scholarly journals Experimental investigations of air entrainment in transition and skimming flows down a stepped chute

2002 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 145-156 ◽  
Author(s):  
H Chanson ◽  
L Toombes
Keyword(s):  
Free Surface ◽  
Water Flow ◽  
Air Entrainment ◽  
Stepped Spillway ◽  
Transition Flow ◽  
Flow Properties ◽  
Flow Measurements ◽  
Surface Aeration ◽  
Stepped Chute ◽  
Uniform Equilibrium

Stepped spillways have been used for about 3500 years. The last few decades have seen the development of new construction materials, design techniques, and applications, for example, embankment overtopping protection systems. Although it is commonly acknowledged that free-surface aeration is significant in stepped chutes, experimental data are scarce, often limited to very steep slopes (α ~ 50°). This paper presents an experimental study conducted in a large-size stepped chute (α = 22°, h = 0.1 m, W = 1 m). Observations demonstrate the existence of a transition flow pattern for intermediate flow rates between nappe and skimming flows. Detailed air–water flow measurements were conducted in both transition and skimming flows, immediately downstream of the inception point of free-surface aeration where uniform equilibrium flow conditions were not achieved. In skimming flows, a complete characterization is developed for the distributions of void fraction, bubble count rate, and velocity, and flow resistance data are compared with other studies. Transition flows exhibit significantly different air–water flow properties. They are highly aerated, requiring the design of comparatively high chute sidewalls.Key words: stepped spillway, air entrainment, two-phase flow properties, skimming flow, transition flow.

scholarly journals Turbulence characteristics in skimming flows on stepped spillways

2008 ◽  
Vol 35 (9) ◽  
pp. 865-880 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Carosi ◽  
H. Chanson
Keyword(s):  
Energy Dissipation ◽  
Water Flow ◽  
Time Scales ◽  
Bubbly Flow ◽  
Stepped Spillway ◽  
Phase Detection ◽  
Flow Properties ◽  
Flow Measurements ◽  
Stepped Spillways ◽  
Turbulent Characteristics

The stepped spillway design is characterized by an increase in the rate of energy dissipation on the chute associated with a reduction of the size of the downstream energy dissipation system. This study presents a thorough investigation of the air–water flow properties in skimming flows with a focus on the turbulent characteristics. New measurements were conducted in a large-size facility (θ = 22°; step height, h = 0.1 m) with several phase-detection intrusive probes. Correlation analyses were applied to estimate the integral turbulent length and time scales. The skimming flow properties presented some basic characteristics that were qualitatively and quantitatively in agreement with previous air–water flow measurements in skimming flows. Present measurements showed some relatively good correlation between turbulence intensities T u and turbulent length and time scales. These measurements also illustrated large turbulence levels and large turbulent time and length scales in the intermediate region between the spray and bubbly flow regions.

Flow over a stepped chute with and without macro-roughness elements

2004 ◽  
Vol 31 (5) ◽  
pp. 880-891 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mehmet Ali Kökpinar
Keyword(s):  
Water Flow ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Length Distribution ◽  
Air Entrainment ◽  
Air Concentration ◽  
Bubble Frequency ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Air Bubble ◽  
Roughness Elements ◽  
Stepped Chute

High-speed two-phase flows over a 30° stepped flume were experimentally investigated using macro-roughness elements. The roughness elements included combinations of steps and horizontal strips. Local values of air concentration, air bubble frequency, and mean chord lengths were measured by a fiber-optical instrumentation system in the air–water flow region. The range of unit discharge of water was varied from 0.06 to 0.20 m2/s. Three step configurations were studied: (i) without macro-roughness elements, (ii) with macro-roughness elements on each step, and (iii) with macro-roughness elements on each second step (AMR configuration). The results were compared in terms of onset flow conditions and internal air–water flow parameters such as local air concentration, mean air bubble chord length distribution, and air bubble frequency in the skimming flow regime. It was observed that the AMR configuration produced the maximum free-surface aeration among the other configurations. This alternative step geometry has potential for less cavitation damage than conventional step geometry because of the greater air entrainment.Key words: stepped chute, air-entrainment, air-water flow properties, macro-roughness elements, skimming flow.

Self-Aeration Modelling Using a Sub-Grid Volume-Of-Fluid Model

2017 ◽  
Vol 18 (7-8) ◽  
pp. 559-574 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pedro Lopes ◽  
Jorge Leandro ◽  
Rita F. Carvalho
Keyword(s):  
Free Surface ◽  
Source Term ◽  
Air Entrainment ◽  
Volume Of Fluid ◽  
Free Surface Flows ◽  
Stepped Spillway ◽  
Main Concern ◽  
Advection Diffusion Equation ◽  
Computational Performance ◽  
Good Agreement

AbstractThe accurate prediction of self-aerated flow is not always easy to obtain, particularly if the computational performance is the main concern. Two-fluid formulation is suitable to simulate the dispersed air in a continuous water phase (e.g. bubbly flows) in a fine mesh, whereas the interface tracking methods are used for sharp interfaces with two continuous and contiguous phases (e.g. free-surface flows). Several approaches have emerged to combine both methods; however all found a gap in the transition between resolved and unresolved scales of air at the interface. Including a source term that predicts the self-aeration process is viewed as a promising step to overcome such difficulty. In this work, we added to the volume-of-fluid formulation an extra advection-diffusion equation connected to a source of air at the free surface to simulate the dispersed bubble phase. One-way coupling and two-way coupling versions of this model are tested along with sensitivity tests to show the accuracy of the new source term that does not require calibration. The location of the aeration is analysed and investigated. Results are obtained in terms of free-surface flow depths, air–concentration profiles and velocity fields and compared to experimental data acquired in a scaled stepped spillway model with good agreement. The free-surface given by the air-entrainment model is in good agreement in both non-aerated and aerated zone of the spillway.

scholarly journals NUMERICAL STUDY OF TURBULENT FLOW FOR MODERATE-SLOPE STEPPED SPILLWAYS

2018 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bentalha Chakib
Keyword(s):  
Hydraulic Structure ◽  
Numerical Study ◽  
Air Entrainment ◽  
Work Flow ◽  
Stepped Spillway ◽  
Cavitation Damage ◽  
Stepped Spillways ◽  
Vof Model ◽  
Computational Fluid Dynamics Cfd ◽  
Stepped Chute

Stepped spillway is a power full hydraulic structure for energy dissipation because ofthe large value of the surface roughness. The performance of the stepped spillway is enhancedwith the presence of air that can prevent or reduce the cavitation damage. This work aims tosimulate air entrainment and determine the characteristics of flow at stepped spillways. Withinthis work flow over stepped chute is simulated by using fluent computational fluid dynamics(CFD). The volume of fluid (VOF) model is used as a tool to simulate air-water interaction onthe free surface thereby the turbulence closure is derived in the k −ε turbulence standard model.The found numerical results agree well with experimental results.

scholarly journals Free surface profile and inception point as characteristics of aerated flow over stepped spillway: Numerical study

2019 ◽  
Vol 42 (1) ◽  
pp. 42-48
Author(s):  
Chakib Bentalha ◽  
Mohammed Habi
Keyword(s):  
Free Surface ◽  
Kinetic Energy ◽  
Water Depth ◽  
Numerical Study ◽  
Surface Profile ◽  
Air Entrainment ◽  
Stepped Spillway ◽  
Ansys Fluent ◽  
Vof Model ◽  
Inception Point

Abstract Stepped spillway is hydraulic structure designed to dissipate the excess in kinetic energy at the downstream of dams and can reduce the size of stilling basin at the toe of the spillway or chute. The flow on a stepped spillway is characterised by the large aeration that can prevent or reduce the cavitation damage. The air entrainment starts where the boundary layer attains the free surface of flow; this point is called “point of inception”. Within this work the inception point is determined by using software Ansys Fluent where the volume of fluid (VOF) model is used as a tool to track the free surface thereby the turbulence closure is derived in the k − ε turbulence standard model. This research aims to find new formulas for describe the variation of water depth at step edge and the positions of the inception point, at the same time the contour map of velocity, turbulent kinetic energy and strain rate are presented. The found numerical results agree well with experimental results like the values of computed and measured water depth at the inception point and the numerical and experimental inception point locations. Also, the dimensionless water depth profile obtained by numerical method agrees well with that of measurement. This study confirmed that the Ansys Fluent is a robust software for simulating air entrainment and exploring more characteristics of flow over stepped spillways.

Air-Water Flow Properties in Hydraulic Jumps with Fully and Partially Developed Inflow Conditions

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Montano ◽  
Stefan Felder
Keyword(s):  
Water Flow ◽  
Flow Patterns ◽  
Hydraulic Jumps ◽  
Clear Water ◽  
Flow Properties ◽  
Flow Measurements ◽  
Void Fractions ◽  
Bubble Sizes ◽  
Sampling Duration ◽  
Inflow Conditions

Abstract Novel air-water flow measurements were conducted in fully aerated hydraulic jumps with partially and fully developed supercritical inflow conditions. Irrespective of the inflow conditions, the hydraulic jumps resembled typical flow patterns with strong aeration and instabilities, albeit hydraulic jumps with fully developed inflow conditions had a more upwards directed roller motion and a larger clear water core in the second half of the roller. Hydraulic jumps with fully developed inflow conditions had comparatively larger void fractions in the first half of the jump roller and larger bubble count rates throughout, while a comparatively larger number of smaller bubble sizes suggested a stronger break-up of bubbles. This was consistent with slightly larger interfacial velocities and turbulence intensities in the first half of the jump roller with fully developed inflow conditions. An assessment of the required sampling duration for air-water flow properties indicated the requirement to sample for at least five times longer duration than applied in previous studies. These results highlighted the need to carefully consider the inflow conditions and sampling parameters for aerated hydraulic jumps.

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