DISCHARGE MEASUREMENTS USING RADIOISOTOPES IN HIGH-HEAD TURBINES AND PUMPS AT FLATIRON POWER AND PUMPING PLANT COLORADO-BIG THOMPSON PROJECT

摘要

Techniques and equipment are being developed to improve methods for measuring flow rate in high-head turbines and pumps. A series of discharge measurements was begun in 1967, at Flatiron Powerplant near Loveland, Colo, to evaluate techniques and equipment developed in preliminary investigations of the use of radioactive material. Measurements were made on a 6000-ft-long, 6-ft-dia penstock and on a 6000-ftlong, 8-ft-dia pump discharge line. Thirty-five injections of radioactive Bromine-82 were made in the penstock, and 12 injections were made in the pumpline. Ninety-three discharge values were computed for penstock flows and 29 for pumpline flows. Mixing lengths ranged from 47 to 755 diameters;discharge ranged from about 130 to 300 cfs. The measurements gave good information on lengths of pipe required for natural turbulence to mix pipe flow and tracer and for additional mixing caused by a pump. Discharge measurements on the turbine and pump were not as precise as desired but were encouraging.