Decentralized Communication-Free Controller for Synchronous Solar-Powered Water Pumping with Emulated Neighbor Sensing
Solar-powered pumping systems using series pumps are commonly applied in the delivery of water to remote agricultural regions, particularly in hilly tropical terrain. The synchronization of these pumps typically depends on reliable communication; however, dense vegetation, elevation changes, and wea...
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MDPI AG
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Sensors |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/25/12/3811 |
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| author | Roungsan Chaisricharoen Wanus Srimaharaj Punnarumol Temdee Hamed Yahoui Nina Bencheva |
| author_facet | Roungsan Chaisricharoen Wanus Srimaharaj Punnarumol Temdee Hamed Yahoui Nina Bencheva |
| author_sort | Roungsan Chaisricharoen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Solar-powered pumping systems using series pumps are commonly applied in the delivery of water to remote agricultural regions, particularly in hilly tropical terrain. The synchronization of these pumps typically depends on reliable communication; however, dense vegetation, elevation changes, and weather conditions often disrupt signals. To address these limitations, a fully decentralized, communication-free control system is proposed. Each pumping station operates independently while maintaining synchronized operation through emulated neighbor sensing. The system applies a discrete-time control algorithm with virtual sensing that estimates neighboring pump statuses. Each station consists of a solar photovoltaic (PV) array, variable-speed drive, variable inlet valve, reserve tank, and local control unit. The controller adjusts the valve positions and pump power based on real-time water level measurements and virtual neighbor sensing. The simulation results across four scenarios, including clear sky, cloudy conditions, temporary outage, and varied irradiance, demonstrated steady-state operation with no water overflow or shortage and a steady-state error less than 4% for 3 m<sup>3</sup> transfer. The error decreased as the average power increased. The proposed method maintained system functionality under simulated power outage and variable irradiance, confirming its suitability for remote agricultural areas where communication infrastructure is limited. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-eac1ad979fc0489bb3d5b140388eb6ea |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1424-8220 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Sensors |
| spelling | doaj-art-eac1ad979fc0489bb3d5b140388eb6ea2025-08-20T03:29:52ZengMDPI AGSensors1424-82202025-06-012512381110.3390/s25123811Decentralized Communication-Free Controller for Synchronous Solar-Powered Water Pumping with Emulated Neighbor SensingRoungsan Chaisricharoen0Wanus Srimaharaj1Punnarumol Temdee2Hamed Yahoui3Nina Bencheva4Excellence Center in Industry 4.0, Computer and Communication Engineering for Capacity Building Research Center, School of Applied Digital Technology, Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai 57100, ThailandDepartment of Information Technology, The International College, Payap University, Chiang Mai 50000, ThailandExcellence Center in Industry 4.0, Computer and Communication Engineering for Capacity Building Research Center, School of Applied Digital Technology, Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai 57100, ThailandDépartement Mécanique, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, 69622 Lyon, FranceDepartment of Telecommunications, University of Ruse “Angel Kanchev”, 7017 Ruse, BulgariaSolar-powered pumping systems using series pumps are commonly applied in the delivery of water to remote agricultural regions, particularly in hilly tropical terrain. The synchronization of these pumps typically depends on reliable communication; however, dense vegetation, elevation changes, and weather conditions often disrupt signals. To address these limitations, a fully decentralized, communication-free control system is proposed. Each pumping station operates independently while maintaining synchronized operation through emulated neighbor sensing. The system applies a discrete-time control algorithm with virtual sensing that estimates neighboring pump statuses. Each station consists of a solar photovoltaic (PV) array, variable-speed drive, variable inlet valve, reserve tank, and local control unit. The controller adjusts the valve positions and pump power based on real-time water level measurements and virtual neighbor sensing. The simulation results across four scenarios, including clear sky, cloudy conditions, temporary outage, and varied irradiance, demonstrated steady-state operation with no water overflow or shortage and a steady-state error less than 4% for 3 m<sup>3</sup> transfer. The error decreased as the average power increased. The proposed method maintained system functionality under simulated power outage and variable irradiance, confirming its suitability for remote agricultural areas where communication infrastructure is limited.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/25/12/3811decentralized controlcommunication-freesynchronous controlsolar actuationwater pumpingneighbor sensing |
| spellingShingle | Roungsan Chaisricharoen Wanus Srimaharaj Punnarumol Temdee Hamed Yahoui Nina Bencheva Decentralized Communication-Free Controller for Synchronous Solar-Powered Water Pumping with Emulated Neighbor Sensing Sensors decentralized control communication-free synchronous control solar actuation water pumping neighbor sensing |
| title | Decentralized Communication-Free Controller for Synchronous Solar-Powered Water Pumping with Emulated Neighbor Sensing |
| title_full | Decentralized Communication-Free Controller for Synchronous Solar-Powered Water Pumping with Emulated Neighbor Sensing |
| title_fullStr | Decentralized Communication-Free Controller for Synchronous Solar-Powered Water Pumping with Emulated Neighbor Sensing |
| title_full_unstemmed | Decentralized Communication-Free Controller for Synchronous Solar-Powered Water Pumping with Emulated Neighbor Sensing |
| title_short | Decentralized Communication-Free Controller for Synchronous Solar-Powered Water Pumping with Emulated Neighbor Sensing |
| title_sort | decentralized communication free controller for synchronous solar powered water pumping with emulated neighbor sensing |
| topic | decentralized control communication-free synchronous control solar actuation water pumping neighbor sensing |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/25/12/3811 |
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