The "Automatic Reservoir Monitoring and Control System", called ARMAC for short, is a computerized control system for the monitoring and control of dam gates and reservoirs. Today, ARMAC is successfully applied in numerous dams all over the world. The ARMAC system measures the water level of a dam every 15 minutes. The system takes into consideration the geographical contours of each reservoir, the so-called area volume curves, as well as decades of historical river-flow data and the outfall water levels. The real-time data are compared with the stored data and the current local requirements. This way the optimum opening of the spillway gates is calculated. Rising and sinking water levels are measured by means of water level sensors installed in upstream and downstream positions. The ARMAC software allows the exact monitoring and adjustment of the water flows to maintain specified water levels.
2. INTRODUCTION
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This is an innovative system that automates the system
inside the dam. In traditional method, the water level was
sensed by sensors but operator used to operate those dam
gates manually up to required level which consumes more
manpower. Also, it needed to be monitored periodically so
that the water pressure should not affect the dam walls and
should not overflow over the dam gates. The fundamental
motivation behind this venture is to control the dam shade
naturally.
3. AIM
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Dam failure is one of the biggest disasters
that could happen. Manual dam
management systems cannot be 100%
reliable. There is a need for 100%
automated sensor-based dam operation
system. Hence, the main purpose of this
project is to control the dam shutter
automatically.
4. OBJECTIVES
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To reduce the load of operator.
To introduce this technique in this developing world
ensuring the utility of multidisciplinary fields like
mechatronics, robotics, Artificial Intelligence etc.
To decrease the maintenance cost of system.
To reduce the only use of mechanical linkages and
different mechanisms in the system.
Using this, the risk of disaster strike can also be
minimized such as floods, tsunami etc. if opening and
closing of the dam gates is properly managed.
6. Water Level
Sensor
This sensor can be used to measure the water level, monitor a
sump pit, detect rainfall or detect leakage. The sensor has a series
of ten exposed copper traces, five of which are power traces and
five are sense traces. These traces are interlaced so that there is
one sense trace between every two power traces. Usually these
traces are not connected but are bridged by water when
submerged.
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Component No. 1
7. Transformer
A transformer is a passive component that transfers electrical
energy from one electrical circuit to another circuit, or multiple
circuits. Transformers are most commonly used for increasing low
AC voltages at high current (a step-up transformer) or decreasing
high AC voltages at low current (a step-down transformer) in
electric power applications, and for coupling the stages of signal-
processing circuits.
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Component No. 2
8. Microcontroller
A microcontroller (MCU for microcontroller unit) is a small computer
on a single metal-oxide semiconductor (MOS) integrated circuit (IC)
chip. A microcontroller contains one or more CPUs (processor cores)
along with memory and programmable input/output peripherals.
Microcontrollers are used in automatically controlled products and
devices, such as automobile engine control systems, implantable
medical devices, remote controls, office machines, appliances, power
tools, toys and other embedded systems.
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Component No. 3
9. 16×2 LCD
Display
It is one kind of electronic display module used in an extensive
range of applications like various circuits & devices like mobile
phones, calculators, computers, TV sets, etc. These displays are
mainly preferred for multi-segment light-emitting diodes and
seven segments. The main benefits of using this module are
inexpensive; simply programmable, animations, and there are no
limitations for displaying custom characters, special and even
animations, etc.
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Component No. 4
10. Dam shutter
(Gate)
Dam gates are adjustable gates used to control water flow in flood
barriers, reservoir, river, stream, or levee systems. They may be
designed to set spillway crest heights in dams, to adjust flow rates
in sluices and canals, or they may be designed to stop water flow
entirely as part of a levee or storm surge system. Since most of
these devices operate by controlling the water surface elevation
being stored or routed, they are also known as crest gates.
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Component No. 5
11. CONSTRUCTION
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The series of float sensors are fitted in such a way that the
gate will open partially or fully as per requirement of
water to be allowed to pass from one side to another.
Those float sensors are connected to the microcontroller
which is also interfaced with LCD screen to display the
status of water level in dam.
The transformer is connected to the LCD screen through
bridge rectifier and voltage regulators so as to convert low
AC voltages at high current or decreasing high AC
voltages at low current as required.
The microcontroller is also connected to the gate which
would play a vital role in completing the circuit loop.
12. WORKING
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When the current is supplied or the power is given to the system, the
transformer converts it into the required amount of current only by using
step-up or step-down technique.
The required supply now reaches the voltage regulator which regulates
the amount of voltage and distributes it into two phases, a
microcontroller and a LCD display.
Now all the components are in operating condition.
When the water level touches the first sensor fixed at bottom, the signal
is sent to microcontroller which further sends the signal to dam gate and
the gate opens a little wider and the water is allowed to pass through it.
This is the condition when water level in the dam is moderate.
Now as the water level increases, the sensor sends the signal to
microcontroller which forwards the signal to the gate and this time the
gate opens partially and the water flows through the dam.
This condition is applied when water level in the dam is full.
Now when the water level is overflowing, same function is done by top
sensor and the dam is free from risk of damage due to water pressure.
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It does not require full time
supervision by the operator.
Effective maintenance and
reduced complications.
Prevents wastage of water.
10 to 100 times higher precision,
avoiding human errors.
Spontaneous output.
High initial installation cost.
Skilled labour required.
The system requires a permanent
power supply.
Advantages Disadvantages
14. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
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Since wired technology is used in our system there is scope to further modify it by using
wireless RF technology. Thus the communication between the controller and the driving
element can be established wirelessly. Therefore a major future work can be possible in which
a centralized control of all the dams in a state using GPRS or other wireless technology under
central government can be beneficial to whole country. We tried to suggest ways to tackle this
problem and implement an efficient water level monitoring and management system. The
main motto of this research work is to establish a flexible, economical and easy configurable
system which can solve our water distribution problem between two regions and safeguard
the low lying areas from floods etc. among many other issues.
15. CONCLUSION
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The proposed way of dam gate control system reduces the water wastage, ensures
efficient use of available water resources, highly beneficial for industrial purpose and
generates more precise and accurate results. Just one operator is sufficient for opening
and closing the gate according to sensor output. Because of this system the efficiency
is increased and cost is reduced due to use of microcontroller instead of PLC or
another expensive controller.
