AUTOMATION SYSTEM FOR LEVEL ELEVATOR INFRASTRUCTURES USED IN IRRIGATION PERIMETERS

Abstract

he objective of this work is to analyze conceptions of automation systems for the activation of level elevator gates of an irrigation perimeter. The level lifts are intended to control the water level upstream of a channel, allowing a sufficient level difference for the water to flow to the secondary channels and to adjacent crops. As a case study, the structures of the Arroio Duro Irrigation Perimeter were used, where they are activated manually. The automation of the activation of the gates of these structures can facilitate the operation of water management, thus increasing the efficiency of the irrigation perimeter. The proposed designs were analyzed from its command system considering a hydraulic drive system, in addition a physical prototype was tested in the laboratory to test the functional feasibility of the system. From the functional analyzes carried out on the physical prototype, it is concluded that the design concepts are suitable for different levels of automation of the system, and that automation with a PLC system is the most flexible and adequate to implement a control and automation system of the level lift gates.