Hydraulic Characteristics of Circular Flume

Abstract

Laboratory experiments are conducted to evaluate the hydraulic characteristics of several circular flumes. The circular flume is a simple and low‐cost water measuring device constructed from two pieces of pipes, one installed vertically inside the other. The ratio of the diameter of the inner column to the flume itself is approximately one‐third. The presence of the inner column reduces the cross section of the flow, creating a critical flow condition. A gauge is installed at the upstream side of the inner column to measure the depth of the water upstream of the critical flow section. The reading on the gauge is directly related to the flow rate. The results of the laboratory experiments showed that the circular flumes can be successfully used to measure the flow rate in open channels. Based on the results of the laboratory experiments, a computer model is developed for the calibration of circular flume. The computer model is tested using data from flumes installed in the laboratory and in the field.