Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/11681/13174
Title: McGee Creek Pumping Station sump, Pike County, Illinois : hydraulic model investigation
Authors: United States. Army. Corps of Engineers. St. Louis District
Triplett, Glenn R.
Keywords: Pumping stations
Design
Construction
Intakes
Hydraulic structures
Hydraulic models
McGee Creek Pumping Station
Illinois
Publisher: Hydraulics Laboratory (U.S.)
Engineer Research and Development Center (U.S.)
Series/Report no.: Technical report (U.S. Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station) ; HL-86-8.
Description: Technical Report
Abstract: The McGee Creek Pumping Station sump model study was conducted to evaluate the characteristics of inflow conditions and to develop modifications, if needed, to improve flow distribution to the pump intakes. The operation of the 1:10.4-scale model of the original design sump showed uniform flow distribution from the trapezoidal channel to the pump bays. Reasonably good flow distribution existed in the bay approach to the individual pumps. Eddies were generated as the flow came through the constricted sluice gate openings. Diverging sidewalls streamlined the flow back into the bay area, but there were no converging sidewalls for streamlining the flow into the constricted sluice gate opening due to the position and design of the sluice gate. Some dissipation of the eddies occurred in the bay approach area, while circular motion continued to the pump column area where surface vortices occurred under certain operating conditions. The intersump catwalk openings caused a problem when the water surface elevation was raised above el 421. Circular flow was generated as water flowed freely through these openings to adjacent sumps. This circular flow added to the problem from the eddies and gave strength to the formation of surface vortices. Test results indicated no significant increase in adverse flow due to off-center location of both side pumps in the original design. The original design intersump drain openings allowed some intersump flow, but its effect also was insignificant. This report does not advocate offcenter pump locations or intersump drain opening near the pump bell intake without a model study to determine their effect for a specific sump. These two irregular features (offcenter location of the pumps and intersump openings near the pump bell intake), combined with the eddy from the sluice gate openings, produced an overall adverse effect that was less than the adverse effects of some of the irregular features tested alone. The recommended design satisfactorily corrected the net adverse effects of these features. Numerous modifications were tested to eliminate the circular flow and vortices. Doors for the intersump catwalk openings prevented the circular flow and vortices created by the open intersump catwalks at high sump water levels. Surface vortex suppressor beams eliminated all other surface vortices and provided a more even flow distribution to the pump intake. Testing with the 30 percent increase in discharge for a range of submergences provided an array of data values for predicting future results for comparative operating parameters.
Rights: Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/11681/13174
Appears in Collections:Technical Report

Files in This Item:
File Description SizeFormat 
TR-HL-86-8.pdf3.47 MBAdobe PDFThumbnail
View/Open