Author(s): Biao Huang; David Z. Zhu; Jingjing Fu

Linked Author(s): Biao Huang

Keywords: CFD modeling; Physical model; Intake hydraulics; Fish entrainment

Abstract: Flow field induced by hydropower intakes has significant influence on release water temperature and entrainment risk of fish in the reservoir forebay. The complex flow patterns upstream of intakes related to the operations of intakes and spillway tunnels were investigated in the present study to enhance the understanding of hydrodynamic characteristics and to outline potential risky zones for fish entrainment. Implications of the forebay hydraulics on fish entrainment risk assessment were discussed herein. The hydropower station studied in this study is located on lower reaches of a river in China. Up to nine powerhouse intakes have been proposed on both the left and the right banks, and three tunnel spillways on the left bank. A three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model (using ANSYS CFX) was used to study the hydraulic performances upstream of the intakes under a number of operating conditions. The Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations were solved in this numerical code and closed with k-ε equations. For the verification and validation of the CFD model, experimental measurements were conducted using a physical model with a scale 1: 50. The numerical results were then used to assess the fish entrainment risk associated with different hydropower operation modes.

DOI:

Year: 2013