Comparison of Subcritical and Supercritical Flow Patterns Within Triangular Channels Along the Side Weir

Abstract

Abstract Side weirs with triangular channel are used as flow controlling devices in draining and irrigation networks. By installing a side weir on the main conduits side walls, the runoff overflows from the weir and are conducted toward the diversion channel. In this study, changing of the flow free surface and the turbulence of the flow field in triangular channels with side weir are numerically simulated using volume of fluid (VOF) scheme and RNG k–ε turbulence model. In the present paper, the pattern of the spatially varied flow with decreasing discharge in both subcritical and supercritical flow regimes for triangular channels with side weirs was simulated. The present numerical model has precisely predicted the changes of the water surface and the specific energy. In subcritical regime, the flow depth is from the beginning of the weir toward its end is followed by an increase and in supercritical conditions is followed by a reduction in depth. For both subcritical and supercritical regimes, a drop in the surface in the first third of the weir’s opening and a surface jump in the final third of its length has occurred. Along the mentioned surface jump the amount of the kinetic energy increases and the potential energy reduces. According to results of the simulation, the maximum longitudinal velocity for subcritical flow regime occurs in the first third of the length of the side weir and for supercritical flow regime, almost in the middle of the weir opening happens. In both subcritical and supercritical regimes, the maximum transverse velocity has occurred in the final third of the length of the side weir.