FLOW OVER NOTCHES

Discharge Over Notches Part 1 -

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 Notches
• A notch may be defined as an opening in one
side of a tank or a reservoir, like a large orifice
• with the upstream liquid level below the top
.

edge of the opening as shown in Fig:

• Since the top edge of the notch above the liquid
level serves no purpose, therefore a notch may
have only the bottom edge and sides.
• The bottom edge, over which the liquid flows, is
known as sill or crest of the notch and the sheet of
liquid flowing over a notch (or a weir) is known
as nappe or vein.
• A notch is, usually, made of a metallic plate and is
,

used to measure the discharge of liquids ..

 Types of Notches
• There are many types of notches, depending
upon their shapes. But the following are
important from the subject point of view:
• 1. Rectangular notch,
• 2. Triangular notch,
• 3. Trapezoidal notch, and·
• 4. Stepped notch.
 Discharge over a Rectangular Notch

• Consider a rectangular notch in one side of a

tank over which water is flowing as shown in
fig. Let us consider a horizontal strip of water
of thickness dh at a depth of h from water
level.
• :. Area of the strip == b.dh
• We know that the theoretical velocity of water
through the strip
• = 2𝑔ℎ
• discharge through the strip
• dq=Cd x Area of strip x Theoretical velocity
• = Cd x b.dh 2𝑔ℎ
• The total discharge, over the whole notch, may
be found out by integrating the above equation
within the limits 0 and H.
𝐻
Q= 0 𝐶𝑑 x b.dh 2𝑔ℎ
𝐻 1/2
= Cdx b 2𝑔 0
ℎ dh

ℎ3 2 H
= Cdx b 2𝑔 [ ]0
3/2
3 H
= 2/3 Cd x b 2𝑔 [ℎ
2 ]0

C
Q = 2/3 d x b 2𝑔 [𝐻] 3/2
• Note : Sometimes, the limits of integration, in
the above equation are from H1 to H2 the (i.e
the liquid level is at a height of H1 above the
top of the notch and H2 above the bottom of the
notch, instead of 0 to H.
• The discharge over such a notch will be given
by the equation : 3/2 3/2

Q = 2/3 Cd x b 2𝑔 [H2 − H1]

• Example A rectangular notch 0·5 metres wide
has a constant head of 400 mm. Find the
disharge over the notch in litres per second, if
the coefficient of discharge for the notch is
O·62.
• b = 0·5 m; H = 400 mm = 0·4 m and Cd = 0·62.
• We know that the discharge over the
rectangular notch,
Q = 2/3Cd x b 2𝑔 [𝐻]3/2
Q = 2/3X0.62 x 0.5 2𝑋9.81 [0.4]3/2
Q = 0.231 m3/s
Q = 231 liters/s
• Example A rectangular notch has a discharge
of 21·5 cubic metres per minute. Where the
head of water is half the length of the notch.
Find the length of the notch. Assume Cd = 0·6,
• Solution. Given: Q = 21·5 m3/min
• = 21·5/60 = 0·358 m3/s;
• H= b/2 = 0·5 b and Cd = 0·6.
• We know that the discharge over the
rectangular notch:
Q = 2/3Cd x b 2𝑔 [𝐻]3/2
0.358 = 2/3x0.6 x b 2𝑋9.81 [b/2 ]3/2
0.358= 0.626 b5/2
b = (0.358/0.626)2/5
b = 0.799
b = 0.8 m
Thanks
 Triangular Notch
• Taking half of the angle
• Perp/Base = Tan( Ɵ )
• ½ w = H Tan(1/2 Ɵ )
• w = 2H Tan(1/2 Ɵ )
Discharge over a Triangular Notch
• A triangular notch is also called a V--notch.
Consider a triangular notch, in one side of
tank, over which water is flowing as shown in
Fig.
Let H = Height of the liquid above the apex of
the notch,
Ɵ= Angle of the notch, and
Cd =.Coefficient of discharge.
• From the geometry of the figure, we find that
the width of the notch at the water surface
• The total discharge, over the whole notch, may
be found out by integrating the above equation
within the limits 0 and H.
 Advantages of a Triangular Notch
over a Rectangular Notch

Following are the advantages of a triangular notch over a

rectangular notch :
• 1. Only one reading, head (H) is required to be taken for the
measurement of discharge in a given triangular notch.
• 2. If, in a triangular notch the angle of the notch i.e.,
Ɵ = 90°, the formula becomes very simple
(i.e. Q = 1.417 H 5/2) to remember.
• 3. A triangular notch gives more accurate results for low
discharges than a rectangular notch.
• 4. The same triangular notch can measure a wide range of
flows accurately.,
Thanks