INDIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY ROORKEE

Automation of hydraulic
structure

Deepak Upadhyay
AHEC,IIT Roorkee
En. Id- 15512011
Co No: +91-9758495784
Content

• Automation
• Need of automation
• Automation history
• Dam automation
• Usage of automation in hydraulic structures
– Control of gates
– Control of trash rack
• Advantage of automation
• Disadvantage of automation

2
Automation

• Automation is a delegation of human control function to control

technical equipment.
• Automation is the use of control systems and information
technologies reducing need for human intervention.

3
Need of Automation

• Automation facilitate efficient and detailed information.

• It ensures speedy recording, Processing and presenting of
information.
• Increased volume of work, scarcity of time and the slow manual
processes need the introduction of automation.
• It facilitates better quality work by reducing errors which are
created on manual work.

4
Automation History

1. Manual Control- A control is done by

human labor rather than automatic or
computer-aided.

2. Pneumatic Control- A Pneumatic

Controller is a mechanical device designed to 1.MANUAL CONTROL
measure temperature or pressure and transmit
a corrective air signal to the final
control element.

2.PNEUMATIC CONTROL

5
Contd.

3. Hard Wire Logic Control-

Hardwired logic control units are implemented
through use of sequential logic units, featuring a
finite number of logic that can generate specific
results based on the instructions that were used
to invoke those responses. 3.HARD WIRE
LOGIC CONTROL

4. Electronic Control Using Gates-

In electronics, a logic gate is an idealized or
physical device implementing a Boolean
function, it performs a logical operation on one
or more logical inputs, and produces a single
4.ELECTRONIC
logical output. CONTROL USING
GATES
6
Contd.

5. PLC
A Programmable Logic Controller is a solid state
control system that continuously monitors the
status of devices connected as inputs. Based
upon a user written program, stored in memory,
it controls the status of devices connected as
outputs.

CPU 5. PLC

Inputs Outputs

7
Contd.

Inputs in PLC

• Switches- an electrical component that can

make & break an electrical circuit, interrupting
the current or diverting it from one conductor to
another.

• Pushbuttons- an electrical component which

used to make a contact like “ON” and “OFF”
by using pushing mechanism.

8
Contd.

Sensing Devices
• Limit Switches- an electromechanical device, are used for
controlling machinery as part of a control system, as a
safety interlocks, or to count objects passing a point.
• Photoelectric Sensors- A photoelectric sensor, or photo eye, is
an equipment used to discover the distance, absence, or
presence of an object by using a light transmitter, often infrared,
and a photoelectric receiver.
• Proximity Sensors- a sensor able to detect the presence of
nearby objects without any physical contact. It emits
an electromagnetic field or a beam of electromagnetic radiation,
and looks for changes in the field or return signal.

9
Contd.

Condition Sensors
• Pressure Switches- A switch that closes an electrical contact when
a certain set pressure has been reached on its input. The switch may
be designed to make contact either on pressure rise or on pressure
fall.
• Level Switches- it detect the level of liquids and other fluids and
fluidized solids, including slurries, granular materials, and powders
that exhibit an upper free surface.
• Temperature Switches- An electrical safety device that interrupts
electric current when heated to a specific temperature. These
devices may be for one-time use or may be reset manually or
automatically.
• Vacuum Switches- used for many functions in an automobile.
• Float Switches- a device used to detect the level of liquid within a
tank. 10
Contd.

Output in PLC
• Valve- A device that regulates, directs or controls the
flow of a fluid (gases, liquids, fluidized solids, or
slurries) by opening, closing, or partially obstructing
various passageways.
• Motor Starter- use to start the motor.
• Stack Light- used in industrial manufacturing and
process control environments to provide visual
indicators of a machine state or process event.
• Actuator- An actuator is a type of motor that is
responsible for moving or controlling a system.
• Solenoid- A coil wound into a tightly packed
helix whose length is greater than its diameter.
• Pumps- A device that moves fluids (liquids or gases), or
sometimes slurries, by mechanical action.

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Dam Automation

• Dam automation relates to the operation of opening and closing of

the gate, valve, guide vanes and cooling of system.
• The system will include water level monitoring of dam site and
respective action on the gates of the dam.
• Also maintaining the status of the dam is another big task. This
procedure is very time consuming and sometimes proven to be
helpless to save lives.

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Usage of automation in hydraulic
structures
• Gate
• Trash rack

13
Control of Gates

Objective-

To develop a simpler and relatively inexpensive dam automation

system for operating gates and alerting people residing near river
banks using GSM and microcontroller.

14
Contd.

Evolution of automation on gate-

• At present the automation is done through PLC’s but using that

technology becomes more bulky and it requires the knowledge
about the PLC’s.

• So we can achieve by using resistive-sensor, micro-controller, dc

motor& GSM (Global System for Mobile communication)

15
Contd.

Block Diagram of System

POWER SUPPLY

WATER SIGNAL MICRO

GSM
LEVEL CONDITION CONTROLL
MODULE
SENSOR ING ER

MESSAGE
DC
SENT TO
MOTOR
AUTHORITY

GATES

16
Contd.

Water Level Sensor:

• Two Cu plates of 2mm thickness and height 30cm are taken. The
distance between these two plates is maintained at 2cm.
• One of the plates is given a supply of +5v and the other plate is
kept at a ground potential.
• Initially when there is no water between the two plates there is no
contact between them so no current flows.
• As the water level rises the current starts flowing increasingly due
to availability of conducting path between two plates.

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Contd.

Here current is inversely proportional to the resistance. So when the

level of the dam changes the resistance also changes. The resistance
and level are inversely related to each other. So when level increases
the resistance decreases. When the voltage is kept constant the current
will increase when the resistance will decrease.
i = v/R
i α 1 /R
R = ρl/a
R α 1/a
then,
iαa

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Contd.

• Dam level measurement

Output
S.No Water level (cm) current S.No Water level Output
(mA) (cm) current (mA)
1 00 0 12 11 6.4
2 01 0.23 13 12 6.8
3 02 0.47 14 13 7.6
4 03 1.1 15 14 8.3
5 04 2.1 16 15 9.6
6 05 2.6 17 16 9.9
7 06 3.3 18 17 10.7
8 07 3.8 19 18 11.5
9 08 4.3 20 19 12.2
10 09 5 21 20 12.8
11 10 5.7 22 21 13.6

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Contd.

Signal Conditioning

• The output of sensor is current in mA. So to interface it with

micro-controller we need to digitize it.
• we carry the signal in current form then convert it to voltage with
simple I to V converter having suitable gain or a simple resistor
can be connected to the output of sensor and voltage can be
measured across it.
• This output is given to the ADC for digitization. The output of
ADC is fed to micro-controller for further processing.

20
Contd.

Micro-Controller

• The output of ADC acts as an input to micro-controller.

• Micro-controller is the heart of system. It is used for level
comparison and operation identification. It compares the current
level of dam with the programmed levels and decides the operation
to be taken on the gates.
• There are doors on two different levels of dam. The upper level
door is used only in heavy rainfall, while lower door is used to
regulate the water level as per the need.

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Contd.

Opening of gates- This is sequential operation.

Let a set point of 60% of dam level which water should be maintained
continuously.
• (60-90)% of dam level lower gate will be open in four steps.
Dam level (%) Gate opening (%)
(60-65) 25
(65-70) 50
(70-80) 75
(80-90) 100

• After 90% upper gate will be open completely.

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Contd.

DC MOTOR

• These motors are used to drive the gates of dam .The doors are
operated in steps by giving time delay. The time required to open
the door completely is taken into account to decide the rpm of
motor. Motor with 500rpm is enough to open the gates and close
them with in specified time.

23
Contd.

GSM Module

• As soon as the upper door is opened the message is fired to the

authorities regarding the level and flow of water. For this we are
using GSM module which is interfaced with micro-controller.

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Automation of trash rack

Trash Rack
• A trash rack is a wooden or metal structure,
that prevents water-borne debris (such as
logs, boats, animals, masses of cut
waterweed, etc.) from entering the intake
of channel. This protects water penstock,
and sluice gates from destruction.
• Trash racks composed of vertical wooden
strakes separated by narrow gaps are very
common and perform extremely poorly.
Metal gratings are sturdier and can have
narrower strakes, and angling the trash
rack properly can allow some self-cleaning
from the action of the water.
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Contd.

Objective
• Modern trash racks as used by hydroelectric plants can incorporate
advanced feature as cleaning robots for their cleaning purposes.
• trash rack cleaning machine shall be supplied and installed to clean
the trash rack panels. The machine shall be installed at deck
elevation and shall be able to operate and remove all the material
carried by the flow, floating debris, wood logs, branches etc.
accumulated in front of the screen.
• Trash racks are designed for water velocity of around 2 feet/second
(0.6 metres/second) to prevent excessive energy loss due to the
head loss across the trash rack. Close spacing keeps out more small
floating debris or fish.

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Contd.

• Block Diagram of system

POWER SUPPLY

SIGNAL MICRO
ELECTROMAG DC
CONDITIO CONTROL
NETIC SENSOR MOTOR
NING LER

TRASH
RACK
CLEANIN
G
MACHINE

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Advantage of Automation

• Replaces hard physical or monotonous work.

• Tasks in hazardous environments, such as extreme temperatures, or
atmospheres that are radioactive or toxic can be done by machines
• Faster production and cheaper labor costs
• Automation can be maintained with simple quality checks.
• Can perform tasks beyond human capabilities.

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Disadvantage of Automation

• As of now, not all tasks can be automated

• Some tasks are more expensive to automate
• Initial costs are high
• Failure to maintain a system could result in the loss of the product

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References

• Mr. Abhishek S Umachigi, Mr. Santosh Yelkar “Dam Level

Continuous monitoring, Controlling And Alerting System Using
Gsm” Volume-1 (9-May2014)
http://ijtre.com/paper/?id=2014010940
• Kuenz_TrashRackCleaning.pdf
https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/view/169790/41011-e-rrm-
internet/5
• Electrical machine by P. S bimbhra vol-7
• Trash rack cleaning machine pdf-
http://www.jkspdc.nic.in/tender_files/2013/NGHEP/Trash%20Rack%
20Cleaning%20Machine.pdf
.

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