Air-water flow properties in stepped chutes with modified step and cavity geometries

Skimming air-water flow properties were investigated in a stepped chute configured with triangular steps, chamfered steps, and partially blocked step cavities. The turbulent interactions between air and water were examined using a synchronised system consisting of a dual-tip phase-detection probe and a pressure transducer mounted side-by-side. In comparison to uniform triangular steps, the chamfered steps were found to cause a reduction in air entrainment and an Increase In mean velocity gradient next to the pseudo-bottom. Partial cavity blockages appeared to have little effect on air entrainment, but were linked to an increased presence of large-scale structures in the overflow, which likely resulted from a reduction in mutual sheltering between adjacent step elements. The results indicated that modifications of step and cavity geometries might have significant implications on stepped chute design. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.