Spi̇llway aerator investigation by numerical model

The spillways, which are the most important hydraulic elements of the dams, are designed in many different types according to the dam type and flow rates. One of the most important issues to be considered when designing spillways is the design of the aerators. In this thesis, the cavitational damage on the concrete surface of spillways and the effects of aerators on the cavitation wer investigated. For this purpose, the spillway of the Alparslan II Dam was chosen as a model. First, the three-dimensional numerical model was prepared and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis was performed with the Flow 3D program at certain heights and speeds (for different Froude Numbers). Later, CFD analyzes were carried out similar to the original aerators, which were placed in the model with the bottom aerators proposed by Aydin (2005). The results obtained from the CFD analyses were compared with each other and it was concluded that both aerators sufficiently protected from cavitation damage