Dynamic Response of Automatic Water‐Level Controller. I: Theory

Abstract

Controllers that maintain constant water levels at various locations within irrigation canal distribution systems are used in a number of locations. Most are custom‐developed and tested on a particular system or direct copies of earlier successful versions. Design of such feedback‐control mechanisms is hampered by a lack of information on the dynamic response of the control system to various conditions. In this paper, we examine the dynamic response of one type of mechanical‐hydraulic controller, the dual acting controlled leak system (DACL). Simple transfer‐function equations are developed, from which the stability and dynamic response of the system can be evaluated. These characteristics are evaluated in a companion paper.