Lateral Water Intake Structure with Inverted Trash Rack

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing lateral water intake structures at hydropower stations face issues with bed load silting and floating debris accumulation, leading to reduced water diversion flow and increased maintenance costs due to the inefficiency of manual or mechanical debris removal.

Innovation Solution

A lateral water intake structure design featuring a diversion canal with a guiding wall structure and a trash rack parallel to the water surface, allowing water to flow from bottom to top, which prevents debris accumulation and utilizes the water flow to continuously wash away debris, reducing maintenance costs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a trash rack is arranged in front of the water intake to prevent floating debris from entering the generator set or water diversion system, then floating debris can be blocked, but the trash rack is gradually silted by floating debris causing inadequacy in water diversion flow and reduction in water head for power generation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotection of generator set from floating debrisVSAvoidwater diversion flow

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The trash rack is inverted and placed at the bottom of the water intake instead of at the surface. This inversion allows the rack to intercept floating debris that rises to the surface while maintaining water flow capacity, as the rack no longer blocks the upper water column where debris accumulates

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The trash rack is positioned at the bottom of the water intake structure rather than at the surface level. This dimensional change in placement allows the rack to function in a different spatial dimension, intercepting debris through the water column from below while minimizing impact on surface water flow

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Reliability

If manual or mechanical removal methods are used to clear floating debris from the trash rack, then debris can be removed, but the floating debris cannot be cleared in real time and continuously, and part of the floating debris still enters the diversion canal

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedebris blocking functionVSAvoidcontinuous debris clearing

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The water flow itself serves to clear the trash rack of accumulated debris. The continuous movement of water through the intake structure automatically removes intercepted floating debris, eliminating the need for external manual or mechanical clearing operations and enabling continuous self-maintenance

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The hydraulic flow of water through the water intake structure is utilized to clear debris from the trash rack. The water current acts as a hydraulic cleaning mechanism that continuously removes accumulated floating debris, replacing the need for mechanical or manual removal systems

Inventive Principle:

Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

3Reliability

If the trash rack is positioned to block floating debris effectively, then debris prevention is improved, but the water flow cannot wash the surface of the trash rack, so silting of floating debris occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefloating debris blockingVSAvoidsilting of floating debris

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The trash rack is inverted and positioned at the bottom of the water intake, allowing water flow to pass over and wash the rack surface continuously. This inversion enables both effective debris interception and natural cleaning by the water current, preventing silting

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The water flow continuously passes over the trash rack surface, providing ongoing cleaning action that prevents debris accumulation and silting. This continuous hydraulic action ensures the rack maintains its blocking function without degradation from accumulated debris

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

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

This design effectively prevents debris from affecting water diversion flow, reduces the risk of trash rack damage, and lowers maintenance costs by ensuring continuous debris removal without manual intervention.

Implementation Method 1

a water flow to continuously wash the floating debris near the trash rack

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectWater flow:

Implementation Method 2

using a water flow to continuously wash the floating debris near the trash rack

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectWashing:

Data Source

PatentUS11326318B2Lateral water intake structure for preventing silting of bed load and floating debris

Publication Date: 2022.05.10 CHINA YANGTZE POWER

AI summary

Provided is a lateral water intake structure for preventing silting of bed load and floating debris, which is provided at a river bank. The lateral water intake structure includes: a diversion canal, a guiding wall structure, a shaft-shaped water intaking space, and a trash rack. The lateral water intake structure functions to prevent the floating debris from gathering at the surface of the trash rack and reduce a risk that the trash rack is damaged by water pressure and hitting of the floating debris. Meanwhile, by using a water flow in the watercourse to continuously wash the floating debris near the trash rack, maintenance costs of removing the floating debris at the trash rack manually or mechanically can be reduced.