Effects of Length Variation of Side Weir Located on U-Shape Channel on Free Surface and Flow Pattern

In practice, U-shaped channels are used in urban sewer networks. Also, most of aqueducts in Iran are made of U-shaped channels. In this study the flow field turbulence and free surface variations within the U-shaped channels along a side weir are simulated using the FLOW-3D and RNG turbulence models and the volume of fluid (VOF) scheme, respectively. Comparison between the experimental and numerical results shows that the numerical model predicts the flow field characteristic with reasonable accuracy. Then, the effects of the side weir length change on the free surface and the flow pattern in U-shaped channels are investigated. According to the simulation results, the free surface variations are not significant at the side weir upstream and, so the side weir effects could be ignored. For the L/D=3 case, before the side weir, the free surface flow is affected by the weir and a height difference is observed in all longitudinal profiles. Also, a surface jump occurs for both L/D=2 and L/D=3 cases in the downstream end of the side weir. According to the simulation results, a secondary flow is created after the side weir so that the cell of this secondary flow develops by proceeding to the main channel downstream. The specific energy variation in the upstream and the downstream of the side weir for L/D=2 case is computed to be about 1.18% in average.