DEVELOPMENT OF A SPILLWAY AND SLUICE GATE DEMONSTRATION SYSTEM

Abstract

Hydraulic control structures form vital components in modern infrastructure and engineering, from hydroelectric power generation to water storage and canal locks, and they need to be designed appropriately. Mechanical engineering students will benefit from practical exposure to hydraulic control structures supplementing their studies of fluid mechanics. This paper covers the analysis, simulation, and experimental results of a test bench to perform open channel flow demonstrations for engineering education. The flow phenomena incorporated into the designed apparatus were focused on the development of hydraulic jumps in the open channel and the transition from free to submerged flow at a sluice gate opening. CFD simulations using the Volume-Of-Fluids methodology in Ansys Fluent were validated with an analytical model, as both indicated the formation of a hydraulic jump at specific gate openings and flow rates. The effects of three variables were then further characterised during subsequent simulations and experiments, namely the height of the gate opening, the flow rate, and the stop log depth. The testing and construction of the test bench was completed at North West University and demonstrated that the test bench was successful and could be used to investigate other hydraulic structures such as culverts, radial gates, and weirs.