Serious damage may occur to concrete hydraulic structures, such as water galleries, spillways, and stilling basins, due to the abrasive erosion caused by the presence of solid particles in the flow. This underlines the importance of being capable in providing characterization of the concrete from the point of view of its vulnerability to abrasive erosion, in order to improve the design of the structure and the material selection. Nevertheless, the existing apparatus for concrete abrasive erosion testing are either far from allowing realistic simulation of the actual environment in which this phenomenon occurs, or show a large degree of complexity and cost. An alternative method has been developed with the aid of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). CFD was first employed to verify the effectiveness of a new laboratory equipment. Afterwards, a parameter has been introduced which, by successful comparison against preliminary experiments, proved suitable to quantify the effect of the fluid dynamic conditions on the concrete abrasive erosion, thereby opening the way to CFD-based customization of the apparatus. In the future, the synergy of numerical and physical modelling will allow developing predictive models for concrete erosion, making it possible to reliably simulate real structures.
An investigation has been carried out using the FLUENT Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software, which uses the finite-volume method to determine whether it is feasible to improve the capacity and quality of the clarifier at the Al-Wathba Water Treatment Works (Iraq) by some relatively inexpensive means. Simulations were carried out with two dimensional, radially symmetric models, representing the existing configuration as well as a number of proposed modifications involving baffles and additional clarified water off-takes. A convection-diffusion equation, which is extended to incorporate the sedimentation of sludge flocs in the field of gravity, governs the mass transfer in the clarifier. The standard k-ε turbulence model is used to compute the turbulent motion, and our CFD model accounts for buoyancy flow. The sludge settling velocity was measured as a function of the concentration, and we have used the double-exponential settling velocity function to describe its dependence on the concentration. The CFD model is validated using measured concentration profiles. The results were evaluated on the basis of the simulated profiles of vertical up-flow velocity in the body of the clarifier. and Pri výskume bol použitý softvér FLUENT CFD, ktorý využíva metódu konečných objemov na určovanie toho, či možno zlepšiť kapacitu a kvalitu číričov v úpravni vody Al-Wathba (Irak) niektorým z relatívne nenákladných spôsobov. Simulácie sa uskutočnili s využitím 2D radiálne symetrických modelov, ktoré predstavovali skutočnú konfiguráciu ako aj počet navrhnutých modifikácií s usmerňovačmi a dodatočnými odtokmi upravenej vody. Konvekčno-difúzna rovnica, ktorá je rozšírená o sedimentáciu kalových vločiek v gravitačnom poli, určuje prenos hmoty v číriči. Na výpočet turbulentného pohybu sme použili štandardný model turbulencie k-ε a na vztlakové prúdenie CFD model. Rýchlosť usadzovania kalu bola meraná ako funkcia koncentrácie, pričom my sme použili dvojexponenciálnu funkciu rýchlosti usadzovania na opis závislosti od koncentrácie. CFD model je overený pomocou meraných profilov koncentrácií. Výsledky boli vyhodnotené na základe simulovaných profilov vertikálnej rýchlosti prúdenia v číriči smerom nahor.
A three-dimensional numerical model was applied to simulate submerged spatial hydraulic jumps (SSHJ) downstream of a symmetric vent that discharges into a wider channel. Simulations were carried out for different aspect ratios of the vent, expansion ratios of vent width to downstream channel width, tailwater depth, and inlet Froude number. Depending on these factors, simulations indicated the formation of steady asymmetric SSHJ, oscillatory asymmetric SSHJ, and steady symmetric SSHJ, consistent with results of previous experimental studies. The model reproduced observed depth downstream of vent, jump length, and velocity profiles along channel centerline for steady symmetric SSHJ. For oscillatory asymmetric SSHJ, simulated oscillation frequencies had Strouhal numbers that varied with expansion ratio and ranged between 0.003 and 0.015. With piers downstream of the vent, oscillatory SSHJ continued to exhibit jet deflections when pier length was relatively short (≲0.2 of jump length) but became steady asymmetric for longer piers.