Water supply
The water supply is provided in closed circuits. In certain cases by independent networks, in others through the internal network of the laboratory. Three outlets installed at the bottom of the laboratory can supply equipment from the loading tank and three outlets return water to the basin installed at the lower level.
- Lower level
Most of the laboratory’s network for supply and return of water is at the lower level. The return basin has a volume of about 36 m³ (length = 6 m; width = 4 m; height = 1.5 m). Three submerged pumps, with a flow of 50 l/s each, can raise a maximum flow of about 150 l/s over a height of 10 m, as far as the loading tank at the higher level. This tank’s overflow is connected in free fall to the return basin.
- Upper level
The laboratory’s water supply is mainly provided from the loading tank at the upper level. Of a capacity of about 18 m³ (length = 4 m; width = 3 m; height = 1.5 m), this tank is connected to the internal network with a 10 m water column load. The constant maximum flow corresponds to that of the three lift pumps, namely 150 l/s.
Channels
The general equipment of the LHA, composed of four experimental channels and various multi-purpose test benches, is available for projects and practical work (for students).
The existing channels have the following characteristics:
- Channel with horizontal bottom: 5m x 50cm x 50cm
- Channel with variable slope: 6m x 7cm x 20cm
- Channel with variable slope: 6m x 45cm x 50cm
- Channel with mobile bed: 6m x 60cm x 20cm
- Channel with composed section: 15m x 1m x 50 + 50cm
Instrumentation
Levels
- Millimetre liquid level indicators
- Ultrasound probes UNAM 30 (Baumer)
- Acquisition card (National Intruments)
Speeds
- Probes UVP (MET-FLOW)
- Micro current meter
- Rapid camera 200 Hz (PIV)
Flow
- Electromagnetic flowmeters (Endress + Hauser)
- Controlled electric valve
- Bathymetry, topography
- Rotary laser scanner Leica P16
- GOM Inspect pro 3D
Software
- 3D flow – 3D hydrodynamic modelling of complex flows
- Mike 21 – DHI - 2D hydraulic modelling and transport of solids and pollutants in lakes and watercourses
- BASEMENT – ETHZ - 2D hydraulic modelling and solid transport in watercourses
- HEC-RAS – US Army Corps - 1D hydraulic modelling and solid transport in watercourses
- Civil-storm – Benley - Hydrological and hydraulic modelling of flow networks
- Pond-pack – Benley - Software for hydraulic calculations concerning water retention structures
- Flow-master – Bentley - Hydraulic calculation software
- CodEau – EPFL - Software for processing hydraulic data
- MATLAB - Language for scientific calculations and processing of measured data
- LabVIEW – NI - Platform for the design of measurement and control systems
- UVP-monitor - Software for the acquisition and processing of MET-FLOW speed profiles
