Decentralized volume control of open-channels using H2 norm minimization

A lumped-parameter model is considered for openchannel networks that expresses the dynamic relationship, in terms of state space variables, between gate opening sections and stored water volume variations in the different canal reaches with respect to a reference configuration of uniform flow. A proce dure is suggested to approximate a real steady flow condition with an ideal uniform flow configuration. A decentralized control is obtained by determining the state feedback gain matrix, whose structure is imposed to be diagonal, that minimizes the Hz norm of a suitable transfer matrix. A numerical validation of the linear model used to synthetize the control law is proposed. A comparison between the behaviour of the linear model and that of the non-linear unsteady one, whose evolution has been determined using the SIC software, is proposed.