Author(s): N. Riviere; G. Travin; R. J. Perkins
Linked Author(s): Richard J. Perkins
Keywords: Transcritical flows; Open channels; Water distribution; Floods; Urban drainage
Abstract: An experimental study has been performed of the separation of subcritical flow in the intersection of three horizontal channels, and the results have been compared with three different models. The data show that the occurrence of critical flow in the side branch cannot be on its own a sufficient condition to permit the calculation of the discharges; it is also necessary to consider whether or not the flow in the recirculating region is ‘ drowned ’. This limits the applicability of some of the existing models. Two asymptotic regimes are identified: subcritical flow throughout the system, and subcritical flow in the inlet channel with choked flow in the side branch. Two models, one for each regime, based on dimensional reasoning, allow a computation of the discharge distribution in the intersection from geometrical parameters. Results are shown to agree well with the data for both asymptotic regimes.
Year: 2007