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CE 111 - 01c - Open Channel Flow - Specific Energy

This document discusses specific energy, critical flow, and hydraulic depth in open channel flow. [1] Critical flow occurs when the specific energy is minimum for a given discharge. [2] At critical flow, the Froude number equals 1 and the velocity head is half the hydraulic depth. [3] For a given specific energy, the maximum discharge occurs under conditions of critical flow.

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189 views

CE 111 - 01c - Open Channel Flow - Specific Energy

This document discusses specific energy, critical flow, and hydraulic depth in open channel flow. [1] Critical flow occurs when the specific energy is minimum for a given discharge. [2] At critical flow, the Froude number equals 1 and the velocity head is half the hydraulic depth. [3] For a given specific energy, the maximum discharge occurs under conditions of critical flow.

Uploaded by

mowrie
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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CE 111

Hydraulic Engineering

SPECIFIC ENERGY and CRITICAL FLOW

Cornelio Q. Dizon
Associate Professor
Institute of Civil Engineering
University of the Philippines
SPECIFIC ENERGY, SPECIFIC FORCE and CRITICAL FLOW
Specific Energy
• Assuming the pressure is hydrostatic, velocity distribution is uniform (a=1), and using
the channel bottom as the datum, the specific energy E is defined as the total energy
head above the channel bottom.
V2 Q2
E  y  y
2g 2 gA2
q2 where q is the discharge
• For rectangular channels: q  Q  Vby  Vy E  y
b b 2gy 2 per unit width

• A plot of the specific energy vs. depth of flow y is the Specific Energy curve.

For a given specific energy E,


there are two alternate depths y1
and y2 where E1=E2. The
horizontal distance from the 45o
line to the curve is the velocity
head v2/2g. At the lowest specific
energy Emin for a given discharge
Q, the flow is critical and the
depth of flow is yc.
Critical Flow
• Critical flow occurs when the specific energy is minimum for a given discharge,
that is dE/dy=0, so that dE Q 2 dA dA Q 2T
 1 3  0 T   1 3
0
dy gA dy dy gA
To denote critical conditions, use Tc, Ac, Vc, Dc, and yc,
Q 2Tc Vc2 Ac Vc2 Vc2
1   1  1  Fr2  1  Fr  1
g  c 
3
gAc g Tc A gDc
 Tc 
At critical flow, Froude number is equal to 1. For a rectangular channel Dc=yc,
Vc
 1  Vc  gyc  Vc2  gyc
gyc
Vc2 gy 3
Emin  yc  yc c  yc
2g 2g 2
1/ 3
q Vc2 q2  q2 
Vc    1  3  1  yc   
yc gyc gyc  g 
For non-rectangular channels, to solve for yc
Q 2Tc where Tc is the top width of the channel at yc, and Ac is
1
gAc3 the area of channel when y=yc.
Example: Triangular Channel, find yc , Vc and Ec, and Froude number Fr

Q 2Tc Q2 Ac3 m 3 yc6 m 2 yc5


3
1   
gAc g TC 2myc 2
1/ 5
 2Q 2  Q
yc    Vc 
 gm 2
 myc2

2 5
Vc Q2 gm 2 yc V V
Ec  y   y 2
 Ec  y  Fr  
2g 2 gAc 2(2 g )(m 2 yc4 ) A my 2
g g
yc T 2my
Ec  y c   1.25 yc
4 V 2
2 Fr 
 2/3

 Q  2 yc 1  m  gy

2
1 
Vc  Rc2 / 3 S c1/ 2  Sc   n 2 
n  myc  myc2 

 
Froude Number and Critical Flow
 1  subcritical _ flow
V V 
Fr    1  critical _ flow
gD g ( A )  1  sup ercritical _ flow
T 
For a rectangular channel, yc =(2/3)Emin

• Subcritical flow (tranquil flow): y > yc, V < Vc, Fr < 1


• Supercritical Flow (rapid flow) : y < yc, V > Vc, Fr > 1
Variation of the Specific Energy for Varying Discharges
V2 Q2
E  y  y
2g 2 gA2
As the discharges increase, the specific
energy curves moves right since the
specific energy increases with the
discharge. Increasing the discharge will
also increase the critical depth. The
specific energy curves show the
subcritical and supercritical flow ranges.

Variation of the Discharge with Depth for a Given Specific Energy


For a given E1 = constant, Qmax is determined as,
Q2
E1  y 
2 gA2
Q  A 2 g ( E1  y )

dQ  dA A 
 2g  E1  y  0
dy  2 E1  y 
 dy
dA A
E1  y 
dy 2 E1  y
MAXIMUM DISCHARGE for a GIVEN SPECIFIC ENERGY

dA A
E1  y 
dy 2 E1  y

2
dA
E1  y   A
dy
dA
T
dy
2T E1  y   A

 2 g E1  y 
Q
For a given constant specific energy
E, the maximum discharge in the A
channel is when the flow is critical. Q2
 E1  y
2 gA2
2
Qmax Tc 2TQ 2
3
1 A
gAc 2 gA2
1/ 2
 gAc3  Q 2T
Qmax     1  critical _ flow
gA3
 Tc 
CRITICAL FLOW and HYDRAULIC DEPTH

Q 2T Q 2T At critical flow, Specific Force F is


 A  1  critical _ flow minimum for a given discharge.
gA2 gA3
The velocity head in the channel is
Q2 A V2 D half the hydraulic depth D.
2
 D 
gA T 2g 2
Conditions of Critical Flow in an Open Channel
• Froude number is equal to 1.
• Specific Energy is minimum for a given discharge.
• The velocity head is half the hydraulic depth.
• Discharge is maximum for a given specific energy.
• Minor changes in specific energy cause major changes in depth.

Assignment: Problem Set #2 . Find the critical depth and maximum discharge
for a specific energy of 1.5 m. in a:
a) Rectangular channel, bottom width B = 2.0 m
b) Triangular channel, side slopes 1.5 horizontal:1 vertical
c) Trapezoidal channel, bottom width B=2.0 m, side slopes 1H:1V

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