Dr.

Ratnakar Swain
(M. Tech. & Ph.D., IIT KGP)
Asst. Professor
Department of Civil Engineering
NIT Rourkela
CONTINUES
ENERGY-DEPTH RELATIONSHIP
𝑽𝑽𝟐𝟐
Total energy head (H) = 𝐙𝐙 + 𝐲𝐲 +
𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐
𝑽𝑽𝟐𝟐
Total energy line (TEL) = 𝒁𝒁 + 𝒚𝒚 +
𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐
Hydraulic gradient line (HGL) = Z + y
Specific Energy (E)
• The total energy per unit weight excluding the datum energy.

• Total energy head excluding datum head.

• It is used in defining critical depth and analysis of flow problem.

𝑻𝑻𝑻𝑻𝑻𝑻𝑻𝑻𝑻𝑻 𝑬𝑬𝑬𝑬𝑬𝑬𝑬𝑬𝑬𝑬𝑬𝑬 − 𝑫𝑫𝑫𝑫𝑫𝑫𝑫𝑫𝑫𝑫 𝑬𝑬𝑬𝑬𝑬𝑬𝑬𝑬𝑬𝑬𝑬𝑬

𝑬𝑬 =
𝑾𝑾𝑾𝑾𝑾𝑾𝑾𝑾𝑾𝑾𝑾𝑾

𝑽𝑽𝟐𝟐 𝑸𝑸𝟐𝟐
𝐄𝐄 = 𝐲𝐲 + = 𝒚𝒚 +
𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐 𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐 𝑨𝑨𝟐𝟐 3
Dr. R. Swain, Asst. Prof., NIT RKL
Plot of E & y

𝑽𝑽𝟐𝟐 𝑸𝑸𝟐𝟐
𝐄𝐄 = 𝐲𝐲 + = 𝒚𝒚 +
𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐 𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐 𝑨𝑨𝟐𝟐

• E~y curve is parabolic.

• One E value at two flow depth due to quadratic equation between E and y
• The two depth for a common specific energy (E) is called Alternate depth. 4
Dr. R. Swain, Asst. Prof., NIT RKL
Critical Flow: 𝑽𝑽𝟐𝟐 𝑸𝑸𝟐𝟐
𝐄𝐄 = 𝐲𝐲 + = 𝒚𝒚 +
The flow when specific energy (E) is minimum. 𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐 𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐 𝑨𝑨𝟐𝟐
⇒ 𝑬𝑬 = 𝑴𝑴𝑴𝑴𝑴𝑴𝑴𝑴𝑴𝑴𝑴𝑴𝑴𝑴
𝒅𝒅𝒅𝒅
Using Maxima and minima rule, = 𝟎𝟎
𝒅𝒅𝒅𝒅
𝑸𝑸𝟐𝟐 𝒅𝒅𝒅𝒅
⇒ 𝟏𝟏 − = 𝟎𝟎
𝒈𝒈𝑨𝑨𝟑𝟑 𝒅𝒅𝒅𝒅
𝒅𝒅𝒅𝒅 𝑸𝑸𝟐𝟐 𝑻𝑻
Putting = 𝑻𝑻, ⇒ = 𝟏𝟏
𝒅𝒅𝒅𝒅 𝒈𝒈𝑨𝑨𝟑𝟑

𝑸𝑸𝟐𝟐 𝑨𝑨𝟑𝟑
⇒ = Condition for critical flow
𝒈𝒈 𝑻𝑻

Critical Depth (yc): The flow depth at which the specific energy is minimum
Critical Velocity (vc): The flow velocity at which the specific energy is minimum
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Dr. R. Swain, Asst. Prof., NIT RKL
Subcritical depth (y2):

The flow depth is called subcritical depth when it

is more than the critical depth (yc) and velocity is
less than critical velocity

At subcritical depth (𝒚𝒚𝟐𝟐 ),

𝒚𝒚𝟐𝟐 > 𝒚𝒚𝒄𝒄 𝐚𝐚𝐚𝐚𝐚𝐚 𝒗𝒗𝟐𝟐 < 𝒗𝒗𝒄𝒄

Supercritical depth (y1):

The flow depth is called supercritical depth when it
is less than the critical depth (yc) and velocity is more
than critical velocity

At supercritical depth (𝒚𝒚𝟐𝟐 ),

𝒚𝒚𝟏𝟏 < 𝒚𝒚𝒄𝒄 𝐚𝐚𝐚𝐚𝐚𝐚 𝒗𝒗𝟏𝟏 > 𝒗𝒗𝒄𝒄
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Dr. R. Swain, Asst. Prof., NIT RKL
Froud’s Number (Fr): A dimensionless number which indicate the influence of
gravity on fluid flow in open channel. It is used to express different flow conditions

𝑮𝑮𝑮𝑮𝑮𝑮𝑮𝑮𝑮𝑮𝑮𝑮𝑮𝑮𝑮𝑮𝑮𝑮𝑮𝑮𝑮𝑮𝑮𝑮𝑮𝑮 𝒇𝒇𝒇𝒇𝒇𝒇𝒇𝒇𝒇𝒇 𝑽𝑽
𝑭𝑭 = =
𝑰𝑰𝑰𝑰𝑰𝑰𝑰𝑰𝑰𝑰𝑰𝑰𝑰𝑰 𝒇𝒇𝒇𝒇𝒇𝒇𝒇𝒇𝒇𝒇 𝒈𝒈×𝒚𝒚

• At critical flow condition,

𝑸𝑸𝟐𝟐 𝑨𝑨𝟑𝟑
=
𝒈𝒈 𝑻𝑻

𝑸𝑸𝟐𝟐 𝒈𝒈𝒈𝒈
⇒ 𝟐𝟐 =
𝑨𝑨 𝑻𝑻
⇒ 𝒗𝒗 = 𝒈𝒈𝒈𝒈

⇒ 𝑭𝑭𝒓𝒓 = 𝟏𝟏
• At subcritical flow condition, Fr < 1
• At supercritical flow condition, Fr >1
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Dr. R. Swain, Asst. Prof., NIT RKL
Condition for maximum Discharge ⇒ 𝑸𝑸 = 𝑴𝑴𝑴𝑴𝑴𝑴𝑴𝑴𝑴𝑴𝑴𝑴𝑴𝑴 Q<Qmax<Q2

𝑽𝑽𝟐𝟐 𝑸𝑸𝟐𝟐
𝐄𝐄 = 𝐲𝐲 + = 𝒚𝒚 +
𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐 𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐 𝑨𝑨𝟐𝟐
Q1 Qmax Q2
⇒ Q = A 2𝑔𝑔(𝐸𝐸 − 𝑦𝑦) y

𝒅𝒅𝒅𝒅
Applying maxima and minima principle: = 𝟎𝟎
𝒅𝒅𝒅𝒅
𝒅𝒅𝒅𝒅 𝒈𝒈𝒈𝒈
⇒ 𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐(𝑬𝑬 − 𝒚𝒚) − =0
𝒅𝒅𝒅𝒅 𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐(𝑬𝑬−𝒚𝒚)
𝒅𝒅𝒅𝒅 𝑸𝑸
Putting = 𝑻𝑻 and & = 𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐(𝑬𝑬 − 𝒚𝒚) Ec E
𝒅𝒅𝒅𝒅 𝑨𝑨

𝑸𝑸𝟐𝟐 𝑨𝑨𝟑𝟑 ⇒ Condition of critical flow

=
𝒈𝒈 𝑻𝑻

 Hence critical flow condition corresponds to condition of maximum discharge in a channel for a fixed
specific energy.
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Dr. R. Swain, Asst. Prof., NIT RKL
Example – 1
A rectangular channel 2.5m wide has specific energy 1.5 when carrying a Q = 6.48m3/s.
calculate depth and Froud’s no.
Solution 𝑽𝑽𝟐𝟐 𝑸𝑸𝟐𝟐
𝐄𝐄 = 𝐲𝐲 + = 𝒚𝒚 +
𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐 𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐𝑩𝑩𝟐𝟐 𝒚𝒚𝟐𝟐
𝟔𝟔. 𝟒𝟒𝟒𝟒𝟐𝟐
⇒ 𝟏𝟏. 𝟓𝟓 = 𝐲𝐲 +
𝟐𝟐 × 𝟗𝟗. 𝟖𝟖𝟖𝟖 × (𝟐𝟐. 𝟓𝟓)𝟐𝟐 𝒚𝒚𝟐𝟐
𝒚𝒚𝟏𝟏 = 1.296m, 𝒚𝒚𝟐𝟐 = 0.625m
𝑽𝑽 𝟔𝟔. 𝟒𝟒𝟒𝟒 𝟎𝟎. 𝟖𝟖𝟖𝟖𝟖𝟖𝟖𝟖𝟖𝟖
𝑭𝑭𝒓𝒓 = = =
𝒈𝒈𝒈𝒈 𝟐𝟐. 𝟓𝟓𝒚𝒚 𝟗𝟗. 𝟖𝟖𝟖𝟖𝟖𝟖 𝒚𝒚𝟑𝟑/𝟐𝟐

At 𝒚𝒚𝟏𝟏 = 1.296m, 𝑭𝑭𝟏𝟏 = 0.561 (subcritical region)

𝒚𝒚𝟐𝟐 = 0.625m, 𝑭𝑭𝟐𝟐 = 1.675 (supercritical region)
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Dr. R. Swain, Asst. Prof., NIT RKL
 Problem-2:
A flow of 5.0 𝒎𝒎𝟑𝟑 /sec passing at a depth of 1.5 m through a rectangular channel of 2.5 m width KE
correction factor 𝜶𝜶 = 𝟏𝟏. 𝟐𝟐, what is specific energy of flow. What is the value of depth alternate to
existing depth, if 𝜶𝜶𝟐𝟐 = 1.0.

Solution: 𝑸𝑸𝟐𝟐
𝑬𝑬𝟏𝟏 = 𝒚𝒚𝟏𝟏 + 𝜶𝜶𝟏𝟏
𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐 𝑩𝑩𝟐𝟐 𝒚𝒚𝟐𝟐𝟏𝟏

𝟓𝟓𝟐𝟐
⇒ 𝑬𝑬𝟏𝟏 = 𝟏𝟏. 𝟓𝟓 + 𝟏𝟏. 𝟐𝟐 × 𝟐𝟐
𝟐𝟐×𝟗𝟗. 𝟖𝟖𝟖𝟖 𝟐𝟐. 𝟓𝟓 × 𝟏𝟏. 𝟓𝟓
⇒ 𝑬𝑬𝟐𝟐 = 𝟏𝟏. 𝟔𝟔𝟔𝟔
⇒ 𝑬𝑬𝟏𝟏 = 𝟏𝟏. 𝟔𝟔𝟔𝟔 𝒎𝒎
𝟓𝟓𝟐𝟐
⇒ 𝟏𝟏. 𝟔𝟔𝟔𝟔 = 𝒚𝒚𝟐𝟐 + 𝟏𝟏 × 𝟐𝟐
𝟐𝟐×𝟗𝟗. 𝟖𝟖𝟖𝟖 𝟐𝟐. 𝟓𝟓 × 𝒚𝒚𝟐𝟐

⇒ 𝒚𝒚𝟐𝟐 = 𝟎𝟎. 𝟒𝟒𝟒𝟒𝟒𝟒 𝒎𝒎

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Dr. R. Swain, Asst. Prof., NIT RKL