Supercritical Flow Measurement Using a Small Parshall Flume
Publication: Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering
Volume 135, Issue 5
Abstract
An experimental program was conducted to determine if a Parshall flume, developed to accurately measure open-channel subcritical flow, could also be used to measure discharge in a supercritical flow regime. Fifteen experimental configurations were tested using two small Parshall flumes [6-in. (15.2-cm) and 9-in. (22.9-cm) crest width] with varying approach channel slopes, approach channel roughness, and flume convergence. It was determined that a single Parshall flume can be used to measure flow (within ±5%) for both supercritical and subcritical flow regimes for a specified range of flows. The original Parshall flume equation was then modified to incorporate crest width, channel slope, channel roughness, and convergence in the prediction algorithm. Unique expressions were developed for both supercritical and subcritical flow regimes to estimate the discharge. A single expression does not appear feasible for accurate discharge measurement for both flow regimes in a Parshall flume at this time.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Acknowledgments
This project was funded by the U.S. National Park Service through Contract No. UNSPECIFIEDCA238099001.
References
Abt, S. R., Florentin, B., Genovez, A., and Ruth, B. C. (1995). “Settlement and submergence adjustments for Parshall flume.” J. Irrig. Drain. Eng., 121(5), 317–321.
Chamberlain, A. R. (1957). “Preliminary model tests of a flume for measuring discharge of steep ephemeral streams.” Rep. No. CER57ARC12, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experimental Station, Colorado Agricultural and Mechanical College.
Cone, V. M. (1917). “The Venturi flume.” J. Agric. Res., 9(4), 115–129.
Kilpatrick, F. A., and Schneider, V. R. (1983). “Use of flumes in measuring discharge.” Techniques of water-resources investigations of the U.S. Geological Survey, Chap. A14, 1–46.
Kruse, E. G., and Willis, W. O. (1985). “The role of the Parshall measuring flume.” Colorado Eng., 3(11), 5–11.
Parshall, R. L. (1926). “The improved Venturi flume.” Trans. Am. Soc. Civ. Eng., 89, 841–851.
Parshall, R. L. (1928). “The improved Venturi flume.” Rep. No. 336, Colorado Experiment Station, Colorado Agricultural College, Fort Collins, Colo.
Parshall, R. L. (1936). “The Parshall measuring flume.” Rep. No. 423, Colorado Experiment Station, Colorado Agricultural College, Fort Collins, Colo.
Parshall, R. L. (1953). “Parshall flumes of large sizes.” Rep. No. 426-A, USDA Soil Conservation Service.
Parshall, R. L., and Rohwer, C. (1921). “The Venturi flume.” Rep. No. 265, Agricultural Experiment Station, Colorado Agricultural College, Fort Collins, Colo.
Robinson, A. R. (1957). “Parshall measuring flume of small sizes.” Rep. No. 61, Agricultural Experiment Station, Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins, Colo.
Robinson, A. R. (1959). “Report on trapezoidal measuring flumes for determining discharge in steep ephemeral streams.” Rep. No. CER59ARR1, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experimental Station, Colorado Agricultural and Mechanical College.
Robinson, A. R. (1965). “Simplified flow corrections for Parshall Flumes under submerged conditions.” Civ. Eng. (N.Y.), 25(9), 75.
Skogerboe, G. V., Hyatt, M. L., England, J. D., and Johnson, J. R. (1967). “Design and calibration of submerged open channel flow measurement structures. Part 2—Parshall flumes.” Rep. No. WG 31-3, Utah Water Research Laboratory, Utah State Univ.
Smith, B. A. (2003). “Supercritical flow measurement utilizing a Parshall flume.” MS thesis, Dept. of Civil Engineering, Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins, Colo.
Sturm, T. W. (1985). “Simplified design of contractions in supercritical flow.” J. Hydraul. Eng., 111(5), 871–875.
Sturm, T. W. (2001). Open channel hydraulics, McGraw-Hill, New York.
U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR). (2001). Water measurement manual, 3rd Ed., U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Denver.
Wu, T. Y. (1971). “Effects of settlement on flume ratings.” Rep. No. AET-71-72-TYWIV, Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins, Colo.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Copyright
© 2009 ASCE.
History
Received: May 9, 2006
Accepted: Jan 9, 2009
Published online: Jan 27, 2009
Published in print: Oct 2009
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.