‫مؤم ن ت وف ي ق اح مد ال ع ت وم‬ ‫‪ATOOMUS‬‬ ‫‪1‬‬

Objectives:

To study the response of energy to changes of depth of a stream.

Apparatus :

the apparatus consist of a Perspex channel having an adjustable bed .A

sluice gate may be inserted at te upstream end of the working section
while , at the down stream end ,an adjustable tailgate is provided .A
reservoir is mounted below the working section .From this water is
drawn by a centrifugal pump for delivery through a flow meter and
inlet valve to the inlet chamber which incorporate an over flow to
return excess flow to the reservoir end a stilling device to provide
satisfactory flow conditions in the working section .The cover of the
working section incorporates three picot ( or total head ) tubes and
three seismometer ( or static pressure tapping ) . The flow rate can be
measured by a meter installed in the delivery pipe .

Theory:

The depth and velocity of a given flow at any section of an open

channel adapt themselves to the energy available at that section. For a
constant discharge this energy reaches a minimum value at the critical
depth. This critical depth parameter is fundamental because the
response of a stream to changes of energy or force depends on whether
the actual depth is more or less than the critical one.

‫مؤم ن ت وف ي ق اح مد ال ع ت وم‬ ATOOMUS 2

 E + ( V2 /2g ) = d + ( Q2 / 2gb2d2 ) ……………… ( 1 )
For a constant discharge ,the critical value of depth d1 at which the
specific energy is a minimum may be found by equation :
( dE /dd ) = 1 – (Q2 / gb2d2 ) = 0
 dc = (Q2/gb2) ( 1 / 3 ) ………………… ( 2 )
Substituting Q from equation ( 2 ) in equation ( 1 ) :
 E min. = ( 3 / 2 ) dc
Flow at depth greater than the critical is described as slow , flow at
depths less than the critical is describe as fast .
Dividing equation ( 1 ) by dc and substituting ( gb2d2 ) for Q2 from
equation ( 2 ) and simplifying the equation become :
( E /dc ) = ( d / dc ) + ( 1 / 2 )( dc / d)2
This is the generalized from of the relation between the specific energy
and depth in which each term is dimensionless .

Procedure:
_ Using the apparatus in hand, measurements were taken as
instructed. 4 readings were taken for a discharge of 74 L/min each.

Results:
→ For Q = 1.233*10-3 m3/sec. & b = 0.04 m

dgate ( m ) d1(m) d2(m) E2(m) E1cal.(m) E2cal.( m )

0.02 0.2625 0.015 0.264 0.26391 0.23017565
0.025 0.197 0.018 0.197 0.19824751 0.16742754
0.030 0.138 0.023 0.139 0.14054225 0.11452083
0.035 0.115 0.027 0.118 0.11866083 0.09341224
0.040 0.104 0.035 0.108 0.10847619 0.07452206

Sample of Calculations:
b = 4cm = 0.04m
To determine the flow rate Q in m3/sec:
Q =( Q(L/min)/1000)/60
For Q= 74L/min:
Q = 1.233 *10-3 m3/sec

‫مؤم ن ت وف ي ق اح مد ال ع ت وم‬ ATOOMUS 3

 To determine the critical depth:
dc = (Q2/gb2)( 1 / 3 )
For Q= 1.233 *10-3 m3/sec:
dc = 0.04592m
= 45.92mm
To determine Emin:
Emin = (3/2) * dc
For dc = 45.92mm:
Emin = 68.88mm
To determine E for any depth d:
E = d + (Q2/2 g b2 d2)
For d1 = 0.2625 m & d2 = 0.015
( E1 /dc ) = ( d1 / dc ) + ( 1 / 2 )( d1 / dc )2
E1 = 0.23017565 m
( E2 /dc ) = ( d2 / dc ) + ( 1 / 2 )( d2 / dc )2
E2 = 0.23017565 m

‫مؤم ن ت وف ي ق اح مد ال ع ت وم‬ ATOOMUS 4

 dc = 0.06 m
E min. = 0.09 m

Discussion:

‫مؤم ن ت وف ي ق اح مد ال ع ت وم‬ ATOOMUS 5

 → The use of sluice gate suggests that no loss of energy would occur.
From the results of our experiment, this has proved to be fairly true.
→ However, numerical values of E0 and E1 differ by a small amount.
This is so because of friction forces that are neglected, human error
while taking measurements and the presence of rust in the apparatus in
hand.
→ For a considerably high value of d, the term [ Q2/2gb2d2] gives a small
value that should be neglected. However, calculations were carried out
taking the value of this term into consideration.

‫مؤم ن ت وف ي ق اح مد ال ع ت وم‬ ATOOMUS 6