Resumen:
The downstream border condition of an open channel, subcritical flow in a
laboratory flume is typically materialized through a gate, which imposes a
gradually varied conditions upstream. A number of different gates are used
for flow control, but the flow alteration they produce in most cases is
unknown. In this paper, we analyze the effects of a double louver gate on the
upstream flow in a laboratory flume. The flow properties are measured
through a particle image velocimetry. Vertical velocity profiles, recirculation
zones, and turbulent kinetic energy distributions are analyzed. Results show
that the double louver gate is less flow-altering than the common vertical
sluice gate, being best suited for the outflow control in flumes, as it conserves
parallel streamlines, with a minimum deformation of the vertical velocity
profiles, avoiding the formation of recirculation zones and concentrations of
turbulent kinetic energy. The double-louver gate is recommended for its
implementation in hydraulic laboratories.