Forebay Computational Fluid Dynamics Modeling for The Dalles Dam to Support Behavior Guidance System Siting Studies

Forebay Computational Fluid Dynamics Modeling for The Dalles Dam to Support Behavior Guidance System Siting Studies
Author: Gary E. Johnson
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Release: 2005
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Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models were developed to support the siting and design of a behavioral guidance system (BGS) structure in The Dalles Dam (TDA) forebay on the Columbia River. The work was conducted by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Portland District (CENWP). The CFD results were an invaluable tool for the analysis, both from a Regional and Agency perspective (for the fish passage evaluation) and a CENWP perspective (supporting the BGS design and location). The new CFD model (TDA forebay model) included the latest bathymetry (surveyed in 1999) and a detailed representation of the engineered structures (spillway, powerhouse main, fish, and service units). The TDA forebay model was designed and developed in a way that future studies could easily modify or, to a large extent, reuse large portions of the existing mesh. This study resulted in these key findings: (1) The TDA forebay model matched well with field-measured velocity data. (2) The TDA forebay model matched observations made at the 1:80 general physical model of the TDA forebay. (3) During the course of this study, the methodology typically used by CENWP to contour topographic data was shown to be inaccurate when applied to widely-spaced transect data. Contouring methodologies need to be revisited--especially before such things as modifying the bathymetry in the 1:80 general physical model are undertaken. Future alignments can be evaluated with the model staying largely intact. The next round of analysis will need to address fish passage demands and navigation concerns. CFD models can be used to identify the most promising locations and to provide quantified metrics for biological, hydraulic, and navigation criteria. The most promising locations should then be further evaluated in the 1:80 general physical model.

Forebay Computational Fluid Dynamics Modeling for The Dalles Dam to Support Vortex Suppress Device Studies

Forebay Computational Fluid Dynamics Modeling for The Dalles Dam to Support Vortex Suppress Device Studies
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Release: 2006
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A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model was used in an investigation into the suppression of a surface vortex that forms and the south-most spilling bay at The Dalles Project. The CFD work complemented work at the prototype and the reduced-scale physical models. The CFD model was based on a model developed for other work in the forebay but had additional resolution added near the spillway. Vortex suppression devices (VSDs) were to placed between pier noses and/or in the bulkhead slot of the spillway bays. The simulations in this study showed that placing VSD structures or a combination of structures to suppress the vortex would still result in near-surface flows to be entrained in a vortex near the downstream spillwall. These results were supported by physical model and prototype studies. However, there was a consensus of the fish biologists at the physical model that the fish would most likely move north and if the fish went under the VSD it would immediately exit the forebay through the tainter gate and not get trapped between VSDs or the VSDs and the tainter gate if the VSDs were deep enough.

The Dalles Dam, Columbia River

The Dalles Dam, Columbia River
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Release: 2006
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This report documents development of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models that were applied to The Dalles spillway for the US Army Corps of Engineers, Portland District. The models have been successfully validated against physical models and prototype data, and are suitable to support biological research and operations management. The CFD models have been proven to provide reliable information in the turbulent high-velocity flow field downstream of the spillway face that is typically difficult to monitor in the prototype. In addition, CFD data provides hydraulic information throughout the solution domain that can be easily extracted from archived simulations for later use if necessary. This project is part of an ongoing program at the Portland District to improve spillway survival conditions for juvenile salmon at The Dalles. Biological data collected at The Dalles spillway have shown that for the original spillway configuration juvenile salmon passage survival is lower than desired. Therefore, the Portland District is seeking to identify operational and/or structural changes that might be implemented to improve fish passage survival. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) went through a sequence of steps to develop a CFD model of The Dalles spillway and tailrace. The first step was to identify a preferred CFD modeling package. In the case of The Dalles spillway, Flow-3D was as selected because of its ability to simulate the turbulent free-surface flows that occur downstream of each spilling bay. The second step in development of The Dalles CFD model was to assemble bathymetric datasets and structural drawings sufficient to describe the dam (powerhouse, non-overflow dam, spillway, fish ladder entrances, etc.) and tailrace. These datasets are documented in this report as are various 3-D graphical representations of The Dalles spillway and tailrace. The performance of the CFD model was then validated for several cases as the third step. The validated model was then applied to address specific SIS design questions. Specifically, the CFD models were used to evaluate flow deflectors, baffle block removal and the effects of spillwalls. The CFD models were also used to evaluate downstream differences at other locations, such as at the Highway 197 bridge piers and Oregon shore islands, due to alterations in spill pattern. CFD model results were analyzed to quantitatively compare impacts of the spillwall that has subsequently been constructed between bays 6 and 7. CFD model results provided detailed information about how the spillwall would impact downstream flow patterns that complemented results from the 1:80 scale physical model. The CFD model was also used to examine relative differences between the juvenile spill pattern used in previous years and the anticipated spill pattern that will be applied once the wall is complete. In addition, the CFD model examined velocity magnitudes over the downstream basalt shelf to investigate potential for erosion under high flow conditions (e.g., 21 kcfs/bay for bays 1 through 6) with the spillwall in place. Several appendices follow the results and discussion sections of this report. These appendices document the large number of CFD simulations that have been performed by PNNL; both spillway improvement study (SIS) related and those performed for related biological tests.

Technical Review of the CENWP Computational Fluid Dynamics Model of the John Day Dam Forebay

Technical Review of the CENWP Computational Fluid Dynamics Model of the John Day Dam Forebay
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Release: 2010
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The US Army Corps of Engineers Portland District (CENWP) has developed a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model of the John Day forebay on the Columbia River to aid in the development and design of alternatives to improve juvenile salmon passage at the John Day Project. At the request of CENWP, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) Hydrology Group has conducted a technical review of CENWP's CFD model run in CFD solver software, STAR-CD. PNNL has extensive experience developing and applying 3D CFD models run in STAR-CD for Columbia River hydroelectric projects. The John Day forebay model developed by CENWP is adequately configured and validated. The model is ready for use simulating forebay hydraulics for structural and operational alternatives. The approach and method are sound, however CENWP has identified some improvements that need to be made for future models and for modifications to this existing model.

Hydrodynamics of Free Surface Flows

Hydrodynamics of Free Surface Flows
Author: Jean-Michel Hervouet
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Total Pages: 360
Release: 2007-06-13
Genre: Computers
ISBN: 9780470319635

A definitive guide for accurate state-of-the-art modelling of free surface flows Understanding the dynamics of free surface flows is the starting point of many environmental studies, impact studies, and waterworks design. Typical applications, once the flows are known, are water quality, dam impact and safety, pollutant control, and sediment transport. These studies used to be done in the past with scale models, but these are now being replaced by numerical simulation performed by software suites called “hydro-informatic systems”. The Telemac system is the leading software package worldwide, and has been developed by Electricité de France and Jean-Michel Hervouet, who is the head and main developer of the Telemac project. Written by a leading authority on Computational Fluid Dynamics, the book aims to provide environmentalists, hydrologists, and engineers using hydro-informatic systems such as Telemac and the finite element method, with the knowledge of the basic principles, capabilities, different hypotheses, and limitations. In particular this book: presents the theory for understanding hydrodynamics through an extensive array of case studies such as tides, tsunamis, storm surges, floods, bores, dam break flood waves, density driven currents, hydraulic jumps, making this a principal reference on the topic gives a detailed examination and analysis of the notorious Malpasset dam failure includes a coherent description of finite elements in shallow water delivers a significant treatment of the state-of-the-art flow modelling techniques using Telemac, developed by Electricité de France provides the fundamental physics and theory of free surface flows to be utilised by courses on environmental flows Hydrodynamics of Free Surface Flows is essential reading for those involved in computational fluid dynamics and environmental impact assessments, as well as hydrologists, and bridge, coastal and dam engineers. Guiding readers from fundamental theory to the more advanced topics in the application of the finite element method and the Telemac System, this book is a key reference for a broad audience of students, lecturers, researchers and consultants, right through to the community of users of hydro-informatics systems.

Computational Fluid Dynamics Modeling of The Dalles Project

Computational Fluid Dynamics Modeling of The Dalles Project
Author:
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Release: 2010
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The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-Portland District (CENWP) has ongoing work to improve the survival of juvenile salmonids (smolt) migrating past The Dalles Dam. As part of that effort, a spillwall was constructed to improve juvenile egress through the tailrace downstream of the stilling basin. The spillwall was designed to improve smolt survival by decreasing smolt retention time in the spillway tailrace and the exposure to predators on the spillway shelf. The spillwall guides spillway flows, and hence smolt, more quickly into the thalweg. In this study, an existing computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model was modified and used to characterize tailrace hydraulics between the new spillwall and the Washington shore for six different total river flows. The effect of spillway flow distribution was simulated for three spill patterns at the lowest total river flow. The commercial CFD solver, STAR-CD version 4.1, was used to solve the unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations together with the k-epsilon turbulence model. Free surface motion was simulated using the volume-of-fluid (VOF) technique. The model results were used in two ways. First, results graphics were provided to CENWP and regional fisheries agency representatives for use and comparison to the same flow conditions at a reduced-scale physical model. The CFD results were very similar in flow pattern to that produced by the reduced-scale physical model but these graphics provided a quantitative view of velocity distribution. During the physical model work, an additional spill pattern was tested. Subsequently, that spill pattern was also simulated in the numerical model. The CFD streamlines showed that the hydraulic conditions were likely to be beneficial to fish egress at the higher total river flows (120 kcfs and greater, uniform flow distribution). At the lowest flow case, 90 kcfs, it was necessary to use a non-uniform distribution. Of the three distributions tested, splitting the flow evenly between Bay 7 and Bay 8 had hydraulics deemed most beneficial for egress by CENWP fisheries biologists and regional fishery agency representatives. The numerical and physical model results were very similar, building confidence in both hydraulic tools.