14. Open Channel Flow
Open channel flow is a critical application of fluid mechanics that utilizes principles such as mass conservation, momentum equations, and energy equations to analyze water flow in natural and artificial channels. This chapter highlights the differences between open channel flow and pipe flow, emphasizes the significance of hydraulic radius, and categorizes flow types including uniform, gradually varied, and rapidly varied flows.
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14.4Flow Classifications
This section introduces the classifications of open channel flow, focusing...
What we have learnt
- Open channel flow involves the application of fundamental fluid mechanics principles.
- Pressure at the free surface of open channel flow equals atmospheric pressure, distinguishing it from pipe flow.
- Flow can be classified into uniform, gradually varied, and rapidly varied types based on changes in flow characteristics.
Key Concepts
- -- Open Channel Flow
- Flow of liquid in a channel where the liquid surface is open to the atmosphere.
- -- Hydraulic Radius
- The ratio of the cross-sectional area of flow to the wetted perimeter, used to analyze flow in open channels.
- -- Uniform Flow
- Flow in which the depth, slope, and velocity remain constant along the channel.
- -- Gradually Varied Flow
- Flow in which the flow parameters change slowly over a long distance.
- -- Rapidly Varied Flow
- Flow characterized by rapid changes in flow parameters over a relatively short distance.
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