In the present work, we verified a 3D computational fluid dynamics model for
vertical slot fish-passes (VSFs) that employs the renormalization-group k-epsilon turbulence
model (RNG KE) and the volume of fluid (VOF) method. We compared model
calculations with experiments in two pool designs T1 and T2 of an experimental VSF and
with 2D calculations using the shallow water equations (SWE) and the standard k-epsilon
(2D SKE) model. Calculations of the 3D model showed (1) good agreement with experiments
and 2D calculations in predicting mean flow velocities, (2) better performance in
the determination of the water surface in the VSF, which is attributed to the accurate VOF
method, (3) superior prediction of turbulence characteristics than the 2D model, which is
due to the 3D RNG KE model that overcomes the problem of turbulence overestimation of
the 2D SKE model, and to the fact that the 3D model takes into account the 3D features of
the flow in the fish pass. Moreover, the present 3D calculations showed that the common
assumptions in VSFs that (1) the flow is 2D, and (2) the simulation of 4 pools of a VSF is
sufficient to obtain satisfactory results, are not always valid. Flow can be considered as 2D
only in pool design T2 and for certain geometries and flow characteristics in pool design
T1; while, eventually, all the pools of a fish pass need to be modeled to ensure accurate results. Finally, the present work illustrates the need to perform fish experiments simultaneously
with flow experiments.
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In the present work, we verified a 3D computational fluid dynamics model for
vertical slot fish-passes (VSFs) that employs the renormalization-group k-epsilon turbulence
model (RNG KE) and the volume of fluid (VOF) method. We compared model
calculations with experiments in two pool designs T1 and T2 of an experimental VSF and
with 2D calculations using the shallow water equations (SWE) and the standard k-epsilon
(2D SKE) model. Calculations of the 3D model showed (1) good agreement with exp...
»