A FLOW-3D-Based Numerical Simulation of the Energy Dissipation Characteristics of Pooled Stepped Spillways

Abstract

As a new type of spillway, pooled stepped spillways deliver better energy dissipation than traditional stepped spillways. However, there are few studies on how incoming flow affects energy dissipation with different pool heights. This paper used the FLOW-3D software, in a combination of the VOF method and the RNG k-ε turbulence model, to conduct a numerical simulation for stepped spillways with pools with a height of 2 cm, 4 cm, and 6 cm under five different operating conditions, including a flow rate of 100 L/s, 131 L/s, 165 L/s, 202 L/s, and 241 L/s. The results showed that at each flow rate, the turbulent energy at the midpoint of each step of the pooled stepped spillway decreases with the increase of the pool height. Additionally, with the same pool height, the turbulent dissipation rate increases with the flow rate, while the energy dissipation rate decreases with the flow rate increase.