Experimental analysis of the Hydrass flushing gate and laboratory validation of flush propagation modelling

Periodical cleansing operations prove necessary inside sewer systems in order to reduce hydraulic and environmental problems owing to the accumulation of deposits on the bottom of channels. For this objective, new effective hydraulic devices based on the scouring effects of flushing waves have been recently set up and adopted in many sewer systems. In this paper, the results of an experimental and numerical investigation on the hydraulic operation of the Hydrass flushing gate are reported. The experimental analysis has been carried out using a laboratory channel and a reduced scale model of the gate, in order to characterise the flushing waves generated by the device. The numerical analysis has been performed using a mathematical model specifically developed for the simulation of flushing waves inside sewer channels. The comparison of numerical results and experimental data has allowed evaluation of the applicability under unsteady flow conditions of the outflow relations determined for the Hydrass gate in a previous investigation under steady flow conditions.