Baffled Outlets

Baffled Outlets
 Outlet protection
• Outlet protection can be a channel lining,
structure, or flow barrier designed to lower
excessive flow velocities and prevent erosion
and scour.
• Outlet protection shall be employed
whenever the velocity of flow at a pipe or
open channel outlet exceeds the erosive
velocity of the immediate downstream reach.
 Energy dissipation may take the
form of the following:

 Erosion control stone-lined channels;

• Riprap outlet basins; or

• Concrete baffled outlets.

 Baffled Outlets
• A baffled outlet usually consists of a concrete
box structure with a vertical hanging concrete
baffle and an end sill.
 Baffled Outlets Features
• Baffled outlets are usually used when very
high exit velocities exist at piped or channel
transitions.
• Baffled outlets function by dissipating energy
through impact of the water hitting the baffle
and through the resulting turbulence.
• A tailwater depth is not required for adequate
energy dissipation, but will help smooth the
outlet flow.
Baffled Outlets – Design Criteria 1

The following design procedure is based on physical modelling

studies summarized from the U.S. Department of Interior
(1978).
 To standardize the method of computing Froude
numbers the shape of the jet is assumed to be square.
Q
A 
V
In which V is the theoretical velocity  2gh and h
V
is the head to be dissipated.
V A
d  A , Fr 
gd d
 The depth of the baffle should not be less than
the diameter of incoming pipe, to prevent jet
from passing over the baffle.

 If the basin is too wide the energy will not be

effectively dissipated because the incoming jet will
spread and pass under the baffle, rather than strike
it.
 To prevent cavitation or impact damage to the basin
the theoretical pipe velocity  2gh should be
V
limited to 50 ft/sec.
The diameter of pipe should be sized using a
velocity of 12 ft/sec assuming pipe is flowing full.
 w d 3 is impractical (w is minimum depth).
Baffled Outlets – Design Criteria 4

 The pipe should be turned horizontal for a length of at

least 3 pipe diameters so as to direct the jet into the
baffle.
 An air vent of diameter 1/6 pipe diameter near the
upstream end is necessary to prevent pressure
fluctuations and surging of the flow in the system.
 Protection with well graded mixture of rocks, most
having diameters equal to 1/20 of basin width should
be placed to a depth = height of end sill for a distance
= one basin width (W) d.s. from end sill, this
protection consists either of 12” coarse gravel or 12”
riprap on 6” sand and gravel bedding.
 Design Example
• A cross-drainage pipe structure has a
design flow rate of 150 cfs, a head, h,
of 15 ft from invert of pipe. Find the
baffled outlet basin dimensions and
inlet pipe requirements.
Solution
1. Compute the theoretical velocity from
v = (2gh)0.5 = [2(32.2 ft/sec2)(15 ft)]0.5 = 31.1 ft/s
This is less than 50 ft/s, so a baffled outlet is suitable.
2. Determine the flow area using the theoretical
velocity
A = Q/v = 150 cfs/31.1 ft/sec = 4.8 square ft
3. Compute the flow depth using the area from Step
2.
d = (A)0.5 = (4.8 ft2)0.5 = 2.12 ft
4. Compute the Froude number using the results
from Steps 1 and 3.
Fr = v/(gd)0.5 = 31.1 ft/sec/[32.2 ft/sec2)(2.12 ft)]0.5 =3.8
5. Determine the basin width using equation

with the Froude number from Step 4.

• W = 2.88 dFr0.566 = 2.88 (2.12) (3.8)0.566 = 13.0 ft
(minimum) . Use 13 ft as the design width.
6. Compute the remaining basin dimensions
Solution
7. Basin invert should be at b/2 + f below tailwater
(4 ft, 11 in)/2 + 2 ft, 2 in = 4.63 ft
Use 4 ft 8 in; therefore, invert should be 2 ft, 8 in below ground
surface.
8. The riprap transition from the baffled outlet to the
natural channel should be 13 ft long by 13 ft wide
by 2 ft, 2 in deep (W x W x f). Median rock
diameter should be of diameter W/20, or about 8
in.
Baffled Outlets – Design Example

a. Given:
1. Q 150cfs
30 ft
h
2. Based on maximum velocity = 12 ft/sec
Q 150 2
Minimum pipe area  12.5ft
V 12
 2
A  D
4
 2
12.5  D , D 3.98 ft
4
2
Select 48” diameter pipe, A 12.57 ft
 a. Given:
1. Q 150cfs
h 30 ft
2.Based on maximum velocity = 12 ft/sec
Q 150 2
Minimum pipe area  12.5ft
V 12
 2
A  D
4 (can be approximated as the
Energy head to be dissipated, feet
difference between channel  2
12.5  elevations
invert D , D at3.98
the inlet
ft and outlet).
4
2
Select 48” diameter pipe, A 12.57 ft
a. Given:
1. Q 150cfs
30 ft
h
2. Based on maximum velocity = 12 ft/sec
Q
Minimum pipe area 15 12.5ft 2
V 
0
12
 2
A  D
4

12.5  D ,
2
3.98 ft
4D
Select 48” diameter pipe,
 2
A 12.57 ft
Baffled Outlets – Design Example

3. Air ventilation
An air vent into the pipe near the inlet is
required. The ventilation diameter = 1/6 pipe
diameter
Ventilation pipe diameter 1
48" 8"
 6
b. Determination of basin dimension
1. Theoretical velocity
V  2gh  232.230 43.93ft sec
This is less than maximum allowable velocity 50
ft/sec
2. Area of flow
Q
A  150 3.42 ft 2
V  43.93
3. Depth of flow
d  A  3.42 1.85ft
 Baffled Outlets – Design Example

4. Froude number
V 43.93
Fr   5.7
gd 32.21.85
5. w d ratio from Figure 6.10
Read w d 7.7
6. Minimum width of basin
w 7.71.85 14.25ft
7.7d
7. Use baffled out

W 14'3"
 4
8. L  4
W  14.25 19 ft
3 3
1 1
f   14.25 2.375 say 2.4 (2'5")
W ft
ft
6 6
1 1
e   14.25 1.19 say 1.2 ft
W ft
12 12
1 1
a C  W  14.25 7.13 use 7.15ft
2 2
3 3
H   14.25 10.69 say 10.7ft
W ft
4 4
3 W
b
 3
 14.25 5.34 ft
8 8