AP Human Resource Development Institution

8 Week Induction Training Programme to Newly Recruited AEEs

8th. Sept. 2017 at ETC Srikalahasti

Planning, Design, Installation Operation and Maintenance of

Parshall Flume and Cut-Throat Fumes in irrigation canals
Examples and Exercises
Meters

BY
ROUTHU SATYANARAYANA
CHIEF ENGINEER (Retired.)
FORMER ADVISOR, AND MEMBER THENICAL ADVISORY COUNCIL GOVERNMENT OF A.P
 Measuring Structures - Metering Flumes
➢ Introduction:
• Irrigation efficiency largely depends upon the
measurement of water.
• It gives an idea about the amount of silt and canal
losses.
• The methods commonly used to measure the
discharges:
1. Area Velocity method
2. Weir method
3. Meter flume method
4. Stage discharge curve method
5. Chemical method.
(Cont….)
 Measuring Structures - Metering Flumes
➢ Introduction:
• Area Velocity method:
• General method and applicable for both canals and rivers. It consists of
measuring area of the channel and the mean velocity of flow. The sum
of the area and the velocity yields the discharge.
• Current meters, Surface floats, Pitot tube, velocity rod are used to
measure the mean velocity.
• Weir method:
• Water is allowed to flow over a broad crested or sharp crested weir and
the head over the crest is measured to find the discharge..
• Meter flumes:
• Discharge measurement by meter flume in open channel restricted
channel width called Throat with smooth entry and exit transitions on
both sides.
• Stage discharge curve:
• It is curve between discharge and depth of flow in a channel.
 Measuring Structures - Metering Flumes
➢ Metering Flumes:
• A device built at the head of the canal to measure the discharge
Accurately. It is an artificially flumed section of the channel.
• The normal u/s section of the channel is narrowed by masonry
with a splay of 1:1 to 2:1 to a rectangular section called throat.
from there the section is slowly diverged to attain its normal
section by masonry walls with a splay of 2:1 to 10:1.
• More gradual the convergence and divergence, With less the
head loss
• Works on the principles of Venturi meters.
➢ Types of Metering Flumes:
• Non-Modular or Drowned Venturi flumes called Venturiflumes
• Standing wave flume or Modular Venturiflume or free flow
venturiflume.
 Meters _ Flumes

➢ Selection of Site:
• Straight, uniform and a regime channel for an adequate length.
• Reasonable symmetrical and rectangular velocity distribution.
• Avoidance of supercritical velocity immediately upstream
• Rise in upstream water level due to the structure.
• No downstream condition that drowns the measuring device

➢ Installation Conditions:
• An Approach Channel
• A Measuring Structure (Standing wave Flume)
• A down stream channel.
 Meters _ Venturi Flumes
➢ Venturi Flume:

• Consists of gradually contracting channel leading to throat and a

gradually expending channel leading away from the throat.
• Stilling wells are provided at the entrance and throat
• ‘h’ is the difference in the head between the wells;

The discharge ‘Q’ = C{a1.a2/(a12-a22)}(2gh)1/2

Where C= coefficient varies 0.95 to 1.0
a1=Area at entrance
a2= Area at throat
 Meters _ Standing wave Flumes

• Standing Wave Flumes:

• Types of measuring structures shall be broadly classified as:

• "Standing Wave Flumes” in concrete (SWF) and
• Parshall Flumes & Cut Throat Flumes (CTF)
• . Standing Wave Flumes may be provided in the main & branch canals;
• Cut Throat Flumes /Parshall Flumes in the majors/distributaries, while
Cut Throat Flumes may be provided in the minors/sub-minors.
• The Parshall and Cut Throat Flumes in fiber glass reinforced plastic
(FRP) material shall have engraved gauge markings in centimeters as
well as in liter/second.
• Division Boxes shall be constructed in concrete. Likewise, turn-outs shall
be constructed in concrete.
 Meters _ Standing wave Flumes
• STANDING WAVE FLUME:

Standing wave flume is a critical depth flume. The discharge through this is
independent of water level on downstream and varies with water levels on upstream.
The hydraulic behavior is same as that of a broad crested weir. Since only one gauge
reading is required to be taken for measuring the discharge and due to ease of
construction, standing wave flumes are recommended as a flow measuring device.
• The following are the three types of flumes proposed for adoption
1. Standing wave flume
2. Standing wave flume fall (associated with drop)
3. Rectangular throat flume (to be adopted on canals having discharge less than 1
cumecs)
6.2.1 Design criteria
• The design is as per IS.6063 - 1971 "Method of measurement of flow of water in
open channels using standing wave flume”
 Meters _ Standing wave Flumes
➢ Standing Wave Flume:

• When a standing wave (Hydraulic jump) form on the d/s glacis

in the diverging channel, the flume is called sanding wave flume
• The discharge depends on the u/s head over the throat.
• The length of the throat shall be at least 2 to 3 times the head
over the crest.
• One gauge observation on the upstream as compared to two in
the case of Venturi Flumes.
• Discharge Q is computed using the formula.
Q= 1.705 Cf Bt H3/2
Where Bt=Throat width
H= Head over the crest of the throat.
• Greater loss of head is the Main disadvantage.
.
 Meters _ Standing wave Flumes
Cf = Coefficient of friction
For Q Value of Cf
0.05 to 0.3 cumecs 0.97
0.3 to 1.5 cumecs 0.98
0.5 to 15 cumecs 0.99
above 15 cumecs 1.00
Modular Limit: :value of submergence ratio of H2/H1 at which the real
discharge deviates by 1 % of Q calculated by discharge equation.
It should be between 0.7 to 0.95 but should not be less than 0.5,
Where D1 and D2 are U/S and D/S depth of flow over sill of throat
respectively. The gauge well should be located in the straight portion of
nthe canal at a distance 4 times the maximum head over the sill of the flume
on the U/S side, measured along the axis of the canal.
 Meters _ Standing wave Flumes
(2) Height of hump :

• The height of hump is the difference between the u/s canal bed level and the
sill level of the flume. Height of hump, for proportionality between full supply
and any fraction of full supply between the channel and weir is given by the
equations.
 Height of hump

It is required to provide a hump in the canal to maintain proportionality between the rate
of change of depth of flow over sill of the throat and the rate of change depth of flow in
the canal.

Where Z = height of hump

d1 = depth of flow in the canal
D1 = u/s depth of flow over the sill of throat
m = any particular fraction of discharge
x = approach channel index (varies from 1.5 to 2)
Discharge equation of the approach channel is given by:
Q = C 1 d1 x
Discharges Q1,Q1',Q1'',Q1''', etc are worked out for the flow of depths of d1,d1', d1'',d1''',
etc respectively and the value of x in the equation is estimated by least square method
by considering these sets of d1 and corresponding Q.

∑ log Q . Log d1 - (∑ log Q ) ( ∑ log d1 )

x = M
∑ ( log d1)2 - ( ∑ log d1)2
M
 Meters _ Standing wave Flumes
(3) Throat Width:

The throat width is calculated from the formula

Q = 2/3 √ 2/3 x g . C f .( Bt ). H1.5 = 1.705 C f Bt H1.5
where C f = co-efficient of friction = 0.97
Bt= throat width
H = Specific Energy over the sill
Specific Energy over sill ‘H’ = D1 + hv = d1 –Z + hv
hv = Mean approach Velocity = v^2 / 15.2 Throat Length:
L2 = 2.5 H ^ 3/2
Length of Inlet Transition :
L1 = (( 2R – (B1 – Bt)^2 / 2 ))^ ½ Where B1 is Canal BW at inlet
`
 Meters _ Standing wave Flumes
(3) Head loss:

The head loss consists of the following losses:

(i) Approach transition,
(ii) Exit transition,
(iii) Friction in structure, and
(iv) Hydraulic jump
The loss in approach and exit transitions depends on the amount of
fluming and its gradualness. The friction loss is usually very small. The loss
in hydraulic jump is given by the equation:
HL = (d2 – d1)2 / 4 d1 d2
Where d1 = depth of flow before jump
d2 = depth of flow after jump
 Meters _ Standing wave Flumes
(4) Approach transition

• The radius of side walls of the bell mouth entrance should be 3.6 H 1.5
meters. If ‘H’ is less than 0.30m, the radius may be 2H from the throat. The
curvature (formed from the throat) should continue till it subtends an angle
of 600, from where, it should be continued tangentially to meet the side of
the channel upstream.
• The bed convergence should begin on the same cross section as the side
convergence. The radius of curvature of hump in the bed should be:
rh = L12 + Z2 / 2 Z
Where rh = radius of curvature of hump
L1 = length between the junction of side wall with the bed of
upstream channel and upstream end of the throat measured along
the axis.
Z = height of hump above u/s bed level.
 Meters _ Standing wave Flumes
• (5) Throat
Sides of throat should be vertical and length should be 2.5 H. Width of the throat
way be calculated from the formula given in sub-para (1) of 6.1.1.

(6) Downstream glacis

The length of downstream glacis should be equal to 4H, which is also the length of
the side walls along the glacis. The slope of the glacis is usually 1 in 20 or flatter. The
divergence of side walls should be 1 in 10 or flatter so as to make the width at the toe
of the glacis equal to or less than the downstream canal bed width.

(7) Gauge (Stilling) well

The stilling well should be so located as to measure the water upstream of the sill,
where there is no curvature of flow. This could be ensured by locating the stilling well
intake pipe at a distance of 4 Hmax upstream of the bell mouth entrance. Hmax is the
maximum value of upstream head over the sill (including velocity head).
 Meters _ Standing wave Flumes

• RECTANGULAR THROAT FLUME:

• The discharge in a open channel may be measured by means of a flume. Consisting

essentially of contractions in the sides and / or bottom of the channel forming throat.
When the dimensions are such that critical flow occurs in the downstream, (in other
words it is free flowing) discharge can be determined from the single upstream depth
measurement. This device is called “Critical Depth Measuring Flume ".This structure
may be adopted for measuring smaller discharges less than 1 cumecs.
 Meters _ Standing wave Flumes
• Design criteria:
(a) Rectangular throat with hump
Let 'Y' be the depth of flow and velocity be" V" m/sec in the normal section.
Then total energy
head is equal to depth of flow and due to velocity of approach i.e
E = Y + V2 / 2g
Take the value of 2 g equal to 19.2
In Rectangular section , critical depth (Yc ) is equal to two thirds the Total
Energy head ,i.e Yc = 2/3 E
The throat width is worked out by discharge equation , which is given as
follows :-
Q = 2/3 √ 2/3 x g . C f . b . H1.5 = 1.705 C f b H1.5

where C f = co-efficient of friction = 0.97

b= throat width
H = Yc = depth of flow at critical section
Length of the crest is equal to 2H.
 DESIGN OF CUT THROAT FLUME

• NOTE ON DESIGN FEATURES

• The cutthroat flume (CWF) consists of a converging section and a diverging section
It has a flat bottom and vertical side walls and can be operated under both free flow
and submerged conditions.
• However, it is preferable to have the cutthroat flume operated under free flow
conditions. This enables a single measurement and ensures high degree of
accuracy.
• Under free flow condition, the flow rate is derived from the upstream water level
measured at a distance of 2L/ 9 from the neck, where L is the length of the flume (
• Under submerged condition, downstream water measured at a distance of 5L/ 9
from the neck is also required.
• Free flow occurs when the flow is critical near the throat section and the downstream
water depth does not influence the upstream water depth. For free flow condition, the
ratio (hb/ ha) between the water depth at the exit (hb) and that at the entrance (ha)
should not exceed a certain limit called the “transition submergence” (St), which can
be determined for each flume from figure 3.
• If this ratio exceeds the value of St, the flume has to be designed for submerged flow
condition.
 DESIGN OF CUT THROAT FLUME

• The angle of convergence is 3:1 and the angle of divergence is 6:1 for all the
flumes. The convergence part of the flume consists of 1/3 length of the flume
(L/3) and the divergence part consists of 2/3 length (2L/3).
• For accurate discharge measurements, the recommended ratio of upstream
flow depth (ha) to flume length (L) i.e., ha/ L should be equal to or less than
0.4. Increasing value of this will result in greater inaccuracies.
• There is no established rule for proportion between throat width (W) and
length (L) or W and ha.
• However it is preferable to adopt the range of proportions given in table1,
which have been laboratory tested.
• The upstream depth of flow in the channel will increase to the extent of head
loss due to installation of the flume. This head loss needs to be kept within
the allowable limit.
 DESIGN OF CUT THROAT FLUME

• Design procedure:

• The following data is required for the design of cutthroat flume:

Max. Flow depth (downstream) hb in m
Head loss (the max. limit to which
Upstream water level can be raised f in m
Max upstream depth hb + f = ha
Length of flume L in m
Throat width W in m
 DESIGN OF CUT THROAT FLUME
• A) Design for free flow condition
• Read the value of transition submergence St in percentage from figure 3 for the given
flume length.
• Calculate ratio of submergence (hb / ha ) x 100 (percent)
If it is more than or equal to St, the flow is free.
If it is less than St, the flow is submerged.
• For free flow condition, flume is designed using the equations:
Qf = Cf(ha)nf
Cf = Kf W1.025
Where Qf = free flow discharge in cumec
Cf = free flow coefficient
hf = upstream flow depth in m
nf = free flow exponent
Kf = free flow flume length coefficient
Wf = throat width in m.
• Values of nf and Kf can be read from the graph in figure 3.
• If Qf as calculated is equal to or more than the required discharge, it is OK. Otherwise,
the variable parameters have to be changed till satisfactory result is obtained.
 DESIGN OF CUT THROAT FLUME

• (B) Design or submerged flow condition

The flume is designed for the submerged flow condition using the following equation:

Qs = Cs (ha – hb)nf / (- log St)ns

Where Qs = submerged flow discharge in cumec

ha = upstream flow depth in m
hb = downstream flow depth in m
Cs = submerged flow coefficient
nf = free flow exponent
ns = submerged flow exponent
St = transition submergence
Ks = submerged flow flume length coefficient

• St, nf and ns can be read from the graph in figure 3. The discharge Qs under submerged condition can be
calculated for any combination of ha and hb using the above equation.
DESIGN OF CUT THROAT FLUME
DESIGN OF CUT THROAT FLUME
 DESIGN OF CUT THROAT FLUME
• DESIGN OF CUTTHROAT FLUME
Hydraulic particulars
Discharge 0.208 cumec
Bed width 0.80 m
Full supply depth 0.50 m
Side slopes 1 ½ :1
Flume design for free flow condition
Qf = Cf(ha)nf
Cf = Kf W1.025

Where Qf = free flow discharge in cumec

Cf = free flow coefficient
hf = upstream flow depth in m
nf = free flow exponent
Kf = free flow flume length coefficient
Wf = throat width in m.

• Flume proposed with 40 cm throat width and 180 cm flume length

• From graph in figure 3,
 DESIGN OF CUT THROAT FLUME
Flume proposed with 40 cm throat width x 180 cm flume length
From graph in figure 3,
nf = 1.67
Kf = 2.60
St = 75% for free flow
Cf = 2.60 x 0.401.025
= 1.0164
Qf = Cf(ha)nf
0.208 = 1.0164 x ha1.67
ha1.67= (0.208/ 1.0164) = 0.2046
ha = 0.387 say 0.39
The ratio hb/ ha should not exceed value of St for free flow condition, where hb is downstream
flow depth
hb = ha x St = 0.390 x (75/100) = 0.2925 or say 0.29 m
Hence, the floor of the flume is raised by 21 cm above the canal bed level From table 1, the
free flow discharge for the selected cutthroat flume size of 40 cm x 180 cm and ha value of
0.39m works out to 0.206 cumec, which is approximately equal to the required discharge.
DESIGN OF CUT THROAT FLUME
 DESIGN OF CUT THROAT FLUME

DESIGN OF CUTTHROAT FLUME FOR SUBMERGED FLOW CONDITION

A cut throat flume is to be installed to function under submerged flow

condition.
The maximum flow rate in the channel = 0.1982 m3/s
The maximum flow depth in the channel (D) = 0.457 m
The maximum amount that the u/s depth can rise (Δh) = 0.061 m
∴ upstream depth h in the flume = depth in the channel (D) + permissible
rise in the u/s depth (Δh) = 0.457 + 0.061
= 0.518 m
Adopt a flume length of 2.70 metres
∴ ha = 0.518 = 0.19 < 0.4
L 2.70
Hence the flume length is OK.
 DESIGN OF CUT THROAT FLUME
From figure 3,
Transitions submergence St = 80% or 0.80
Free flow exponent nf = 1.56
Submerged flow exponent ns = 1.39
Submerged flow flume length coefficient Ks = 1.03
Upstream water depth ha = 0.518 m
Downstream water depth hb = 0.457 m
From formula
Qs = Cs (ha – hb)nf / (-log st)ns ………………….(1)

∴ Cs = Qs (-log st)ns / (ha - hb)nf ……………………...(1)

= 0.1982 (0.0969)1.39 / (0.61)1.56

= 0.1982 x 0.039 / 0.0126 = 0.611
Cs = 0.611
Cs = Ks W1.025 …. ……………………. ………………..(2)

•
 DESIGN OF CUT THROAT FLUME

• W1.025 = Cs / Ks

W = ( Cs / Ks )1/1.25
= (Cs / 1.03 )0.926

W = 0.60M
Therefore, a flume width of 6.0 m should be used. Hence, the flume of
0.60 x 2.70 m may be used.
hc / hs = St
ha = 0.518
St = 0.80
hb = ?
hb = 0.518 x 0.80 = 0.41 m
Hence the floor of the flume cannot be placed lower than 0.41 m from the
maximum water level observed in the canal before installation of the flume
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