Experimental Results and Discussions
The Inlet Manifold Team has performed several sets of experiments. These can be classified as follows:
1. Visual observation of flow patterns for scale-model inlet manifold(s).
Experiment Set 1
2. Pressure differential measurements from end-to-end of a scale-model inlet manifold.
Experiment Set 2
3. Direct measurements of water flow from either end of a scale-model inlet manifold.
Experiment Set 3
4. Visual observation of flow patterns within a scale-model sediment tank.
Experiment Set 4
Discussion and Conclusions
The following preliminary conclusions were reached:
Water exiting the manifold does so with a strong horizontal velocity component. This horizontal velocity can, if unchecked, create horizontal flow patterns that amplify imbalanced in the manifold discharge and can create circular or horizontal flow patterns in the sediment tank, reducing its effectiveness. This effect can also create undesireable local flow velocities in the vicinity of the manifold that exceed the anticipated design velocities calculated from normal orifice flow alone.
A pressure recovery effect creates more exit flow at the end of the pipe farthest from the source than at the source end. The net effect of this unbalanced flow pattern may be circular flow in the sediment tank and non-optimal tank performance. However, the magnitude of this effect may not match "simple theory" which assumed uniform flow patterns.
Further Experiments
Further experiments will seek again to clarify the magnitude of the differential flow and test various "corrective" designs to see if more uniform flow will result. Dye tests using he model will be the primary method of testing in the next phase, although other tests may also be proposed.