Research and Development Office

Flow Deflectors for Abrasion Damage Mitigation in Stilling Basins

Project ID: 8143
Principal Investigator: Christopher Shupe
Research Topic: Repair and Maintenance
Funded Fiscal Years: 2018
Keywords: None

Research Question

The primary research question is to investigate literature to determine the design parameters and methods utilized for optimized flow deflector design and installations. Following the review, an inventory of Reclamation facilities with type II and III stilling basins, with appropriate widths of 25 feet or less, that have abrasion damage and the severity of that damage will be assembled. An inquiry will be made of facility managers who are interested in flow deflector installation and whether there is support for the development of a general oversized flow deflector that could potentially not require a vertical velocity profile at the stilling basin end sill or require physical modeling.

Need and Benefit

Abrasion damage caused by sand, gravel, and rocks in stilling basins as the result of recirculating flows due to normal outlet works operations is a widespread issue at many Reclamation facilities. Flow deflectors have been shown to reduce or eliminate sand, gravel, and rock from being drawn into the stilling basin from downstream of the basin. Reduction in operations and maintenance costs can result from flow deflector installation.

Contributing Partners

Contact the Principal Investigator for information about partners.

Research Products

Bureau of Reclamation Review

The following documents were reviewed by experts in fields relating to this project's study and findings. The results were determined to be achieved using valid means.

Flow Deflectors for Abrasion Damage Mitigation in Stilling Basins (final, PDF, 958KB)
By Kit Shupe
Research Product completed on September 30, 2019

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