Lake Transfer Gate Control Using Flood Simulation Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Increasing frequency, intensity, and duration of droughts in states like Texas due to population growth, lag in permitting new lakes, zebra mussel invasions, and siltation lead to degraded dams needing rehabilitation, which is costly and complex, while existing dams lack timely water distribution to water supply lakes.
Innovation Solution
A water supply control system that connects non-water supply lakes with water supply lakes through pipes and gates, using a computer-implemented control system to manage water flow based on sensor data and reservoir simulation modeling to prevent flood events and optimize water transfer, allowing for remote operation and safety control implementation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If dams are rehabilitated to improve water supply reliability, then water supply reliability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple non-water supply lakes with water supply lakes through interconnecting pipes and gates, creating an integrated water distribution network. This combination allows excess water from non-water supply lakes to be transferred to water supply lakes, improving overall water supply reliability without requiring individual dam rehabilitations.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system performs multiple functions: it monitors water levels in real-time, simulates flood scenarios, automatically controls gate operations, and manages water distribution across multiple lakes. This multi-functional approach replaces complex physical dam structures with a versatile software-based control system.
2Loss of time
If water is transferred from non-water supply lakes to water supply lakes, then water supply timeliness is improved, but flood risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary flood simulation modeling before executing water transfer operations. By predicting potential flood scenarios in advance and evaluating their impacts, the system can prevent water transfers that would worsen flooding conditions, thus enabling timely water supply while avoiding flood risks.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system continuously monitors water levels in both non-water supply and water supply lakes, as well as weather conditions and downstream flow rates. This real-time feedback allows the system to dynamically adjust gate operations and prevent water transfers when flood risk is detected, ensuring safe and timely water distribution.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively manages water distribution from non-water supply lakes to water supply lakes, preventing flood events and ensuring timely water supply while reducing the need for costly dam rehabilitation and enhancing dam maintenance, thus addressing the water crisis and dam degradation issues.
Implementation Method 1
one or more pumps adapted to pump water through a corresponding one or more of the plurality of pipes
Implementation Method 2
The plurality of gates are adapted to adjust an amount of water flow through the plurality of pipes
Implementation Method 3
a plurality of sensors associated with one or more of the non-water supply lakes and the water supply lakes
Data Source
AI summary
A water supply control system is disclosed that comprises a computer-implemented control system coupled to a plurality of gates, one or more pumps, and a plurality of sensors. The computer-implemented control system is configured to receive a request to transfer excess water from a non-water supply lake to a water supply lake and determine, based at least in part on data from the plurality of sensors and geographic locations of the non-water supply lake and the water supply lake, whether transferring water as requested will cause or worsen a flood event. In response to a determination that transferring water as requested will not cause or worsen a flood event, the computer-implemented control system is further configured to issue a command to cause a gate associated with a dam at the non-water supply lake to open such that water is transferred from the non-water supply lake to the water supply lake.