Abstract
This study aims to investigate experimentally the variation of the coefficient of discharge Cd with the rectangular notch hydraulic and geometric parameters such as water head h, notch height p, notch width B, and notch thickness t. The results show that the coefficient of discharge Cd increases with an increase of h and B while it decreases with t. There are no changes in the variation of actual discharge Qact and consequently the discharge coefficient Cd with h for notch height p more than 6 cm. An empirical formula was developed based on the dimensional analysis principle that can be used to predict the coefficient of discharge Cd value for the rectangular notch with known hydraulic and geometric data (h, B, p, and t).
HIGHLIGHTS
There are no Qact changes and thus the discharge modulus Cd with h for crack height.
The relationship between the theoretical discharge Qth and vertex h to be constant for the thickness of the rectangle Cd increases with increasing h/p because the actual discharge Qact increases with water head h.
The discharge modulus Cd decreases with increasing slit thickness ratio t/p.
INTRODUCTION
Kumar et al. (2011) conducted an experimental study on a sharp-crested weir under free-flow conditions and developed a discharge coefficient equation that is similar to the Kindsvater & Carter (1957) equation. Reviewing most of the proposed equations show that Cd primarily depends on the ratio h/p. Other flow characteristics may influence the discharge coefficient.
Zachoval & Rousar (2015) studied the flow characteristics over a broad-crested weir using numerical models. They found that Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) equations and the two-layer shear stress transport (SST) turbulence model were suitable models. Results of their study show that numerical simulation using the Reynolds stress turbulence model gives better predictions for horizontal velocities than simulations with other turbulence models. Ghorban & Hadi (2018) experimentally examined the effect of h/y and Re on the Cd value of a rectangular sharp-crested weir and developed a discharge coefficient equation using the optimization method. They also conducted a numerical simulation to evaluate the ability of the numerical model and analyze the flow characteristics of the notch.
Advanced numerical and experimental studies were used to investigate hydraulic phenomena. Liu et al. (2002) studied numerically the water surface profile on semi-circular notches using the k-ε turbulence model. Aydin et al. (2011) after their experimental studies proposed that the discharge in rectangular weirs can better be formulated in terms of average weir velocity, which has a universal distribution easy to fit empirically, rather than the discharge coefficient which exaggerates the experimental error by changing the curvatures. The study also proposed that for precise measurement of h, the maximum velocity in the channel should be limited to 0.55 m/s. Ferro (2012) examined the geometrical shapes of sharp-crested weirs. A stage-discharge relationship was developed for triangular sharp-crested weirs using dimensional analysis and the self-similarity theory. He concluded that a power equation can be used for establishing the stage-discharge equation with a coefficient and an exponent depending upon the weir geometry. Aydin et al. (2014) introduced a physical quantity known as weir velocity, i.e. the average velocity over the weir section, which is directly formulated as a function of weir geometry and head over the weir. The weir velocity plotted against the weir head has a universal behavior for constant weir width to channel width ratio which is independent of weir size. This unique behavior is described in terms of weir parameters to calculate the discharge without involving the discharge coefficient. Akoz et al. (2014) carried out experiments to measure the flow characteristics over a semi-cylindrical notch and compared them with those obtained numerically. Bin Shaharin (2013) showed in a numerical study that the important variable governing discharge over sharp-crested weir was the water head over weir per weir divided by weir height, h/P. He also highlighted the advantages of an ANSYS CFX-14 as a tool for examining velocity vectors and pressure patterns over rectangular sharp-crested weirs. In an experimental study, Zbyněk et al. (2014) determined a relationship for the calculation of the discharge coefficient at free overflow over a rectangular sharp-edged broad-crested weir without lateral contraction. The developed formula, expressed using the relative height of the weir, was subjected to verification made by an independent laboratory confirming its accuracy. Alwan and Al- Mohammed (2018) used a dimensional analysis technique to estimate the values of the coefficient of discharge for various rectangular notch dimensions and developed an empirical formula to estimate the discharge coefficient using a regression procedure.
Eltoukhy & Alsaydalani (2021) carried out experimental runs to study the notch thickness on the discharge coefficient for V-notch. Formulas for predicting the V-notch discharge coefficient, Cd, were developed for different vertex angles, Ɵ, and then the predicted values of the discharge coefficient, Cd, using the developed formulas were plotted against the calculated values with a coefficient of determination (R2 = 0.9372), showing a good agreement between the predicted and measured values.
There are no studies that deal with the rectangular notch thickness effect on the discharge coefficient. In this study, experimental runs examined the effect of the rectangular notch hydraulic and geometric data as water head h, notch width B, notch height p, and notch thickness, t on its discharge coefficient Cd value. Based on the analysis of the experimental results with the use of the dimensional analysis principle a new empirical equation is developed for predicting the coefficient of discharge Cd for given rectangular notch data (h, B, p, and t).
EXPERIMENTAL WORK
Once the calibration process was completed the accuracy of discharge measurement depends on the measurement of water level h on the upstream side of the notch. The point gauge with a vernier scale having accuracy ± 1 mm was used for measuring the water level. The point gauge was fixed at an upstream distance of four times the maximum head over the notch (Bos 1989). Because the bottom boundary affects the nature of flow crossing through the weir section should be a free-flow condition, therefore notch section is used for discharge measurement and discharge can be determined by measuring the head over the notch.
Rectangular notch models
Sill width, B cm . | Notch plate thickness, t mm . | Notch height, p cm . | Water heads h cm . |
---|---|---|---|
3 | 1 | 4, 6, 8, and 10 | Six head values |
3, 4, and 6 | 8 | ||
4 | 1, 3, 4, and 6 | ||
6 | 1, 3, 4, and 6 | ||
8 | 1, 3, 4, and 6 |
Sill width, B cm . | Notch plate thickness, t mm . | Notch height, p cm . | Water heads h cm . |
---|---|---|---|
3 | 1 | 4, 6, 8, and 10 | Six head values |
3, 4, and 6 | 8 | ||
4 | 1, 3, 4, and 6 | ||
6 | 1, 3, 4, and 6 | ||
8 | 1, 3, 4, and 6 |
Tests procedure
The Experimental runs procedures for each rectangular notch model were carried out as follows:
- 1.
Installing the notch model in its allocated position at the channel of a hydraulic bench.
- 2.
Adjust the control valve to establish the flow rate pumped to the bench.
- 3.After developing a stable flow, head over notch, h was measured about 4hmax away from the upstream of the weir where max is the maximum head over the weir (Franzini & Finnemore 1997), and theoretical discharge was calculated,
- 4.
Recording the volume of water, V accumulated in the bench tank over time, T for each run and actual discharge was calculated, Qact=V/T.
- 5.
Determining the coefficient of discharge, Cd = Qact/Qth
- 6.
Repeat the procedures from points 2 to 5 for further runs.
- 7.
Repeating steps 2–6 for other notch models as indicated in Table 1.
3. DIMENSIONAL ANALYSIS
4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Before the commencement of the experimental runs, the volume of water, V accumulated in the bench tank over time, T which was used to calculate the actual discharge as Qact=V/T, was calibrated with the use of a graduated jar. The calibration process was carried out three times for the same head h and the average water volume and corresponding time values were compared with V and T. The results were consistent as shown in Table 2.
h (cm) . | V (l) . | T (s) . | Jar vol. (l) . | Jar time (s) . | Qact (l/s) . | Jar Qact (l/s) . | Error . |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2.74 | 3 | 15.85 | 3 | 16.17 | 0.189274 | 0.1855 | 2% |
3.75 | 3 | 9.63 | 3 | 9.84 | 0.311526 | 0.3047 | 2.2% |
4.88 | 3 | 6.28 | 3 | 6.39 | 0.477707 | 0.4691 | 1.8% |
h (cm) . | V (l) . | T (s) . | Jar vol. (l) . | Jar time (s) . | Qact (l/s) . | Jar Qact (l/s) . | Error . |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2.74 | 3 | 15.85 | 3 | 16.17 | 0.189274 | 0.1855 | 2% |
3.75 | 3 | 9.63 | 3 | 9.84 | 0.311526 | 0.3047 | 2.2% |
4.88 | 3 | 6.28 | 3 | 6.39 | 0.477707 | 0.4691 | 1.8% |
Notch height p
Actual and theoretical discharges variation with head
Variation of the discharge Cd coefficient with h/p
Effect of the notch thickness ratio t/p on the discharge coefficient Cd
Discharge coefficient based on dimensional analysis technique
5. CONCLUSIONS
A series of experiments were carried out to investigate the effect of water head, h, and rectangular notch geometry (width B, height p, and thickness t) on the discharge coefficient Cd values. Based on the analysis of the experimental run results of this study the following conclusions were obtained:
There are no changes in the variation of actual discharge Qact and consequently the discharge coefficient Cd with h for notch height p more than 6 cm, i.e. p = 8 and 10 cm.
Theoretical discharge Qth – head h relationship was found to be constant for different rectangular notch thicknesses t but the actual discharge Qact – head h relationship varies with the notch thickness.
Theoretical discharge Qth increases with the same percent as the rectangular notch width B increases, but the actual discharge increases with different percent.
At the same notch width B and notch thickness t, Cd increases as h/p increases; this is because the actual discharge Qact increases with water head h with a value more than that of the theoretical discharge Qth.
The discharge coefficient Cd decreases as the notch thickness ratio t/p increases.
The developed empirical formula Equation (9) can be used for predicting the discharge coefficient Cd value for the rectangular notch with known hydraulic and geometric data (h, B, p, and t).
DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT
All relevant data are included in the paper or its Supplementary Information.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
The authors declare there is no conflict.