US4332507A — Water level control system for a reservoir

Claim 1

Independent Claim 261 words

A method for controlling the water level of a reservoir comprising the steps of: a first step of determining the actual water level, the inflow rate and the outflow rate of the reservoir at each of a plurality of successive predetermined moments of time; a second step of determining an estimated water level corresponding to a stored amount of water in the reservoir at each of said predetermined moments of time; and a third step of controlling the outflow rate from each of said successive moments of time until the next moment of time based upon the estimated water level and a target water level for each moment of time; and wherein said second step includes determining the estimated water level corresponding to the stored amount of water at a given moment of time, based upon a change of the amount of water stored in the reservoir from the previous moment of time next preceding said given moment of time until said given moment of time, on the basis of said estimated water level determined at the previous moment of time, and further based upon a correction amount which is proportional to the difference between the sum of said change and said estimated water level at the previous moment of time and the actual water level detected at said given moment of time; said change in the amount of water stored in the reservoir being detected from the difference between the inflow rate and the outflow rate at the previous moment of time and the water surface area of the reservoir.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 261 words

A method for controlling the water level of a reservoir comprising the steps of: a first step of determining the actual water level, the inflow rate and the outflow rate of the reservoir at each of a plurality of successive predetermined moments of time; a second step of determining an estimated water level corresponding to a stored amount of water in the reservoir at each of said predetermined moments of time; and a third step of controlling the outflow rate from each of said successive moments of time until the next moment of time based upon the estimated water level and a target water level for each moment of time; and wherein said second step includes determining the estimated water level corresponding to the stored amount of water at a given moment of time, based upon a change of the amount of water stored in the reservoir from the previous moment of time next preceding said given moment of time until said given moment of time, on the basis of said estimated water level determined at the previous moment of time, and further based upon a correction amount which is proportional to the difference between the sum of said change and said estimated water level at the previous moment of time and the actual water level detected at said given moment of time; said change in the amount of water stored in the reservoir being detected from the difference between the inflow rate and the outflow rate at the previous moment of time and the water surface area of the reservoir.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 35 words

A water level control system for a reservoir according to claim 1, wherein the operation for controlling the outflow rate in said third step includes controlling the opening degree of a gate of the reservoir.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 44 words

A water level control system for a reservoir according to claim 2, wherein the outflow rate at each of said moments of time is detected upon the opening degree of the gate and the actual water level at each of said moments of time.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 64 words

A water level control system for a reservoir according to claim 1, wherein the outflow rate at each of said moments of time is detected based upon the outflow rate of the previous moment of time, and based upon the difference between the estimated water level at each of said moments of time and the estimated water level of each previous moment of time.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 126 words

A water level control system for a reservoir according to claim 1, wherein the inflow rate at each of said moments of time is detected by measuring the instantaneous value of the inflow rate of the previous moment of time based upon the outflow rate of each previous moment of time and the difference between the estimated water level at each of said moments of time and the estimated water level of each previous moment of time, by detecting the average values of said instantaneous values from each of said moments of time to said plurality of previous moments of time, and by detecting the inflow rate at each of said moments of time based upon the average value detected at the previous moment of time.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 266 words

A water level control system for a reservoir having a gate for controlling the water outflow rate therefrom comprising; first means for detecting the actual water level in the reservoir at successive moments of time; second means coupled to said first means for calculating an estimated water level corresponding to the stored amount of water in the reservoir; third means coupled to said first and second means for determining the opening degree of said gate based upon the difference between said estimated water level and a preset target water level, and for detecting an outflow rate based upon said opening degree of the gate and said detected actual water level; and fourth means coupled to said third means for driving the gate responsive to an output of said third means for opening the gate; wherein said second means includes: means for estimating an inflow rate based upon said estimated water level and the outflow rate; water level estimating means for determining the sum of said estimated water level at the previous moment of time and a value corresponding to the change of the stored amount of water in the reservoir calculated from the difference between said inflow rate and outflow rate at a previous moment of time; subtractor means for obtaining the difference between said sum and said detected actual water level; and means for producing an error correction value by multiplying said difference and a predetermined proportional constant; and wherein said water level estimating means detects said estimated water level at the present moment of time, by adding said sum and said error correction value.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 266 words

A water level control system for a reservoir having a gate for controlling the water outflow rate therefrom comprising; first means for detecting the actual water level in the reservoir at successive moments of time; second means coupled to said first means for calculating an estimated water level corresponding to the stored amount of water in the reservoir; third means coupled to said first and second means for determining the opening degree of said gate based upon the difference between said estimated water level and a preset target water level, and for detecting an outflow rate based upon said opening degree of the gate and said detected actual water level; and fourth means coupled to said third means for driving the gate responsive to an output of said third means for opening the gate; wherein said second means includes: means for estimating an inflow rate based upon said estimated water level and the outflow rate; water level estimating means for determining the sum of said estimated water level at the previous moment of time and a value corresponding to the change of the stored amount of water in the reservoir calculated from the difference between said inflow rate and outflow rate at a previous moment of time; subtractor means for obtaining the difference between said sum and said detected actual water level; and means for producing an error correction value by multiplying said difference and a predetermined proportional constant; and wherein said water level estimating means detects said estimated water level at the present moment of time, by adding said sum and said error correction value.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 26 words

A water level control system for a reservoir according to claim 6, wherein said second means and said third means are formed by a single computer.

Claim 10

Independent Claim 265 words

A method for controlling the water level of a reservoir comprising the steps of: detecting the actual water level (H k ) at a predetermined time (k), said actuator water level being influenced by not only the difference between the inflow rate of the reservoir and the outflow rate from the reservoir, but also water level noise caused by the opening and closing of a gate and by a sudden change in the inflow rate; deriving the estimated water level (h k ) corresponding to a stored amount of water in the reservoir which is not influenced by the above-mentioned water level noise at said predetermined time (k) from the outflow rate (QO k-1 ) of the water at a previous time (k-1) out of the reservoir, the inflow rate (QI k-1 ) of the water at the previous time (k-1) into the reservoir and an estimated water level (h k-1 ) at the previous time (k-1); determining the outflow rate (QO k ) of the water at the time (k) out of the reservoir from said actual water level (H k ) measured at the time (k) and the estimated water level (h k ); deriving the inflow rate (QI k ) of the water at the time (k) into the reservoir from said estimated water levels (h k ) and (h k-1 ) at said predetermined time (k) and at said previous time (k-1) and the outflow rate (QO k-1 ) at the previous time (k-1); and controlling the gate of the reservoir in accordance with the estimated water level (h k ).

Claim 11

Independent Claim 265 words

A method for controlling the water level of a reservoir comprising the steps of: detecting the actual water level (H k ) at a predetermined time (k), said actuator water level being influenced by not only the difference between the inflow rate of the reservoir and the outflow rate from the reservoir, but also water level noise caused by the opening and closing of a gate and by a sudden change in the inflow rate; deriving the estimated water level (h k ) corresponding to a stored amount of water in the reservoir which is not influenced by the above-mentioned water level noise at said predetermined time (k) from the outflow rate (QO k-1 ) of the water at a previous time (k-1) out of the reservoir, the inflow rate (QI k-1 ) of the water at the previous time (k-1) into the reservoir and an estimated water level (h k-1 ) at the previous time (k-1); determining the outflow rate (QO k ) of the water at the time (k) out of the reservoir from said actual water level (H k ) measured at the time (k) and the estimated water level (h k ); deriving the inflow rate (QI k ) of the water at the time (k) into the reservoir from said estimated water levels (h k ) and (h k-1 ) at said predetermined time (k) and at said previous time (k-1) and the outflow rate (QO k-1 ) at the previous time (k-1); and controlling the gate of the reservoir in accordance with the estimated water level (h k ).

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 78 words

A control method of claim 8, wherein the estimated water level (h k ) is obtained from the following relationship, ##EQU9## where, A: water surface area of the reservoir QI k-1 : inflow rate at the time (k-1) QO k-1 : outflow rate at the time (k-1) T: time interval from the time (k-1) to the time (k) H k : actual water level at the time (k) K k : estimated error correction gain at time (k).

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 66 words

A control method of claim 8, wherein the outflow rate (QO k ) of the water at the time (k) is determined from the following relationships: ##EQU10## where qi k-1 is the instantaneous value of the inflow rate at the time (k-1), A is the water surface area of the reservoir, and T is the time interval from the time (k-1) to the stored time (k).

Claim 14

Independent Claim 159 words

A method for controlling a water level of a reservoir comprising the steps of: detecting the actual water level (H k ) at a predetermined time (k), said actual water level being influenced by not only the difference between the inflow rate from the reservoir and the outflow rate from the reservoir but also water level noise caused by the opening and closing of a gate and by sudden change in the inflow rate; determining the inflow rate (QI k-1 ) and the outflow rate (QO k-1 ) at a preceding time (k-1); calculating an estimated water level h k at said time (k) including no water level noise, on the basis of said actual water level (H k ) at the time (k) and said inflow rate (QI k-1 ) and outflow rate (QO k-1 ) at the preceding time (k-1); and controlling the gate of the reservoir in accordance with the estimated water level (h k ).

Claim 15

Independent Claim 159 words

A method for controlling a water level of a reservoir comprising the steps of: detecting the actual water level (H k ) at a predetermined time (k), said actual water level being influenced by not only the difference between the inflow rate from the reservoir and the outflow rate from the reservoir but also water level noise caused by the opening and closing of a gate and by sudden change in the inflow rate; determining the inflow rate (QI k-1 ) and the outflow rate (QO k-1 ) at a preceding time (k-1); calculating an estimated water level h k at said time (k) including no water level noise, on the basis of said actual water level (H k ) at the time (k) and said inflow rate (QI k-1 ) and outflow rate (QO k-1 ) at the preceding time (k-1); and controlling the gate of the reservoir in accordance with the estimated water level (h k ).

Claim 16

Independent Claim 274 words

A system for controlling the water level of a reservoir comprising: first means for detecting the actual water level (H k ) at a predetermined time (k), said actual water level being influenced by not only the difference between the inflow rate to the reservoir and the outflow rate from the reservoir but also water level noise caused by the opening and closing of a gate and by a sudden change in the inflow rate; second means for deriving the estimated water level (h k ) corresponding to a stored amount of water in the reservoir which is not influenced by the above-mentioned water level noise at said predetermined time (k) from the outflow rate (QO k-1 ) of the water at a previous time (k-1) out of the reservoir, the inflow rate (QI k-1 ) of the water at the previous time (k-1) into the reservoir and an estimated water level (h k-1 ) at the previous time (k-1); determining the outflow rate (QO k ) of the water at the time (k) out of the reservoir from said actual water level (H k ) measured at the time (k) and the estimated water level (h k ); fourth means for deriving the inflow rate (QI k ) of the water at the time (k) into the reservoir from said estimated water levels (h k ) and (h k-1 ) at said predetermined time (k) and at said previous time (k-1) and the outflow rate (QO k-1 ) at the previous time (k-1); and fifth means for controlling the gate of the reservoir in accordance with the estimated water level (h k ).

Claim 17

Independent Claim 274 words

A system for controlling the water level of a reservoir comprising: first means for detecting the actual water level (H k ) at a predetermined time (k), said actual water level being influenced by not only the difference between the inflow rate to the reservoir and the outflow rate from the reservoir but also water level noise caused by the opening and closing of a gate and by a sudden change in the inflow rate; second means for deriving the estimated water level (h k ) corresponding to a stored amount of water in the reservoir which is not influenced by the above-mentioned water level noise at said predetermined time (k) from the outflow rate (QO k-1 ) of the water at a previous time (k-1) out of the reservoir, the inflow rate (QI k-1 ) of the water at the previous time (k-1) into the reservoir and an estimated water level (h k-1 ) at the previous time (k-1); determining the outflow rate (QO k ) of the water at the time (k) out of the reservoir from said actual water level (H k ) measured at the time (k) and the estimated water level (h k ); fourth means for deriving the inflow rate (QI k ) of the water at the time (k) into the reservoir from said estimated water levels (h k ) and (h k-1 ) at said predetermined time (k) and at said previous time (k-1) and the outflow rate (QO k-1 ) at the previous time (k-1); and fifth means for controlling the gate of the reservoir in accordance with the estimated water level (h k ).

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 94 words

A system according to claim 12, wherein said second means includes subtractor means for subtracting the outflow rate (QO k-1 ) from the inflow rate (QI k-1 ), means for multiplying the output of said subtractor by a factor ΔT/A (where ΔT is the period of time between the time k-1 and the time k), first adder means for adding to the output of said multiplying means the previous estimated water level (h k-1 ) and second adder means for adding to the output of said first adder means an estimated error correction value.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 35 words

A system according to claim 13, wherein said second means further includes memory means for storing the output of said second adder means for use as the estimated water level value at the time (k+1).

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 63 words

A system according to claim 13, further including additional subtractor means for subtracting the output of said first adder means from the output (H k ) of said first means and additional multiplier means for multiplying the output of said additional subtractor means by an error correction coefficient K k to produce said estimated error correction value supplied to said second adder means.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1985-05-31	1985-11-30	1986-06-01	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1989-05-31	1989-11-30	1990-06-01	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1993-05-31	1993-11-30	1994-06-01	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Water level control system for a reservoir

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