Bottom rack intake improvement as a fluid physics application through a computational fluid dynamics model

Abstract

This research focuses on improving the hydraulic behavior of a traditionally design bottom rack intake, from variations in roughness parameters, free height, and the inclusion of chamfers, establishing a contribution to the contrast between classical physics and the physics that takes over the partial resolution of the Navier-Stokes equations. To make possible the structure in OpenFOAM, it is necessary to use the geometric tool Salome-Meca, as well as a meshing tool (snappyHexMesh), and the InterFOAM solver in the processing stage. In the same way, through the turbulence model (K-E) local effects are evidenced in the Fluid-Structure interaction, as well as the identification of events and the development of the phenomenon of vorticity. The results show the improvement presented in some areas of the structure from the stabilization of the water flow through of the fluid-structure interaction change, the modification of the geometry and roughness, minimizing the presence of vertical vortices, cavitation, and surrounding areas. This allows us to conclude that traditional hydraulic do not consider the real physical flow behavior within the structure and neither the subsequent phenomena that develop, establishing as a starting point the need to rethink the design of the bottom rack intakes.