Open-channel flow

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Open-channel flow, a branch of hydraulics and fluid mechanics, is a type of liquid flow within a
conduit with a free surface, known as a channel. The other type of flow within a conduit is pipe
flow. These two types of flow are similar in many ways, but differ in one important respect: the
free surface. Open-channel flow has a free surface, whereas pipe flow does not.
Contents
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1Classifications of flow

2Summary of the classification of open-channel flow

3States of flow

4See also

5References

Classifications of flow[edit]
Open-channel flow can be classified and described in various ways based on the change in flow
depth with respect to time and space. The fundamental types of flow dealt with in open-channel
hydraulics are:
Time as the criterion
Steady flow The depth of flow does not change over time, or if it can be assumed to be
constant during the time interval under consideration.
Unsteady flow - The depth of flow does change with time.
Space as the criterion
Uniform flow The depth of flow is the same at every section of the channel. Uniform
flow can be steady or unsteady, depending on whether or not the depth changes with
time, (although unsteady uniform flow is rare).
Varied flow - The depth of flow changes along the length of the channel. Varied flow
technically may be either steady or unsteady.
Varied flow can be further classified as either rapidly or gradually varied.
Rapidly varied flow - The depth changes abruptly over a comparatively short distance.
Rapidly varied flow is known as local phenomenon. Examples are the hydraulic jump and
the hydraulic drop.
Gradually varied flow The depth changes over a long distance.
Continuous flow - The discharge is constant throughout the reach of the channel under
consideration. This is often the case with steady flow. This flow is considered continuous
and therefore can be described using the continuity equation for continuous steady flow.
Spatially varied or discontinuous flow - The discharge of a steady flow is nonuniform
along a channel. This happens when water enters and/or leaves the channel along the
course of flow. An example of flow entering a channel would be a road side gutter. An
example of flow leaving a channel would be an irrigation channel. This flow can be
described using the continuity equation for continuous unsteady flow requires the
consideration of the time effect and includes a time element as a variable.

Summary of the classification of

open-channel flow[edit]

Steady flow
Uniform flow
Varied flow
Gradually varied flow
Rapidly varied flow
Unsteady flow
Unsteady uniform flow (rare)
Unsteady flow (unsteady varied flow should be here, but it is a practically impossible
condition, so it is known simply as unsteady flow)
Gradually varied unsteady flow
Rapidly varied unsteady flow

States of flow[edit]
The behavior of open channel flow is governed
by the effects of viscosity and gravity relative to
the inertial forces of the flow. Surface tension
has a minor contribution, but does not play a
significant enough role in most circumstances
to be a governing factor. Depending on the
effect of viscosity relative to inertia, as
represented by the Reynolds number, the flow
can be either laminar, turbulent, or transitional.

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