ZANCO Journal of Pure and Applied

Sciences TYPE Original Research

DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.21271/ZJPAS.36.3.4

OPEN ACCESS
of Rectangular Sharp Crested Weir Flow
*CORRESPONDENCE using ANSYS – FLUENT
Pshtiwan O.Zaid,

[email protected] Bruska S. Mamand1, Pshtiwan O. Zaid2*

1,2
RECEIVED :20 /05/ 2023 Department of Water Resources Engineering, College of Engineering, Salahaddin
ACCEPTED: 06/01/ 2024 University-Erbil, Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq.
PUBLISHED: 15/ 06/ 2024

A weir is a structure consisting of an obstruction such as a dam that built across the
open channel to change its flow characteristics. In the present study, a total 12
KEY WORDS:
experiments were done in the laboratory of civil engineering department inside an
Rectangular Sharp crested open channel with 20 cm width and installing full width rectangular sharp crested
weir, Experimental work, weirs. Then the numerical runs were validated with experimental findings and
Water surface profile, Ansys- additional runs were done. The implementation of Numerical Methods A volume of
Fluent. fluid (VOF) model was created for the situation when water and air are in direct
contact with one another. Three distinct k-epsilon turbulence models were examined
[standard, RNG, and realizable]. According to mass balance data, the greatest error in
experimental measurements between the main channel's input and outlet discharges
does not exceed 9.542%. Furthermore, average percentage of error between
numerical and experimental outlet discharges for standard, RNG and realizable k-
epsilon method was 7.235, 5.489 and 7.301 respectively. Cd increased with increasing
the ratio of (H1/P). The water surface will be stable along 2 m of upstream channel
length upstream of the sharp crested weir, and the longitudinal water levels will
decrease slightly over the weir with a curved profile, as determined experimentally and
numerically.

The Validation
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 Mamand & Zaid ZJPAS (2020) , 32(1);27-34 .

1.Introduction volume of fraction (VOF). (Zaid, P.O., 2022)

In general, a sharp crested weir is a simple type used ANSYS-FLUENT, based on Finite Volume
of overflow dam. In the lab, it is used as a Method combined with Volume of Fluid to
structure for measuring the flow rate. It can be capture free-surface flow properties is to model
used in many areas of everyday life, like industry the hydraulics of skimming flow through uniform
and water systems. stepped spillways with moderate chute slope 26°
The most recent efforts to represent two-phase in 45 different cases to find the performance of
flow with the fluent code are presented in the flow over stepped spillway. (Zaid, P.O. and Abo,
aforementioned literature review (Pavel and A.A, 2023) worked on CFD method to find the
Fakultastrojni, 2008). In addition to an explicit location of inception point on stepped spillway for
volume of fluid (VOF) model, other critical different size, shape, and angle of steps.
simulation parameters were integrated, including (Malekzadeh et al., 2022)demonstrate numerical
the pressure velocity relation, the discretization simulation with ANSYS FLUENT software. There
scheme body force weighted for pressure, and are 432 simulations in all, with 4 upstream
the second order upwind for momentum. The k- slopes, 4 downstream slopes, 3 weir heights, 3
turbulence model was used by (Ramamurthy et upstream heads (h1), and 3 weir crest lengths.
al., 2009) to predict the distributions of pressure They discovered that the slope of the
heads, velocities, and water surface profiles that downstream face had no influence on Cd. Cd
characterize a flow. The flow behavior of a sharp- rises for 0.1 H1/w 0.4 by reducing the upstream
crested weir in a rectangular open channel may slope, where H1 is the water head on the weir
be predicted using the well-known k- turbulence crest and w is the length of the crest. In addition,
model. The free surface's form may be over the same range, reducing the height of the
determined using the volume of fluid (VOF) weir (p) increases the Cd. For 0.16 H1/p 2, the
method. Over a rectangular sharp crested weir, Cd increases as the length of the crest
flow and a method for estimating the discharge diminishes. Multivariable regression equations
coefficient were examined in (Mahtabi, G. and for estimating Cd are provided by comparing
Arvanaghi, H., 2018). The importance of numerical simulation findings to practical data.
investigating velocity vectors and pressure (Singh and Sen, 2023)investigates the influence
patterns across rectangular sharp-crested weirs of a short-crested trapezoidal weir's downstream
in three-dimensional space has been underlined. slope on its flow hydraulics and conveyance
(Hadi and Navid, 2013) used both experimental capabilities. Aside from channeling water to a
and numerical data to investigate the impact of canal, irrigation barrages and weirs aid in
the weir height, the Froude number, and the monitoring river discharge, which is a function of
Reynolds number on the weir discharge upstream and downstream water levels. For
coefficient. The free surface profile of a huge discharges during floods, the gates of a
rectangular broad crested weir was calculated by barrage are opened to allow for an unregulated
(Hossein and Hooman, 2013) using a flow that may be free or submerged depending
Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model and on the downstream water level. Although
a laboratory model. Triangular labyrinth weirs, a previous research on uncontrolled flows
non-linear weir used to control free flow over low- acknowledged the effect of a weir's upstream
width weirs, have been studied (Mahmoud Reza slope on the coefficient of discharge, this study
et al., 2015). (Ghorban and Hadi, 2018) looked at proves that it is also influenced by the
free-flow experiments with sharp-crested weirs. downstream slope of a weir.
The flow over a steep crested weir was simulated 2. THEORITICAL CONSIDERATIONS:
using a three-dimensional numerical model 2.1 Discharge Equation and Dimensional
(Hamid et al., 2020). The velocity and surface Analysis
properties of the simulated data were compared By assuming a rectangular weir with a length (L)
to the experimental data.The investigation used equal to the width (B) of a rectangular channel
three distinct k-turbulence models based on the (i.e., L = B), the discharge equation for free flow

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 Mamand & Zaid ZJPAS (2020) , 32(1);27-34 .

over a sharp-crested weir can be found as a mathematical equations describing fluid flow.
function of the depth of flow upstream of the weir, Numerical modeling used methods like the finite
as measured above the weir crest (H1): volume approach to solve partial differential
2 equations using a variety of computer algorithms.
Q= C d √ 2 g B H 1 . . . .. . . .. . . ... . ... . .(1)
3/ 2
3 Using the FLUENT programme interfaced on
Where C_d is coefficient of discharge. ANSYS V.14, (Zaid, P.O. and Abo, A.A, 2023),
The Buckingham's - theorem was used for we analyzed experimental models of varying weir
assessment of the main variables controlled the heights to determine how to achieve a broad
flow passed on full width rectangular sharp- spectrum of flow characteristics with sharp
crested weir. As shown in Figure 1, the open crested weirs. Navier-Stokes is the name of the
channel width (B), depth of water above the governing equation for fluid motion. As non-linear
sharp crested weir (H1), weir height (P) and the differential equations, these equations have
characteristics of the fluid includes a mass several possible analytical solutions. (Desai and
density () are effects on the discharge Patil, 2015) give the following three-dimensional
coefficient of flow passed over the weir. variant of the Navier-Stokes equation for an
unstable viscous in the x-direction:

∂u 1
+
∂t V F ( u Ax
∂u
∂x
+v A y
∂u
∂y
+w A z
∂z )
∂u −1 ∂ p
=
ρ ∂x
+G x + f x .. ... . .

It is supplemented by the mass conservation

equation:
Lateral Profile
∂u ∂v ∂w
A X+ A y+ A =0 . . .. . . ... . . .. . . .. .(5)
∂x ∂y ∂z z
The momentum equation is:

Figure1: Position of the weir inside rectangular flume

∂
∂t
( ρU i ) +
∂
∂xj
( ρ U i U j )=
−∂ P ∂
+
∂ xi ∂ xi [(μ
∂U i ∂U j
+
∂ x j ∂ xi )]
+ ρ g i+ F .

The basic expressions for the dimensional Where: P = pressure, gr is acceleration due to
analysis are as follows: gravity. μ = μ0 + μt
Qin = f (V1, B, H1, P, ρ, g) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (2) μ0 is viscosity of fluid, μt =turbulence viscosity
and F ‘ is the body force.
After performing the dimensional analysis, the 2.3 Multi-Phase and Turbulence Model
following relations are obtained: Volume of fluid (VOF) surface tracking method.
C d=f ( BP , HP ) . . . . . . . . .. . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . (3)
1
The VOF model was used to track the liquid-gas
(water and air) interphase of two or more
immiscible fluids (i.e., able to mix) (Zaid, P.O.
In ideal fluid flow C d=f ¿ and the variation of C d and Abo, A.A, 2023). FLUENT offers multiple
for rectangular sharp crested weirs is given by turbulence models to solve multiphase systems
the well-known Rehbock formula with distinct transport equations. This research
H1 employed a different k-e model:
(C ¿¿ d=0.611+0.08 ), ¿which is valid for
P
H 1 / P ≤5
2.2 Numerical Theories
This article introduced the fundamental concepts
∂ ( ρk ) ∂ ( ρk u i ) ∂
∂t
+
∂ xi
=
∂xj [( ) ]
μ ∂k
μ+ t
σk ∂ x j
+Gk +Gb −ρε−Y M . . . .. . …

[( ) ]
and practical applications of numerical modeling
for flow over a rectangular sharp-crested weir. ∂ ( ρε ) ∂ ( ρε u i ) ∂ μ ∂ε ε
+ = μ+ t +C 1 ε ( Gk +C 3 ε Gb )−C 2 ε ρ
Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) involved the ∂t ∂ xi ∂ xi σε ∂ x j k
use of numerical techniques to solve

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 Mamand & Zaid ZJPAS (2020) , 32(1);27-34 .

The eddy viscosity is completed by combining k equation by (Sargison, J.E. and Percy, A., 2009)
and ε as follows: as:
2
k
μt =ρ C μ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ( 9) 2.4015
ε Q¿ =0.0194 Hv . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . ... . . .. . . .(10)

2.4 Experimental Setup and Flowrate The discharge at the downstream of the main
Measurements channel (Qout ) can be determined by equation (1)
This investigation made use of the fluid as aforementioned earlier.
mechanics laboratory at the civil engineering
department of a university. Full-width rectangular 3. STEPWISE OF ANSYS FLUENT
sharp crested weirs were used in the 3.1 Creating Geometry
experiments, with the heights (P= 0.1 and 0.12 The FLUENT code, which interfaced with the
m). The main channel, which is 0.2 m wide and ANSYS (14.0) program, was used to build a
0.4 m deep, features a sharp crested weir. variety of different shapes of sharp crested weirs,
Before the weir, the canal is 2 meters in length, which are seen in figure 3
whereas beyond it, it is just 0.75 meters. Perspex
plastic with a thickness of 0.006 m was used to
make the weirs. The experimental setup was
shown in figure 2.

Figure 3. Geometry of an open channel and full width weir.

3.2 Defining Mesh
The present investigation employs an automated
mesh approach to compute mesh grids
Figure 2. Open channel and sharp crested weir. a) Side view, b) Top throughout a solid domain, as seen in Figure 4.
view. The mesh size used in this study was 0.0075 m,
Table 2 1: different runs for different P and flows which was tiny enough to guarantee that flow
No. Qin (L/s) P (m) characteristics were dispersed throughout all
1 3.085 0.1 fields. Findings compared to previous
2 6.027 0.1 experimental information. The ''Fixed'' setting in
3 9.08 0.1
4 12.05 0.1 the advanced sizing menu was activated, and
5 15.07 0.1 high smoothness was chosen for the size.
6 18.11 0.1
7 21.12 0.1
8 9 0.12
9 12 0.12
10 15 0.12
11 18 0.12
12 21 0.12
Downstream of the main tank, a v-notch weir was
built to quantify Qin, or the total discharge into the
main canal. The water depth at upstream of the Figure 4. Mesh defining of rectangular channel and sharp crested
weir was measured (Hv) and the total channel weir.
discharge can be calculated according to below 3.3 Setting Boundary Conditions

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Figure5 illustrates and clarifies the boundary the precision of the experimental point gauge
conditions at several locations. both contribute to this inaccuracy. As can be
• The inlet section, where water only flows seen in Figure 6, the mass balance between the
into the channel, was used to establish the inlet inflow and outflow discharges was accurately
border, and the inlet water depth and inlet predicted by the numerical models used to
velocity magnitude were determined compute the flow parameters across the weir.
experimentally. Place it at the domain's intake,
where the air phase first entered at a total
pressure of zero. Unit volume fractions of air and
water were used to get the fluid values.
• The downstream regions where fluid exits
the domain have an outlet border established.
The volume portion of the return flow as a
percentage was also input.
• The ambient limit was set at the channel's
top opening. It was necessary to have air
Figure 6. Residual window and mass balance results.
pressure of zero atmospheres and a volume 4.2 Effect of Turbulence Models
fraction of one unit return flow. Different turbulence models' numerical solutions
• The breadth of the bottom, the sides of the were verified for accuracy. Here, we provide the
channel, and the heights of the weirs were all results of numerical experiments performed on
designed to be immovable walls that prevent three different k-epsilon turbulence models
flow, and the walls are smooth and no slippery. (standard, random number generator, and
realizable). Seven distinct experimental
discharges were simulated. Figure 7 shows the
relationship between inlet and outlet channel
discharges for the three k-e approaches that
were examined. These techniques verify the
accuracy of the numerical answers by comparing
them to real-world experiments. The proportion
of the difference between upstream and
downstream discharge in the main channel is
Figure 5. Locations of boundary conditions.
modest enough to be ignored.

The variables k and epsilon were used to define

the inlet and outlet borders, and the body force
weighted for pressure approach and the second
order upwind technique were utilized to solve the
finite volume equations for the mass, momentum,
and turbulence models, respectively.
4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Figure 7. Comparison of k-e turbulence models with experimental data for
4.1 Discharge Calculation and Mass P =10 cm.
Balance Figure 8 further shows that the average percent
The flow flowing over the steep crested weir error between numerical and experimental outlet
(Qout) is reliable since mass balancing studies discharges was 7.235 for the conventional
reveal that the highest error in the experimental technique, 5.489 for the RNG method, and 7.301
measurements between the inflow and outflow for the realizable k- epsilon method. This finding
discharges of the main channel does not exceed explains why the RNG k-e model, the best model
9.542%. The roughness of the channel bed and for solving flow in the channel passed over the

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 Mamand & Zaid ZJPAS (2020) , 32(1);27-34 .

steep crested weir, has such a tiny average Figure 9. 3D view of water volume fraction.
percent of error. When compared to other runs,
the standard and realizable k-e technique was Discharge values were observed to vary over a
only slightly off from one another, with the weir of varying heights. Several k-e turbulence
biggest % error. models with varying run discharges were shown
Table 4 1:Error comparison of two types of k-epsilon turbulence
models in a series of images for visual comparison. From
RNG k-e Standard k-e Figure 10, the x-axis of the graph represents the
Qin Qout % Qout % distance from the inlet channel boundary and y-
Qin(L/s)
(L/s) (L/s) error (L/s) error axis represents the water height from the bottom
3.075 3.158 11.048 3.080 3.041 6.909 of the channel. The water surface will be stable
5.996 6.227 6.911 6.016 6.015 3.280 for 2 meters upstream of the sharp crested weir,
9.064 9.371 2.036 9.064 9.048 5.419 and then the longitudinal water levels will
11.979 12.408 6.369 11.979 11.942 9.885 decrease slightly over the weir with a curved top,
14.959 15.526 6.825 14.959 14.882 10.687 as shown in the detailed water surface profile
18.076 18.788 4.399 18.075 17.962 8.600 both upstream and downstream.
21.081 21.799 0.832 21.081 20.692 5.867

Figure 8. Error comparison of two types of k-epsilon turbulence models

4.3 Water Surface Profile
The longitudinal profile of the water's surface is
presented here for a subcritical flow regime
within the main channel. The experiments are
crucial for determining the numerical outcomes,
as was previously described. Water volume
fraction contours were drawn for numerical
studies, as illustrated in Figure 9. The depth
readings were obtained near the middle of the
main channel. In which a polyline representing
water levels was drawn using contours of water
volume fraction projected on a rectangle plane.
Three different k- e turbulence models (Standard,
RNG, and Realizable) was tested to insure the
suitability of each models.
Figure 9. 3D view of water volume fraction.

4.4 Effect of Dimensionless Parameters

on Discharge Coefficient:
The most effective dimensionless parameter that
affected on the discharge coefficient (Cd) is the
ratio of height of water above weir to the weir

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 Mamand & Zaid ZJPAS (2020) , 32(1);27-34 .

height (H1/P). level during flood seasons, as the streamlines

Figure 11.a, shows results of experimental and contacting the weir wall cause the return flow due
numerical Cd versus H1/P for weir height is 0.1 to recirculation of streamlines. On the other
m. Cd increased with increasing H1/P. in this hand, passing the steep crested weir, the
study, For values of H1/P greater than 0.3, Cd streamlines at the free surface edge were seen
approximately reached the fixed value of 0.62 to to have a rather smooth curvature. The
0.72. In other words, the variation of H1/P had a streamlines were quite far from the weir wall in
great effect on the discharge coefficient when the downstream part, creating a pocket of air.
H1/P>0.3. Almost little difference could be seen
between the numerical and experimental results.
While there were some discrepancies between
the experimental and numerical results, they
were so minor as to be disregarded. These
results indicate that fluent software can simulate
the flow over the weir very well. Similarly, Figure
11.b, shows the variation of Cd for weir height is
0.12 m. Cd increased with increasing H1/P and
also the numerical results were very close to Figure 12. Streamline layout above weir for Q= 21 L/s and P=0.12 m.
experimental data.

Figure 11. Comparison of numerical and experimental Cd for different H1/P.

Figure 13. Face centre of streamlines above weir for Q = 12 L/s and P= 0.1 m.
4.5 Velocity Streamlines
The water entry boundary section was used to 5. CONCLUSIONS
produce sample locations of velocity streamlines, In the present study, both experimental and
which were subsequently dispersed. The main numerical approach used for the investigation of
channel domain's streamlines were classified as rectangular sharp crested weirs. As indicated
surface, intermediate, or bed lines, depending on earlier, experiments are made with a 20 cm width
their depth below the channel's surface. Each of of channel and full width rectangular weir for two
the 25 velocity streamlines of the flow shown in different weir heights. According to the results of
Figure 12 was created so that its dividing points this study the conclusions was summarized to
could be analyzed. Straight lines travel upstream the following points:
from the main channel, over the crested weir, 1. A higher ratio of H1/P resulted in a higher
and onward toward the downstream exit of the discharge coefficient Cd.
main river through a curved descent. 2. When comparing several models for solving
Figure 13, show that the velocity streamlines flow in a channel passed over a steep crested
along the bed curved dramatically to go around weir, the RNG k-epsilon model has the lowest
the weir, which was another interesting thing to average percentage of error.
see. This phenomenon may be useful for 3. The variations in mass between the channel's
determining how deposited sediments in real entrance and its outflow were one of the factors
rivers affect bed level and corresponding water used to evaluate its convergence. Its equilibrium

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 Mamand & Zaid ZJPAS (2020) , 32(1);27-34 .

state should produce a negligible contribution to Desai, R. and Patil, L. (2015). ''Performance Comparison
the entire net flow. of Various Labyrinth Side Weirs' ', International
Journal of Application or Innovation in Engineering &
4. The numerical approach was used to compute Management (IJAIEM), 4 (6), p.68-73.
the flow properties across the sharp crested weir, Hadi A., Navid O. (2013), “Sharp-Crested Weir Discharge
and the residual was reduced to 1*10-5 while Coefficient; Journal of Civil Engineering and
maintaining a highly accurate mass balance Urbanism. 3, Issue 3: 87-91 (2013)
between the intake and outlet. Hossein A. and Seyed H. (2013), “Experimental and 3-D
Numerical Simulation of Flow over a Rectangular
Funding Broad- Crested Weir” International Journal of
These studies have not been supported Engineering and Advanced Technology (IJEAT)
financially. ISSN: 2249 – 8958, Volume-2, Issue-6.
Mahmoud R. and Mohammad T. (2015), “Numerical
Acknowledgments Modeling of Sharp-Crested Triangular Plan Form
The authors wish to thank the staff at the Weirs Using FLUENT” Indian Journal of Science and
animal care facilities at Case Western Reserve Technology, 8(34), DOI:
University for their expert assistance with the 10.17485/ijst/2015/v8i34/78200,
care of the animals. The authors also wish to Mahtabi, G. and Arvanaghi, H., 2018. Experimental and
thank Dr. James N. Bates (CMO, Atelerix Life numerical analysis of flow over a rectangular full-
width sharp-crested weir. Water Science and
Sciences) for his help with clinical perspectives Engineering, 11(1), pp.75-80.
related to the present findings. Hamid and Rasoul (2020), “Three dimensional flow
Conflict of interest simulation over a sharp-crested V-Notch weir” Flow
The authors declare that the research was Measurement and Instrumentation, Volume 71 DOI:
conducted in the absence of any commercial or 10.1016/j.flowmeasinst.2019.101684, 101684
Ramamurthy R. Tadayon Z. (2009) “Numerical simulation
financial relationships that could be construed of sharp-crested weir flow” canadian Journal of Civil
as a potential conflict of interest. Engineering 36(9):1530-1534.
Publisher’s note Zaid, P.O., 2022. Hydraulic Performance of Moderate
All claims expressed in this article are solely Stepped Spillway using ANSYS-FLUENT Software
those of the authors and do not necessarily (Master thesis, Salahaddin University-Erbil).
Zaid, P.O. and Abo, A.A., (2023). Determination the
represent those of their affiliated organizations, Location of an Air Inception Point for Different
or those of the publisher, the editors and the Configurations of Stepped Spillways using CFD.
reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated Malekzadeh, F., Salmasi, F., Abraham, J. and Arvanaghi,
in this article, or claim that may be made by its H., 2022. Numerical investigation of the effect of
manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed geometric parameters on discharge coefficients for
broad-crested weirs with sloped upstream and
by the publisher. downstream faces. Applied Water Science, 12(5),
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