Computational Study to Predict the Free-Surface Flow over Non-uniform Stepped Spillway Using ANSYS-CFX

Shawnm M. Saleh, Department of Water Resources, College of Engineering, Salahaddin UniversityFollow
Sarhang M. Husain, Department of Water Resources, College of Engineering, Salahaddin University

Corresponding Author

Shawnm M. Saleh

Authors ORCID

0000-0002-5420-3159

Document Type

Research Article

Abstract

Using stepped chutes as a structure for controlling flood discharges is applicable for long time. Measuring the depth of flow over that structure is essential for designing of the side walls. The aim of this paper is to determine the free-surface that flows on spillway equipped with non-uniform step sizes. For that purpose, the two-dimensional software package code of ANSYS-CFX has been utilized to run eight configurations of two moderate slopes (1V:2H and 1V:2.5H) and for four different discharges 1≤dc/hs≤2.2 to determine the effect of flow discharges, chute slopes, and step heights on the position of free surface along the structure over non-uniform stepped cascade. The hexahedral grid size of 0.015m is selected with inflation technique close to the walls. In addition, the renormalized group of k-ε (RNG) turbulence model is implemented and the numerical volume of fluid software is employed. The results show smoother stream for higher discharges, and the free-surface drops when the slope of chutes increases. Moreover, it is found that the step size has insignificant effect on the depth of water. The results of this study are important because they provide new insight in improving the design of stepped spillways. It is recommended to perform more investigations to evaluate their effectiveness in other flow parameters including pressure distribution and energy dissipation rates.

Keywords

Volume of fluid, Numerical simulation, Free-surface flow, Non-uniform stepped spillway, ANSYS-CFX

How to Cite This Article

Saleh, Shawnm M. and Husain, Sarhang M. (2020) "Computational Study to Predict the Free-Surface Flow over Non-uniform Stepped Spillway Using ANSYS-CFX," Polytechnic Journal: Vol. 10: Iss. 1, Article 8.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.25156/ptj.v10n1y2020.pp43-50