Antivortex Effects on Two-Cycle Trapezoidal Labyrinth Side Weirs

Abstract

Labyrinth side weirs can be preferred for the weirs with same opening instead of the other conventional side weirs. However, the vortex occurring in the cycles of the labyrinth side weirs usually obstruct to overflow in the side weirs. In this study, in order to prevent vortices in the cycles, some antivortex elements were used in the cycles of two-cycle labyrinth side weir. In this respect, a series numerical simulation was performed by a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software. The numerical findings of two-cycle labyrinth side weir with the antivortexes were compared to the one without antivortexes and some experimental observations. The results showed that use of antivortexes regulated the flow and clearly increased the efficiency of two-cycle labyrinth side weir.