| Abstract: | In construction of high dams, design of a middle-pier, placed in a discharge tunnel to divide it into two parts, is a better choice that could breakthrough the limits of the manufacture and operation of the gate due to the high head to it. However, cavitation and water-wing, a kind of flow striking the top and side walls of the tunnel, induced by the middle-pier, may take place and bring about bad effects on operation of the tunnel. The experiments of the six comparing plans were conducted, consisting of atmospheric and vacuum tank models, and the interesting areas included relationships between discharges and reservoir levels, measurements of side wall pressures, comparisons of water-wing states for the various middle-piers, estimations of the incipient cavitation numbers and the flow cavitation numbers, and analyses of cavitation characteristics for the tunnel. A kind of new bodily form of middle-pier was developed. Water-wing states were better improved and non-cavitation conditions were satisfied. |
