Flow
can be measured in a variety of ways. There are different methods of flow measurements for
hydropower. Some of the
methods of flow measurements for hydropower are described here
A flow measurement weir is a weir with a notch in it through which
all the water in the stream flows. The flow rate can be determined from a
single reading of the difference in height between the upstream water level and
the bottom of the notch. For reliable results, the crest of the weir must be
kept sharp and sediment must be prevented from accumulating behind the weir.
Sharp and durable crests are normally formed from sheet metal, preferably brass
or stainless steel, as these do not corrode.
A flow-measuring
system has a weir wall bounded on a front face by a body of water and having a
rear face and a top edge over which water from the body flows. A structure
generally formed as an airfoil is mounted on the top edge such that water
flowing over the weir wall must flow over the structure.
Weirs can be timber, concrete or metal and must always be oriented
at right angles to the stream flow. Siting of the weir should be at a point
where the stream is straight and free from eddies. Upstream, the distance
between the point of measurement and the crest of the weir should be at least
twice the maximum head to be measured. There should be no obstructions to flow
near the notch and the weir must be perfectly sealed against leakage.
Temporary measuring weirs are used for short-term or dry-seasoned
measurements and are usually constructed from wood and staked into the bank and
stream bed.
Once set up, this method provides an instant measurement of the
flow at any time. It depends on a fixed relationship between the water level
and the flow at a particular section of the stream. This section (the contour
section) is calibrated by taking readings of water levels and flow (stage and
discharge) for a few different water levels, covering the range of flows of
interest, so as to build up a stage-discharge curve.
During calibration the
flow does not have to be measured at the contour section itself. Readings can
be taken either upstream or downstream using, for instance, a temporary weir,
as long as no water enters or leaves the stream in between. The stage-discharge
curve should be updated each year. A calibrated staff is then fixed in the
stream and the water level indicated corresponds to a river flow rate which can
be read off the stage-discharge curve.
3. 'Salt gulp' method
The `salt gulp' method of flow measurement is adapted from
dilution gauging methods with radioactive tracers used for rivers. It has
proved easy to accomplish, reasonably accurate (error< 7 %), and reliable in
a wide range of stream types. It gives better results the more turbulent the
stream. Using this approach, a spot check of stream flow can be taken in less
than 10 minutes with very little equipment.
A bucket of heavily salted water is poured into the stream. The
cloud of salty water in the stream starts to spread out while travelling
downstream. At a certain point downstream it will have filled the width of the
stream. The cloud will have a leading part which is weak in salt, a middle part
which is strong in salt and a lagging part which is weak again. The saltiness
(salinity) of the water can be measured with an electrical conductivity meter.
If the stream is small, it will not dilute the salt very much, so the
electrical conductivity of the cloud (which is greater the saltier the water)
will be high. Therefore low flows are indicated by high conductivity and vice
versa. The flow rate is therefore inversely proportional to the degree of
conductivity of the cloud.
The above argument assumes that the cloud passes the probe in the
same time in each case. But the slower the flow, the longer the cloud takes to
pass the probe. Thus flow is also inversely proportional to the cloud-passing
time. Detailed mathematics will not be covered here because the conductivity
meter is usually supplied with detailed instructions.
The equipment needed for `salt gulp' flow measurement is:
- a bucket,
- pure table salt,
- a thermometer (range 0 - 40°
C),
- a conductivity meter (range
0-1000 mS),
- an electrical integrator
(Optional).
The bucket method is a simple way of measuring flow in very small
streams. The entire flow is diverted into a bucket or barrel and the time for
the container to fill is recorded. The flow rate is obtained simply by dividing
the volume of the container by the filling time. Flows of up to 20 l/s can be
measured using a 200-litre oil barrel.
5. Float method
The principle of all velocity-area methods is that flow Q equals
the mean velocity Vmeans times cross-sectional A:
Q=A × Vmean (m3/s)
One way of using this principle is for the cross-sectional profile
of a stream bed to be charted and an average cross-section established for a
known length of stream. A series of floats, perhaps convenient pieces of wood,
are then timed over a measured length of stream. Results are averaged and a
flow velocity is obtained. This velocity must then be reduced by a correction
factor which estimates the mean velocity as opposed to the surface velocity. By
multiplying averaged and corrected flow velocity, the volume flow rate can be
estimated.
6. Current meters
These
consist of a shaft with a propeller or revolving cups connected to the end. The
propeller is free to rotate and the speed of rotation is related to the stream
velocity. A simple mechanical counter records the number of revolutions of a
propeller placed at a desired depth. By averaging readings taken evenly
throughout the cross section, an average speed can be obtained which is more
accurate than with the float method.
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