Water flow control application shows along with the other applications the wide range that Horner units cater to. This fun application is being controlled by an Xl7 with Modbus comms to the pump drives and Smartrail I/O for the digital and analog control.
This application controls the flow of water which creates an artificial surf wave. The application is rather complex as it controls water level in a huge tank by controlling the pumps. The water outlet is controlled by four hatches which establish the wave, the water must be pumped up to a preset level before the hatches open individually to specific positions in order to establish the wave. When it is established, the water flow must be reduced to maintain the wave in the right profile.
Every now and then, they generate a huge tsunami wave by closing all hatches, filling the tank to it’s maximum before opening all hatches fully. This generates a huge wave that runs around the whole canal before a new surf wave is established again.
Advantages to this automation solution are obvious. The application allows thousands of people each year to enjoy the thrills of surfing while in a controlled enviroment. This approach gives the theme park a high quality fun attraction.
