Numerical Simulations of an Innovative Water Stirring Device for Fine Sediment Release: The Case Study of the Future Trift Reservoir

Reservoir sedimentation and consequently lack of storage volume and perturbation of the operation of intakes and bottom outlet is a key challenge affecting both hydropower production as well as dam safety and flood management. In the framework of a peer-reviewed research project [8] an innovative countermeasure, called SEDMIX, was proposed allowing to keep in suspension or re-suspend the fine particles near the power water intakes, thanks to an optimized arrangement of four water jets producing an upward whirling flow like produced by a mixer. With such a system, the suspended particles can be conveyed downstream at acceptable rates through the power waterways during the normal operation of the hydropower plant. Although experimental studies have shown the very promising efficiency of such a device in simple cases and by numerical simulations in a laboratory reservoir, SEDMIX performance has not been investigated yet in a real-life reservoir under prototype conditions.