it includes manual and automatic control. In the
automatic control the user gives the activation and
deactivation levels for both the reservoirs and the computer
constantly compares the status of the reservoirs with these
user defined inputs. Upon the analysis of the PC interface
the triggering signal is given to the microcontroller which
controls the gates and pressure pumps operation in the
Fig. 1. The GUI of the system
Proceedings of the International MultiConference of Engineers and Computer Scientists 2012 Vol II,
IMECS 2012, March 14 - 16, 2012, Hong Kong
ISBN: 978-988-19251-9-0
ISSN: 2078-0958 (Print); ISSN: 2078-0966 (Online)
IMECS 2012
miniature testing model, giving the effect of interior or
exterior spill ways. In the manual mode the user has the
option to activate or deactivate the gates and the spillways at
time one considers necessary. The control panel also allows
determining the flow rate of the system.
V. THE RATING TABLE
The miniature testing model of the automated dam
irrigation and monitoring system uses the components with
the ratings as shown in Table 1.
VI. EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS
The miniature testing model of the Dam was created to
simulate the controlling and operation of the proposed
automated Dam. The test model was experimented with
almost every possible scenario that can be imagined and
some very interesting results were found out. Apart from
implementing the automated control system the model of the
said Dam showed experimentally that with the usual benefit
of a dam being prolific in Hydro- electric power generation,
this testing model also provided with the added advantage of
excessive water storage, excessive water here having the
meaning of the water being discarded by any other usual
dam is also effectively utilized in this proposed model. The
water stored in the lower reservoir – Reservoir 2- is
sometimes four to five times more than the water stored in
the upper reservoir, which shows that the lower reservoir
holds more water than the water available for a particular
session- as in any other usual dam the water in the solitary
upper reservoir is all that will be used. In the rainy season
the upper reservoir serves as the active reservoir and lower
reservoir holds the advantage of preserving and distributing
the extra water to be evacuated in a conventional dam.
Whereas in the dry season with the upper reservoir holding
very little amount of water the lower reservoir can still
provide the water stored in the previous season, however
seepage [9] in reservoirs should also be considered here.
VII. CONCLUSION
In conclusion an automated control system for the
irrigation and monitoring of a dam was developed. The
control system presented was supported by a test model and
the dam model proposed included some added features
which thrive to make the most out of a normal dam. Apart
from the benefits discussed in the above section the other
benefits and conclusion drawn from this paper can be that, as
far as the control system is concerned, the same control
system is suitable not only for simple and similar
applications but also for application in many different areas
like it can be used for monitoring a car parking lot or any
other application where decision making is required on the
basis of some sensor inputs. This paper shows the use of the
said system with the assist of the PC based interface,
however for future purposes, if a standalone system with
more enhanced features with smaller size and is also
portable the design may include the microcontroller with
program downloading facility, also the use of a PLC is a
superior option for such a case or the system may include
Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition (SCADA)
system.
REFERENCES
[1] http://www.adb.org/water/topics/dams/dams0600.asp, August 2009
[2] Robert D. Rugg, 1Max J. Egenhofer and Werner Kuhn, “Formalizing
behavior of geography features types”, Geographical Systems, Vol.
4,, No. 2, pp. 159-179, 1997.
[3] Hao-Feng Xing, Xiao-Nan Gong, Xiao-Guang Zhou, and Hai-Feng
Fu, “Construction of Concrete-Faced Rockfill Dams with Weak
Rocks”, J. Geotech. and Geoenvir. Engrg. Volume 132, Issue 6 , pp.
778-785, June 2006.
[4] Ersayin, D., “Studying seepage in a body of earth-fill dam by
(Artificial Neural Networks) ANNs”, Master Thesis, İzmir Institute of
Technology, January 2006.
[5] Matthew P. McCarthy, “Decision support systems for large dam
planning and operation in Africa”, International Water Management
Institute, January 2007
[6] M. Acreman, J. Aldrick, C. Binnie, A. Black, I. Cowx, H. Dawson,
M. Dunbar, C. Extence, J. Hannaford, A. Harby, N. Holmes, N.
Jarritt, G. Old, G. Peirson, J. Webb and P. Wood, “Environmental
flows from dams: the water framework directive”, Engineering
Sustainability, Volume 162, Issue: 1, pp. 13-22, March 2009.
[7] Uwe Müller, “Flood protection with dams and flood control
reservoirs—before and after the extreme flood event of August 2002,
Saxony”, Dams and Reservoirs, Volume 18, Issue: 2, pp. 85-91, July
2008.
[8] Aitken PL., “Informal discussion. Hydrological aspects of
hydroelectric schemes”, ICE Proceedings, Volume 45, Issue 4,
pp. 733-736.
[9] Lentz, Rodrick D., Kincaid, Dennis C. and USDA, ARS,
“Polyacrylamide Treatments for Reducing Seepage in Soil-Lined
Reservoirs: A Field Evaluation”, Transactions of the ASABE.,
Volume 51, Issue 2, pp. 535-544, March-April 2008.
TABLE I
RATINGS OF COMPONENTS USED
Device Specification
Electronic Sensors 12VDC
Linear Solenoid Input=220 VAC
Dynamo Voltage Rating 5V
Current = 0.1 mA
Pressure Pump 256 VAC ;
40 m Amp
Cycle 60 Hz
Solenoid Valve 220 VAC ;
2.5 Amp
Cycles = 50/60 Hz
Relay 220 – 240 VAC
5Amp
Cycle: 50 Hz
Operating Voltage: 24VDC
Proceedings of the International MultiConference of Engineers and Computer Scientists 2012 Vol II,
IMECS 2012, March 14 - 16, 2012, Hong Kong
ISBN: 978-988-19251-9-0
ISSN: 2078-0958 (Print); ISSN: 2078-0966 (Online)
IMECS 2012
