Flow Upstream of Orifices and Sluice Gates

Abstract

Potential flow solutions of a point/line sink are extended to study the velocity field upstream of a finite-size orifice and sluice gate. It is found that, in the “near field” zones, the iso-velocity surfaces appear to be semiellipsoidal; while in the “far field” zones they become hemispheres. The shape and size of the orifice/sluice gate were found to be of no effect on the flow behavior beyond a certain distance. The development of velocity profile away from the orifice and sluice gate is examined, and the effects of water depth are studied. The results of this study compare very well with other numerical and experimental studies, and provide a general understanding of the flow field upstream of orifices and sluice gates.