GATE FOR FREE SPILLWAY WEIRS

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a gate for free spillway weirs according to the preamble of claim 1.

Background Art

[0002] Excluding means involving a major risk such as sandbags, flashboards and fuse plugs, the current practice when designing overspill dams is such that the designer has to choose between free, gated and fuse gated spillways.

[0003] Free spillways are extremely reliable but do not allow operating dams to their full storage capacity.

[0004] Gated spillways, such as conventional and inflatable gates, allow operating dams to their full storage capacity but are not fully reliable, because 30% of gate dam failures are due to a malfunctioning of gates.

[0005] A particular type of floodgates is known as fusegates, which are arranged side-by-side on a weir to form a watertight barrier in order to store water. In case of huge floods, they are configured to automatically tip and be washed away in order to protect the dam from being overtopped and/or to prevent the flooding of the reservoir banks. Typically, each gate is configured to tip at a predetermined flood level, so that multiple gates can be configured to gradually open as the flood level is rising.
Therefore, fusegate spillways are the preferred choice when the probability of an overturning of the gate is low. However, it is particularly desirable to reduce the effect of abnormal loads, such as floating debris, or external parameters, such as civil engineering spillway tolerances, on the reliability of the gate. It is also particularly desirable to be in a position to precisely set the gate stability.

[0006] Document US 5032038 (A) discloses a fusegate on the sill of a spillway comprising at least one heavy element, said fusegate being capable of resisting the water loads when spilling moderate heads (for discharging the floods of shorter recurrence intervals) by virtue of their own weight but breaching by overturning at a predetermined head corresponding to a level not higher than a predetermined maximum water level in order to discharge larger floods.

[0007] Document US 2011/229268 A1 discloses a generic gate for free spillway weirs according to the preamble of claim 1.

Extended Description of the Invention

[0008] The problem solved by the present invention is to further develop a gate for free spillway weirs according to the preamble of claim 1, so that the gate is improved with respect to its stability.
This problem is solved by a gate for free spillway weirs comprising the features of claim 1. Preferable embodiments are set forth in the dependent claims.

[0009] The gate for free spillway weirs according to the invention is provided by the features of claim 1.

[0010] Compared to conventional fusegates, such a gate is more stable at all water levels, because it requires the additional overturning moment of the water inside the wall chamber. Therefore, the gate is less likely to accidently tip when heavy objects, e.g. tree trunks, traveling with the current at flood levels between the retaining and the flood level hit the gate.

[0011] It is particularly advantageous that the wall chamber of the gate is capable of being flooded in association with the bottom chamber. Thus, the additional overturning moment on the central barrier wall due to the water flooding the wall chamber can be controlled.

[0012] Preferably, the gate is capable of tipping when flood water has filled the wall chamber to at least a predetermined level. Depending on the predetermined level, the quantity of water inside the wall chamber necessary for the gate to tip can be set. The higher the quantity of water required is, the more stable the gate is up to the flood level, whereas the lower the quantity of water required is, the faster and more reliably the gate turns.

[0013] Further advantageous is that the inlet of the gate is capable of filling the wall chamber and then the bottom chamber. In this way, the necessary additional overturning moment of the water inside the wall chamber is achieved before the bottom chamber is filled, which leads to a faster tipping of the gate once the bottom chamber is filled.

[0014] It is particularly advantageous that a partitioning structure of the gate divides the space within the wall structure into the wall chamber and flow-through means leading to the bottom chamber. The main reason for this is to improve the compactness of the gate and integrate this necessary component together with the wall chamber into one easily sealable wall structure.

[0015] Preferably, the partitioning structure is a partitioning wall extending upwards inside the wall structure. Such a partitioning wall is sufficient to efficiently delimit a wall chamber inside the wall structure.

[0016] According to the invention, the wall structure extends from the top of the central barrier wall in a direction towards the bottom chamber. Since the top of the inclined central barrier wall is farthest from the tipping axis of the gate, it is desirable to increase the lever of the flooded wall chamber by placing it at the top of the central barrier wall in order to maximize the achievable overturning moment.

[0017] Further, according to the invention, the wall structure extends substantially along the entire central barrier wall. Thus, the capacity of the wall chamber can be further maximized, which results in a greater additional overturning moment.

[0018] Furthermore, according to the invention, the wall chamber extends substantially in parallel to the central barrier wall. Thereby, the direction of the hydrostatic force of the body of water corresponds to the inclination of a conventional gate without the wall chamber.

[0019] Furthermore, according to the invention, the inlet is integral with the wall structure. Thereby, the inlet can lead water directly to the wall chamber.

[0020] Particularly advantageous is that the wall structure is integral with the bottom structure. Such an arrangement renders the gate very compact and also offers the possibility to maximize the capacity of the wall chamber in a downward direction.

[0021] Preferably, a top plate of the bottom chamber constitutes a bottom of the wall chamber. Such a close arrangement of bottom and wall chamber benefits the compactness of the gate and at the same time maximizes the capacity of both chambers.

[0022] It is further advantageous that the bottom chamber is capable of being filled with water from the wall chamber through a hole in the top plate. The positive effect is that external connecting means leading from one chamber to the other are not necessary.

[0023] Particularly advantageous is that the wall chamber has a drain hole that is capable of releasing water in case of rain, spindrift or wave to the bottom chamber or to the outside of the gate away from the body of water. Such a drain hole prevents the wall chamber from being accidentally filled with water and flooded before the actual flood conditions occur.

[0024] It is further advantageous that the bottom chamber has a drain hole that is capable of releasing water to the outside of the gate away from the body of water with a significantly lower maximum water throughput than the water throughput for flooding the wall chamber and the bottom chamber, and wherein the section of the drain hole of the wall chamber is smaller than the section of the drain hole of the bottom chamber. The advantage of this is that such a drain hole is big enough to remove water accidentally entered through the inlet, e.g. rain water, and at the same time small enough to not affect the functioning of the gate at flood conditions.

[0025] Preferably, a ballast block on top of the bottom structure assists the holding of the barrier in its water retaining position. The ballast block allows the gate to be stably installed on the weir when the body of water is still absent. Also, such ballast blocks can be easily made in different sizes, materials and weights such that each gate depending on the flood level at which it is intended to tip can be balanced precisely by a balance block while the more complex structures of the gate, e.g. the bottom structure, remain basically unchanged.

Brief Description of the Drawing

[0026] Fig. 1 shows an embodiment of the gate in a perspective view.

Description of the Embodiment

[0027] Fig. 1 shows a steel gate 1 on a flat free spillway weir 2 in an upright, water retaining position. The gate 1 has, as a main component, a barrier 3 with an U-shape being open towards a body of water W and extending upwards to a predetermined retaining level RL. The barrier 3 is formed by a central barrier wall 4 that is inclined in a direction away from the body of water W and two side barrier walls 5, 6 that are perpendicular to the weir 2. Toe abutments 100 are fixedly connected to the weir 2 and abut against the central barrier wall 4 on its side facing away from the body of water W.

[0028] A bottom structure 7 is located within the barrier 3 at a lower portion of the gate 1 and close to the weir 2. The bottom structure 7 has: a top plate 9 that extends in parallel to the weir 2 and along the barrier 3; and a back plate 10 that extends from the free end of the top plate 9 along the free ends of the side barrier walls 5, 6 to the weir 2. A ballast block 11 is placed on top of the top plate 9 at its free end. The bottom structure 7 is watertightly welded to the barrier 3 such that it delimits a bottom chamber 8 by the weir 2 and the barrier 3. The bottom chamber 8 has two holes 20, 22: a drain hole 22 cut out in the bottom of the central barrier wall 4; and a hole 20 in the top plate 9 close to the central barrier wall 4.

[0029] A wall structure 12 extends from the top plate 9 of the bottom structure along the central barrier wall 4. The wall structure 12 has: a wall plate 15 that extends from the top plate 9 upwards between the side barrier walls 5, 6 and substantially in parallel to and along the entire central barrier wall 4 to the top edge of the central barrier wall 4; and a partitioning wall 16 that extends from the top plate 9 upwards between the central barrier wall 4 and the wall plate 15 and in parallel to the side barrier walls 5, 6 to a predetermined height. The wall structure 12 is watertightly welded to the top plate 9, the side barrier walls 5, 6 and the upper edge of the central barrier wall 4. The partitioning wall 16 is displaced towards the one side barrier wall 5 and divides the space inside the wall structure 12 into a bigger wall chamber 13 and a smaller flow-through shaft 14. The wall chamber 13 and the flow-through shaft 14 are connected through a bigger opening between the upper edge of the partitioning wall 16 and the wall plate 15 and a smaller drain hole 21 cut-out in the bottom of the partitioning wall 16. The hole 20 in the top plate 9 leads to the flow-through shaft 14 and thereby connects the wall chamber 13 and the bottom chamber 8.

[0030] An inlet 17 extends upwards from the top of the wall structure 12 and symmetrically to the side barrier walls 5, 6. The inlet 17 is welded to the wall plate 15 and has an upper opening 18 beneath a predetermined flood level FL and a lower opening 19 leading through the wall plate 15 to the wall chamber 13.

[0031] The operation of the gate of the first embodiment is as follows:

When the level of the body of water W is below a flood level FL, the gate 1 shown in Fig. 1 is in the upright position. In this position, the water pressure of the body of water W exercised on the bottom structure 7 is enough to press the bottom structure 7 against the weir 2 and thereby hold the gate 1 in its upright position. As soon as the body of water has reached the predetermined flood level FL, water enters through the upper opening 18 of the inlet 17 and fills through the lower opening 19 of the inlet 17 the wall chamber 13. When the water inside the wall chamber 13 has reached the predetermined height of the partitioning wall 16, it overflows the upper edge of the partitioning wall 16 and flows through the flow-through shaft 14 and the hole 20 in the top plate 9 into the bottom chamber 8. As the bottom chamber 8 is filled, the water pressure on the bottom structure 7 holding the gate 1 is being offset. Thus, the hydrostatic pressure of the body of water W acting on the wall plate 15 and the additional overturning moment of the filled wall chamber 13 cause the gate 1 to tip over the toe abutments 100.

Claims

1. A gate (1) for free spillway weirs, comprising:

a barrier (3) capable of retaining a body of water (W) at a predetermined retaining level (RL) with a central barrier wall (4) that is inclined in a direction away from the body of water (W);

a bottom structure (7) beneath the body of water (W) that is capable of delimiting by a weir (2) a bottom chamber (8) filled with air and holding the barrier (3) in its water retaining position by the water pressure exercised on said bottom structure (7); and

a wall structure (12) extending from the top of the central barrier wall (4) in a direction towards the bottom chamber (8) and forming a wall chamber (13) on the central barrier wall (4), wherein the wall structure (12) extends substantially along the entire central barrier wall (4), and wherein the wall chamber (13) is capable of being flooded so as to assist the tipping of the gate (1),

characterized by

an inlet (17) extending beyond the retaining level (RL) of the barrier (3) with an upper opening (18) beneath a predetermined flood level (FL) that allows water to flood the wall chamber (13) and the bottom chamber (8) so as to offset the water pressure on the bottom structure and thereby allow a tipping of the gate, wherein the inlet (17) is integral with the wall structure (12) and leading directly to the wall chamber (13) that extends substantially in parallel to the central barrier wall (4).

2. A gate (1) according to claim 1, wherein the wall chamber (13) is capable of being flooded in association with the bottom chamber (8).

3. A gate (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the gate (1) is capable of tipping when flood water has filled the wall chamber (13) to at least a predetermined level.

4. A gate (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the inlet (17) is capable of filling the wall chamber (13) and then the bottom chamber (8).

5. A gate (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a partitioning structure (16) divides the space within the wall structure (12) into the wall chamber (13) and flow-through means (14) leading to the bottom chamber (8).

6. A gate (1) according to claim 5, wherein the partitioning structure (16) is a partitioning wall (16) extending upwards inside the wall structure (12).

7. A gate (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the wall structure (12) is integral with the bottom structure (7).

8. A gate (1) according to claim 7, wherein a top plate (9) of the bottom chamber (8) constitutes a bottom of the wall chamber (13).

9. A gate (1) according to claim 8, wherein the bottom chamber (8) is capable of being filled with water from the wall chamber (13) through a hole (20) in the top plate (9).

10. A gate (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the wall chamber (13) has a drain hole (21) that is capable of releasing water in case of rain, spindrift or wave.

11. A gate (1) according to claim 10, wherein the bottom chamber (8) has a drain hole (22) that is capable of releasing water to the outside of the gate (1) away from the body of water (W) with a significantly lower maximum water throughput than the water throughput for flooding the wall chamber (13) and the bottom chamber (8), and wherein the section of the drain hole (21) of the wall chamber is smaller than the section of the drain hole (22) of the bottom chamber.

Ansprüche

1. Schleusentor (1) für freie Überlaufwehre, mit
einer Sperre (3), die imstande ist, eine Wassermasse (W) bei einem vorgegebenen Staupegel (RL) mit einer zentralen Sperrwand (4) zu stauen, die in einer Richtung weg von der Wassermasse (W) geneigt ist;
einer Bodenstruktur (7) unterhalb der Wassermasse (W), die imstande ist, durch ein Wehr (2) eine mit Luft gefüllte Bodenkammer (8) zu begrenzen und die Sperre (3) in ihrer Wasserstauposition durch den auf die Bodenstruktur (7) ausgeübten Wasserdruck zu halten; und
einer Wandstruktur (12), die sich von dem oberen Ende der zentralen Sperrwand (4) in einer Richtung auf die Bodenkammer (8) zu erstreckt und eine Wandkammer (13) an der zentralen Sperrwand (4) bildet, wobei sich die Wandstruktur (12) im Wesentlichen entlang der gesamten zentralen Sperrwand (4) erstreckt, und wobei die Wandkammer (13) imstande ist, geflutet zu werden, um das Kippen des Schleusentors (1) zu unterstützen,
gekennzeichnet durch
einen Einlass (17), der sich über den Staupegel (RL) der Sperre (3) mit einer oberen Öffnung (18) unterhalb eines vorgegebenen Hochwasserpegels (FL) erstreckt, der es einem Wasser ermöglicht, die Wandkammer (13) und die Bodenkammer (8) zu fluten, um den Wasserdruck auf die Bodenstruktur auszugleichen und dadurch ein Kippen des Schleusentors zu ermöglichen, wobei der Einlass (17) mit der Wandstruktur (12) einstückig ist und direkt zu der Wandkammer (13) führt, die sich im Wesentlichen parallel zu der zentralen Sperrwand (4) erstreckt.

2. Schleusentor (1) nach Anspruch 1, wobei die Wandkammer (13) imstande ist, zusammen mit der Bodenkammer (8) geflutet zu werden.

3. Schleusentor (1) nach Anspruch 1 oder 2, wobei das Schleusentor imstande ist, zu kippen, wenn Hochwasser die Wandkammer (13) bis zu mindestens einem vorgegebenen Pegel geflutet hat.

4. Schleusentor (1) nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 3, wobei der Einlass (17) imstande ist, die Wandkammer (13) und dann die Bodenkammer (8) zu füllen.

5. Schleusentor (1) nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 4, wobei eine Trennstruktur (16) den Raum innerhalb der Wandstruktur (12) in die Wandkammer (13) und eine Durchflusseinrichtung (14) teilt, die zu der Bodenkammer (8) führt.

6. Schleusentor (1) nach Anspruch 5, wobei die Trennstruktur (16) eine Trennwand (16) ist, die sich nach oben innerhalb der Wandstruktur (12) erstreckt.

7. Schleusentor (1) nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 6, wobei die Wandstruktur (12) mit der Bodenstruktur (7) einstückig ist.

8. Schleusentor (1) nach Anspruch 7, wobei eine Deckplatte (9) der Bodenkammer (8) einen Boden der Wandkammer (13) darstellt.

9. Schleusentor (1) nach Anspruch 8, wobei die Bodenkammer (8) imstande ist, mit Wasser aus der Wandkammer (13) durch ein Loch (20) in der Deckplatte (9) gefüllt zu werden.

10. Schleusentor (1) nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 9, wobei die Wandkammer (13) ein Ablaufloch (21) hat, das imstande ist, Wasser im Falle von Regen, Gischt oder einer Welle abzulassen.

11. Schleusentor (1) nach Anspruch 10, wobei die Bodenkammer (8) ein Ablaufloch (22) hat, das imstande ist, Wasser nach Außerhalb des Schleusentors (1) weg von der Wassermasse (W) mit einem wesentlich niedrigeren maximalen Wasserdurchsatz als der Wasserdurchsatz zum Fluten der Wandkammer (13) und der Bodenkammer (8) abzulassen, und wobei der Querschnitt des Ablauflochs (21) der Wandkammer kleiner ist als der Querschnitt des Ablauflochs (22) der Bodenkammer.

Revendications

1. Porte (1) pour déversoir d'évacuateur libre, comprenant :

une barrière (3) capable de retenir un corps d'eau (W) à un niveau de retenue prédéterminé (RL) avec une paroi de barrière centrale (4) qui est inclinée dans une direction éloignée du corps de l'eau (W) ;

une structure inférieure (7) sous le corps d'eau (W) qui est capable de délimiter, par un déversoir (2), une chambre inférieure (8) remplie d'air et de retenir la barrière (3) dans sa position de retenue d'eau par la pression de l'eau exercée sur ladite structure inférieure (7) ; et

une structure de paroi (12) s'étendant depuis le haut de la paroi de barrière centrale (4) dans une direction vers la chambre inférieure (8) et formant une chambre de paroi (13) sur la paroi de barrière centrale (4), dans laquelle la structure de paroi (12) s'étend sensiblement le long de toute la paroi de barrière centrale (4) et dans laquelle la chambre de paroi (13) est capable d'être inondée de façon à aider à l'inclinaison de la porte (1),

caractérisée par

une entrée (17) s'étendant au-delà du niveau de retenue (RL) de la barrière (3) avec une ouverture supérieure (18) sous un niveau d'inondation prédéterminé (FL) qui permet à l'eau d'inonder la chambre de paroi (13) et la chambre inférieure (8), de façon à décaler la pression d'eau sur la structure inférieure et permettre ainsi une inclinaison de la porte, dans laquelle l'entrée (17) est d'un seul tenant avec la structure de paroi (12) et menant directement à la chambre de paroi (13) qui s'étend sensiblement parallèlement à la paroi de barrière centrale (4).

2. Porte (1) selon la revendication 1, dans laquelle la chambre de paroi (13) est capable d'être inondée en association avec la chambre inférieure (8).

3. Porte (1) selon la revendication 1 ou 2, dans laquelle la porte (1) est capable de s'incliner quand l'eau d'inondation a rempli la chambre de paroi (13) à au moins un niveau prédéterminé.

4. Porte (1) selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 3, dans laquelle l'entrée (17) est capable de remplir la chambre de paroi (13) puis la chambre inférieure (8).

5. Porte (1) selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 4, dans laquelle une structure de séparation (16) divise l'espace dans la structure de paroi (12) dans la chambre de paroi (13) et des moyens de traversée de flux (14) menant à la chambre inférieure (8).

6. Porte (1) selon la revendication 5, dans laquelle la structure de séparation (16) est une paroi de séparation (16) s'étendant vers le haut à l'intérieur de la structure de paroi (12).

7. Porte (1) selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 6, dans laquelle la structure de paroi (12) est d'un seul tenant avec la structure inférieure (7).

8. Porte (1) selon la revendication 7, dans laquelle une plaque supérieure (9) de la chambre inférieure (8) constitue un fond de la chambre de paroi (13).

9. Porte (1) selon la revendication 8, dans laquelle la chambre inférieure (8) est capable d'être remplie avec de l'eau provenant de la chambre de paroi (13) à travers un trou (20) dans la plaque supérieure (9).

10. Porte (1) selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 9, dans laquelle la chambre de paroi (13) a un orifice de vidange (21) capable de libérer de l'eau en cas de pluie, d'embruns marins ou de vague.

11. Porte (1) selon la revendication 10, dans laquelle la chambre inférieure (8) a un orifice de vidange (22) capable de libérer de l'eau à l'extérieur de la porte (1) loin du corps d'eau (W) avec un rendement d'eau maximum nettement inférieur au rendement d'eau pour inonder la chambre de paroi (13) et la chambre inférieure (8) et dans laquelle la section de l'orifice de vidange (21) de la chambre de paroi est inférieure à la section de l'orifice de vidange (22) de la chambre inférieure.

Drawing