Study on Hydrodynamics of Fish-Friendly Open-Channel Flow

Abstract To elucidate the hydrodynamic characteristics of a fish-friendly open channel, a three-dimensional numerical hydrodynamic model is constructed in this study employing the Large-eddy Simulation (LES) technique. The reliability of this numerical model is thoroughly validated by incorporating periodic boundaries in the flow direction, allowing for the recurrent development of water flow within the computational domain and utilizing experimental data from a flume. The results demonstrate that the fish-friendly channel is partitioned into a high-velocity mainstream zone and a low-velocity habitat zone. The time-averaged flow velocity in the mainstream zone is approximately 2.0 times the cross-sectional average flow velocity. In the low-velocity habitat zone, the average hourly flow velocity and turbulence are at a relatively low level, rendering the zone suitable for fish habitation and the incubation of adhesive fish eggs. A significant vortex structure is present in the mixing layer at the junction of the main flow area and the habitat area, which not only markedly increases the turbulence intensity but also serves as the primary driver of momentum exchange within the open channel.