CFD-Modelling and Validation of Free Surface Flow During Spilling of Reservoir in Down-Scale Model

Abstract

Fully three dimensional modelling of the spilling from a reservoir with relatively complex geometry were performed and compared to experimental results from a physical scale model with the aim to advance the science of numerical modelling of free surface flow of real reservoirs. In the set-up in focus the water was spilled from the reservoir through three gates that could be manoeuvred separately. In the first case two of the gates were closed and the third gate was partly opened. In this experimental set-up the water surface in the reservoir was close to horizontal. Therefore it was here meaningful to compare a rigid lid modelling approximation to the more computational heavy method of Volume of Fluids. In the second case, all three gates were open, resulting in a nonhorizontal varied flow surface profile in the reservoir upstream critical sections at the spillway crests. This case was simulated with Volume of Fluids and the position of the air-water interface was derived for two turbulence models, the standard k-ε and SSG. Water levels, velocities and the shape of the water surface were compared to experiments. The simulation results capture qualitative features such as a vortex near the outlet and show good quantitative agreement with the experiments regardless of method used to simulate the free surface. In general, simulations with the standard k-ε and the more advanced SSG turbulence models give the same results with respect to the averaged quantities measured.