Abstract: Aimed at the drawback of a linear optimal control algorithm failing to formulate a control strategy in advance based on water diversion information, this paper describes a feedforward strategy for planned water distribution and a linear optimal control method coupled with this strategy based on a simplified integral delay model of canal flows. We apply the method to the simulations of a canal, i.e., the last 6 pools of the middle route of South-to-North Water Diversion Project. The results show that under the strategy the flows under the controlling gates can be quickly adjusted to a reasonable range causing small water level fluctuations only, and the feedback control method achieves a reasonable gradual elimination of water level deviations. Compared with using a linear optimal control algorithm alone, this method can responds to the flow in advance and more quickly and reduce more effectively water level deviations caused by flow imbalance.

Key words: canal automation, linear integral delay model, planned water delivery change, feed-forward strategy, linear optimal control