Fusegate Ice-Breaking System for Cold Climate Stability

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

In very cold climatic conditions, the formation of ice on the surface of impoundments can generate a destabilizing horizontal thrust force on fusegates, causing them to tilt downstream due to thermal expansion, which existing fusegate designs fail to adequately address.

Innovation Solution

A fusegate equipped with systems for breaking ice, featuring elongate elements such as 'L'-shaped structures with spike tips or plates attached to the upstream face, designed to protrude below the water level and induce shear or bending stresses in the ice layer, thereby stabilizing the fusegate by creating a stabilizing moment and preventing tilting.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a fusegate is used to control water levels and evacuate floods, then the hydraulic structure can raise water levels upstream and protect downstream areas, but in very cold climatic conditions, ice formation generates horizontal thrust forces that cause the fusegate to tilt downstream

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefusegate stabilityVSAvoidice-induced horizontal thrust force

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary anti-action by equipping the fusegate with ice-breaking systems (elongate elements with spike tips or plates) that actively break ice layers before they can accumulate and generate destabilizing thermal expansion forces. The elongate elements protrude below the water level to induce shear or bending stresses in the ice, preventing the ice from reaching a state where it would exert harmful thrust forces on the fusegate walls.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent converts the harmful effect of ice formation into a beneficial one by using the ice layer itself as a medium to be broken by the elongate elements. The ice-breaking action creates stabilizing moments that counteract the potential destabilizing forces, transforming the ice from a harmful factor into a controlled element that enhances fusegate stability in cold climates.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

2Productivity

If the fusegate is designed with a pressurizing chamber and drainage holes for flood control, then the gate can tilt downstream during exceptional floods, but the same structure is vulnerable to ice-induced thermal expansion forces in cold conditions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveflood evacuation capabilityVSAvoidgate position stability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by adding ice-breaking specific features (elongate elements with spike tips or plates) to specific locations of the fusegate structure. These elements are positioned to protrude below the water level at the upstream face, creating localized ice-breaking functionality without altering the overall flood evacuation mechanism. The ice-breaking systems are integrated at specific points where ice accumulation would most affect stability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Reliability

If elongate ice-breaking elements are added to the fusegate, then ice-induced destabilizing forces are reduced, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresistance to ice thrust forcesVSAvoidstructure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies segmentation by dividing the ice-breaking function into separate, modular elongate elements that can be independently attached to the fusegate structure. These elements (with spike tips or plates) are discrete components rather than a complex integrated system, allowing for simpler manufacturing, installation, and maintenance while effectively breaking ice layers to prevent destabilizing forces.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The ice-breaking systems effectively reduce the destabilizing effects of thermal expansion-induced thrust forces, maintaining the fusegate's stability and preventing complete tilting while allowing hydraulic flow to continue uninterrupted.

Implementation Method 1

induce shear or bending stresses in the ice layer, thereby stabilizing the fusegate

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectShear stress: Shear Stress

Implementation Method 2

induce shear or bending stresses in the ice layer, thereby stabilizing the fusegate

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectBending stress: Deformation

Implementation Method 3

the formation of a layer of ice on the surface of the impoundment can generate, due to temperature variations and the induced expansion, a horizontal thrust force

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal expansion: Thermal Expansion

Data Source

PatentUS11708675B2Fusegate with ice-breaking system

Publication Date: 2023.07.25 HYDROPLUS

AI summary

A fusegate for a hydraulic structure includes a trough with walls for attaching the normal barrage at a predetermined height, a pressure chamber provided between a base of the fusegate and the upper surface of the spillway, a means for pressurising the chamber according to a maximum predefined height of a water level upstream of the fusegate, the fusegate further comprising systems for breaking ice which are attached to the gate.