Development of a Three-Dimensional CFD Model and OpenCV Code by Comparing with Experimental Data for Spillway Model Studies

• Published in: Water (Basel) Vol. 15; no. 4; p. 756
• Main Authors: Varçin, Hakan, Üneş, Fatih, Gemici, Ercan, Zelenakova, Martina
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 01.02.2023
• Subjects: algorithms; Analysis; Cavitation; Computer software industry; Dams; Design; Flow velocity; Fluid dynamics; Hydraulics; Hydroelectric plants; Hydroelectric power; Image processing; mathematical models; Measurement techniques; Methods; Numerical analysis; Simulation methods; spillways; Turbulence models; turbulent flow; United States; water; United States
• ISSN: 2073-4441; 2073-4441
• DOI: 10.3390/w15040756

This article presents a three-dimensional CFD model and OpenCV code by comparing the flow over the spillway with the experimental data for use in spillway studies. A 1/200-scale experimental model of a real dam spillway was created according to Froude similarity. In the experimental studies, velocity and water depth were measured in four different sections determined in the spillway model. A three-dimensional ANSYS Fluent model of the spillway was created and the simulations of the flows occurring during the flood were obtained. In the numerical model, the two-phase VOF model and k-epsilon turbulence model are used. As a result of the numerical analysis, velocity, depth, pressure, and cavitation index values were examined. The velocity and depth values obtained with models were compared and a good agreement was found between the results. In addition, in this study, a different technique based on image processing is developed to calculate water velocity and depth. A floating object was placed in the spillway channel during the experiment and the movement of the object on the water was recorded with cameras placed at different angles. By using the object tracking method, which is an image processing technique, the position of the floating object was determined in each video frame in the video recordings. Based on this position, the velocity of the floating object and its perpendicular distance to the bottom of the channel was determined. Thus, an OpenCV-Python code has been developed that determines the velocity and water depth of the floating object depending on its position. The floating object velocity values obtained by the algorithm were compared with the velocity values measured during the experimental model, and new velocity correction coefficients were obtained for the chute spillways.