Flow Conditioners for Flumes

Many times Flumes have to be installed in applications where the flow cannot be properly conditioned before it enters the flume. For those applications, Openchannelflow offers Energy Absorbers and Tranquilizing Racks to helps dampen and condition the flow entering the flume.

Energy Absorbers

When energetic piped flow enters a flume approach section or end adapter, it does not initially spread across the width of the flume in a uniform manner. This channelization means that the flow is both poorly distributed across the flume as well as turbulent where channeled flow meets the slower flows along the sidewalls of the flume.

stainless steel energy absorber mounted into the approach section of a fiberglass h flume

Energy absorbers help to break and slow the piped flow as it enters the flume. The flow, now less energetic and slower than before, will still be turbulent and many not be fully distributed across the width of the flume. For further conditioning, Tranquilizer Racks are usually installed down stream of an Energy Absorber.

As Energy Absorbers experience more force in normal operation than Tranquilizing Racks do, they are usually fabricated so that they slide down recesses molded into the flume’s walls. For retrofit applications where this is not possible, they can be fabricated with floor mounting base plates.

Tranquilizing Racks

Tranquilizing Racks are vertical fingers that extend from the top of a flume down to the bottom. When used in conjunction with an Energy Absorber, Tranquilizing Racks work to straighten up poor velocity profiles and develop smooth, uniform flow that is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the flume. It is this smooth flow that is necessary for accurate flow measurement.

stainless steel tranquilizing rack for conditioning flows in a large flume

Tranquilizing Racks are typically used in groups of two or three, depending upon the flume size and the amount of flow conditioning required.

Extending to, or very near, the floor of the flume, Tranquilizing Racks are usually bolted or screwed – depending upon if they need to be removable at some point in the future- to the stiffening flange at the top of the flume.

stainless steel tranquilizer racks by Openchannelflow mounted into a small fiberglass Palmer Bowlus flume

Energy Absorbers and Tranquilizing Racks are typically made from stainless steel. The rigidity and durability of stainless steel construction make the completed structures ideal for retrofitting into existing flumes.