Improvement of design parameters of the sediment reservoirs

Abstract

Sediment reservoirs (SR) are an important part of the irrigation systems, and their construction and operation are resource intensive. At present, such facilities are constructed on water structures mainly to deposit sediments in water by slowing down the flow rate. The design form of the SR is frequently rectangular which makes it difficult to control the sedimentation process by sediment fractions along the length of the flow. Based on the results of the theoretical analyses and field experiments, the design parameters of the SR were improved, and a computational method of sediment distribution developed. A new design of the SR, which allows separating the sediments by fractions has been proposed. In the developed SR, muddy water flows into a special reservoir that reduces the flow velocity, and the sediments are separated by fractions along the length of the cross-section, the width of which increases onwards. Large fractions are deposited by the SR itself and are removed from the facility through the sedimentation gallery. Water flowing through the regulated water-releasing gate equals 5% of the water inflowing to the SR.