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294 viewsGordon Submergence Vortices-at-Intakes
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gaurav vermaCopyright
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/ 2
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Vortices at intakes
By J. L, Gordon*
his article describe’s the development of design criteria to avoid vortices at low-head intakes, based on a
“gudy of 29 existing hydroelectric intakes
| tot A CONVENTIONAL hydroelectric intake, with a deck slab
grabove water level, the cost of the intake structure
Sereeees with increasing depth of gate sll below water
ieel, For maximum economy the gate sill should be set as
figh as possible. However, with gate sills at a shallow
{ doth, there is a danger of vortices forming, which may
tain air, thus reducing the efficiency of the turbine.
fe problem then becomes one of establishing the gate
slatas high a level as possible for economy, but below the
| plat which vortices are produced for hydraulcefiieney.
“There are very few published reports on experiences
| sith vortices at intakes, and in particular there appear to
f few data published on just what can be regarded as
| tesubmergence required to avoid vortices. Model studies
fax be undertaken, but on a small intake the cost of a
fad! study may exceed the cost of the intake structure,
Sceral model studies have been undertaken by Anwar!
tad Denny however there is the suspicion that a consider-
thle scale effect may be involved, since viscosity and the
forces governing entrainment of aie are important, as
adcxovledged by Lawton’,
‘experience gained from a study of the flow at
which have been designed by Montreal Engineering
CoLtd, of Canada, in the past 20 yeats is included in this
‘arice. The stady Was prompted by the observation of a
‘ortet at low reservoir drawdown on one of the intakes.
“Ofthe 29 intakes studied, four were found to have vortices
Stlow reservoir levels: All intakes studied have the same
configuration as shown ‘in. Fig. 1, and their
cteristies are all within the following limit
«tis obvious that an intake with the flow approaching.
| fom the side (as shown in Fig. 2) will be more prone to
| settixs than one with a symmetrical approach. However
Seflct is difficult to measure, particularly’ since the
onetry of the intake approach channel is, probably
| Sique fo each intake. Accordingly, it was decided to
Seacentrate on investigating the effecis of velocity, intake
{ "Sand submergence on vortex formation,
_, order io derive an empirical equation forsubmergence,
| 22s assumed that the submergence 5 was a function of
4 sclosity and a dimension as shown by the following
uation:
=C Vedn @
wiete Cis a coefficient.
Simplicity twas decided to measure velocity atthe
ficand'use the height of the gate as the: disension
‘Power April 1070
function d, The submergence could be measured either
from the top of the gate or from the gate centreline.
However, after several trials using various values for the
exponents m and m it became apparent that a better re-
Tationship could be obtained when submergence was
measured from the top of the gate as shown in Fig. 1. The
trial and error procedure indicated that a reasonable
relationship could be obtained with the exponent n-=1 and
++ which produces the equation:
s-cv@
‘and the chart shown on Fig. 3.
The effect of the direction of the approach flow could
not be clearly evaluated in this brief study, However,
tuntil more data become available, we intend to design
@
+ Aasstont Manager, Hydto Dis
‘oraventre, Montreal A
Montel Ensneing Co Ut, Pace
sanada. a
1.2 Sinerine $1
toes
3 es wth rte pons
° tales wt ores
SEZZZA tecnnni’ irn since
Fig. $. Minimum submergence limits for intakes with both symmetric
(a1 and faters-aporoneh flows
intakes which have a symmetrical approach flow with a
submergence of at least:
S03 Vt ®
‘which corresponds with the lower limit of the shaded area
a Fig. 3, aod for intakes witha lateral approach flow the
Snioimam submergence will be increased to:
SH04 1 ®
which conesponds with theupper limit of the shaded arca
on Fig. 3.
‘Some confirmation of the foregoing submergence criteria
can be obtained from Lennart’, who gives data on several
intakes in Sweden which exhibit vortices. At the Atorp
power plant, Lennart reports that “a rather strong surging
Vortex arose, This sucked down trash towards the racks."
‘The submergence of the intake at Atorp corresponds to
approximately S=0-1 V (d)* with the unit at full load.
Lennart further reports that “at lower discharges the eddy
zone decreased correspondingly and at about 15ms it
jecame imperceptible”, At this lower flow the effective
submergence increases f0 S=-0'3 ¥ (a).
For the Hammarforsen intake, also reported by Lennart,
strong vortices were evident at a submergence equivalent
to 52028 ¥ (d), and the flow approached the take at
fn angle of atleast 30-45" from the perpendicular to the
front of the intake. It would be interesting to know if these
‘ortices disappeared when the flow was reduced, Increasing
the effective submergence to S04 V-(@)?.
“am idca ofthe scale effect can be obtained by comparing
the submergence criteria with the results obtained by
Denny? from model experiments, Fig. 4 shows the intakes
plotted on the chart developed by Denny’ (Fig. 13a in
fer. 2). Alt the intakes, with one exception, plot in the
fepion’ where vortices could be expected from model
[Eidies, whereas experience indicates that only four have
cneountered troublesome vorties, A partial explanation
‘ay bein the definition of "vortex. problems". For
Fydrovintakes the development of smelt sueface rifles oF
Swirl #8 of nO concern, provided the swirls do not
New formu
pom param
S95, issue
ding s
‘8 artic
* aes wih no rex eens
ses whens
ig. Inte pled on a chal developed by Denny ‘Ram hoe
develop into vortices which draw air into the pipe