Author(s): Bole Jiang; Jiangning Yang; Yang Chen
Linked Author(s):
Keywords: Diversion tunnel; Shaft flow; Vapor cavitation; Gas cavitation; Shuibuya hydraulic project
Abstract: There are two diversion tunnels for the construction of Shuibuya hydraulic project. When the tunnel is at service, the discharge through the tunnel is over 5, 000m3/s. The entire gate slots near the inlet of the tunnels are under water, and flow may enter the tunnel through the slots. Flow near the slots is with high speed and probably generates cavitation. The purpose of this study is to investigate the cavitation characteristics of flow in diversion tunnel by physical experiments. Four cases of the experiments are listed in this paper: firstly, the top of the gate slots is blocked, and flow near the intake will not generate cavitation; secondly and thirdly, full or half of the cross section of gate shaft is with water, and vapor cavitation is anticipated to happen; lastly, only one-eighth of the cross section is with water, and cavitation is absent. The advice to the design of diversion tunnels is that the gate shaft should be blocked during the construction; otherwise the diversion tunnels will be in danger.
Year: 2013