Intakes

 Definition
 General arrangement of Intake
 Types of intake
 Dam Intake
 Criteria for selection of Intake
 Site Selection of Intake
• Definition:
Intakes are the structure to obtain the required quantity of water
from the river or the reservoir for the different engineering purpose.
 A intake must be able to divert the required amount of water into
power canal or onto the penstock without producing a negative
impact on the local environment and with minimum possible head
loss.
 Design of intake is based on geological, hydraulic, structure and
economic aspect with tolerance for the life time of project
• General Arrangement of Intake:
General arrangement of Intake is done with the consideration of following
factors:
 Topography of area
 Type of Project: Run-of-River or Storage
 Proposed project configuration behind intake
 Content and nature of sediment in the river
 Construction Planning
 Compatibility and integration of intake with head works component.
• Types of Intake:
A. Surface Intake: Surface intake are those whose outlet are taken
from the water surface.
 canal intake, side intake, frontal intake and bottom rack intake are
considered as surface type intake
B. Sub Surface Intake: It is also called pressure intake where water are
taken from sub surface of reservoir.
 Side slope intake, tower intake, dam intake are considered as sub
surface intake.
• Side Intake:
 A structure built along the river bank with diversion dam at the front of
flow.
 This type of intake is easy to construct, simple and less expansive.
 The longitudinal axes of side intake shall be aligned perpendicular to the
axis of the river.
 This type of intake is most common intake in hydropower development of
Nepal.
 Lower Marshangdi hydropower have used side intake.
Component of side intake:
 A trash Rack supporting Structure
 Intake opening
 Gate available for closing intake opening
 Breast Wall for flood control
 Service platforms for operation of gate
• Design consideration of side intake:
 Side intake should be of square or rectangular orifice type and should be fully
submerged (30 to 50 cm submerge) during dry season.
 In the river with no significant flood or the side condition do not permit placing
of orifice, the extension of the headrace canal is another option.
 Capacity of intake: The intake discharge shall be taken 10% to 20% more of
turbine discharge.
 Entrance velocity: The entrance velocity of intake opening shall be 0.6 to 0.8
m/sec but for small system velocity can be upto 1 m/sec.
 Trass Rack loss: as per USBR, 1978
H= K*(Vn^2/2*g), where K= head loss coefficient, Vn= normal velocity
g= acceleration due to gravity and H= total Head Loss
H= head loss due to bend + Head Loss through Trash Rack
For Head loss coefficient K

K=ki+kt
where, ki= intake loss coefficient sue to sudden contraction
kt= gradual contraction losses as the flow follows the transition part of the
intake
• Head loss through trash rack is given by :
Hf= Kt * (t/b)4/3 * (v2/2g)X Sinα
Where,
Hf= head loss
t = thickness of rack bar in mm
b = clear spacing between rack in mm
v = velocity of flow through trash rack in m/sec (Approach Velocity)
α = angle of bar inclination with horizontal = 90⁰ for perpendicular section
Kt= shape factor or trash rack
coefficient
Calculation of Head loss from bend
H(bend)= (v2/2g)X Sinβ
v = velocity of flow through trash rack in m/sec (Approach Velocity)
β = Flow Deviation
Total Area of Intake Submersed in water (As)= 1/K *(t+b)/b * Q/v *1/ Sinα
Width of Trash Rack (B) = (As*Sinα)/Hsub
Where, Q= design Discharge
Hsub = Submerged head = Hr –Ht
Hr= Head at river surface = Hc – dh
Hc= depth of canal = downstream submerge depth (hs) + height of orifice (Ho) + height of
orifice sill from the bottom of the canal (hos)
dh= driving head = ((vo/C)^2)/2g
Vo= velocity through orifice
C= velocity coefficient
Ht= depth of trash rack bottom from river surface
Design Step of Trash Rack
i. Calculate head loss through trash rack
ii. Calculate bend loss
iii. Calculate Total Head loss
iv. Calculate head loss Coefficient
v. Calculate Submerged Area
vi. Calculate Width of Trash Rack
• Dam Intake: Dam intake is provided in the body of dam and is used of high
head hydroelectric plant.
• Kulekhani hydropower project used this type of intake
• Selection of type of intake:
 Nature of river
 Nature and scale of project
 Sediment, Trash and debris content
 Construction Consideration
 Option and maintenance consideration
• Nature of River
Law 1: In straight sections of river or stream, the water flows approximately in
the cross-section of the channel, parallel to the banks.
• the bed load transport begins, the bed load is transported accordingly on the
bottom of the river.
• Side intake can be taken
Law 2: In bends the direction of the bottom flow changes compared with the
surface flow .
• A spiral flow forms which transports the bed load to the inner side of the river.
• On all streams and rivers it can be observed that gravel and sand banks form at
the inside bend, i.e. the bed load is diverted from the intake bank.
• Drop intake is taken is this case.
For hilly small rivers drop intakes are taken for consideration of flash flood.
• Nature and scale of Hydropower:
 Side intake is taken for Run-off and PROR project
 Frontal Intake is taken for low head plants to minimize head loss.
 Drop intake are taken for small plants on streams
 Dam intakes are taken for high head projects
• Sediment, trash and debris:
 River with large amount of sediment, trash and debris in monsoon side
intake are preferred as intake is placed on the outer curve of river.
 River with floating debris a frontal intake is considered.
 River with large amount of sediment, trash and debris in monsoon Dam
intake are preferred as intake is placed on the inner curve of river.
• Frontal intake: