A New Nonlinear Control Methodology for Irrigation Canals Based on a Delayed Input Model

This paper is devoted to nonlinear feedback design for irrigation canals. Such systems are classically described by Saint-Venant nonlinear partial differential equations. Here instead, an ordinary differential equation model (still nonlinear) with a state-dependent input delay is used, on the basis of a model previously proposed in Litrico et al [2003]. The control design approach is based on a state prediction computation and the state predictor is constructed from a dynamic inversion in the same spirit as in Georges et al [2007]. The proposed methodology is analyzed and tested in simulation, first on the basis of the control model, and then using some ”more accurate” model.