Navigation Locks: TVA's Multiport Lock Filling and Emptying

Details of a new concept in the design of the hydraulic system for medium-lift navigation locks are presented. The new design, the multi-port system, combines the lower costs of construction with a lock filling time of approximately 10 min and without the manifestation of objectional disturbances in the lock chamber during operation. The system features three rows of closely spaced 8-in. diameter ports, with slightly bell-mount ends connecting the culverts to longitudinal concrete trenches that extend along each lock wall. The ports are prefabricated from standard pipe components, adding to the cost savings in construction. The trenches are 3-ft wide and 6-ft deeper than the excavated lock floor.