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Transients in the Hydro-drive of Ship Elevator

Arkady A. Atavin
1
, Oleg F. Vasiliev
2
, Andrey A. Moroz
3
and Vladimir V. Tarasevich
4
Abstract
Sluices or ship elevators are usually constructed to provide the end-to-end navigation
while the dams building on the rivers. The application of ship elevators is especially
effective for high dams with large difference between headwater and tail-water. The ship
elevator of Krasnoyarsk waterpower plant, located on the Yenisei River (the river flow is
12000 m3/sec, maximal water head is 101 m) is considered as an example.
This elevator is actuated by a special hydro-drive. The hydraulic circuit scheme,
representing a closed hydraulic system with main volumetric pumps, hydraulic engines
and auxiliaries (safety valves, accumulators, etc.) is given.
The problems of mathematical modeling of the ship elevator work in various situations are
considered: its start and stopping, various emergencies, such as sudden pump de-
energization, emergency shutdown etc.
The movement of both empty elevator chamber and filled one with the vessel located in it
is simulated. The coupled fluctuations of water and vessel in the chamber create additional
dynamic loading on a hydro-drive in the last case.
The mathematical model of a problem including the specification of the hydro-drive
topology, the description of liquid flows in pipes and of the equipment work in non-steady
modes, is given. Besides that, the model of a motion of a ship elevator chamber with a
vessel located in it is described.
The computational technique is described and the results of numerical experiments are
demonstrated.
The mathematical models and computational methods provide a reliable toolkit for
modeling of various regular and unregular situations in such complex structure as a ship
elevator that enables elaboration of the modes of its safe operation.
1 Introduction
The sluices or ship elevators are usually constructed to provide the end-to-end navigation
under the erection of dams on the rivers. The application of ship elevators is especially

1
Deputy Director, Institute for Water and Environmental Problems of Siberian Branch of the Russian
Academy of Sciences, Papaninzev Str, 105, Barnaul, 659099, Russia. E-mail: atavin@iwepsb.altai.su.
2
Member of Russian Academy of Sciences, Institute for Water and Environmental Problems of Siberian
Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Papaninzev Str, 105, Barnaul, 659099, Russia.
3
Head of Pilot Plant, Novosibirsk, 630051, Russia. E-mail: moroz@mail.cis.ru
4
Associate Professor, Novosibirsk State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering (NGASU),
Leningradskaya Str, 113, Novosibirsk, 630008, Russia. E-mail: tvv@iis.nsk.su
effective for high dams with large difference between headwater and tail-water. Let's
consider as an example the ship elevator of Krasnoyarsk waterpower plant (see Figure 1 ),
located on Yenisei River (the river flow is 12000 m
3
/sec, maximal water head is 101 m).

vessel
chamber
Figure 1
The scheme of ship elevator.
2 Hydraulic Drive of Ship Elevator
This elevator is actuated by the special hydrodrive. The hydrodrive is implemented by
closed circuit: 18 main axial-piston pumps deliver a working liquid (machine oil) by the
pressure pipes to the 156 axial-piston hydromotors, whence the working liquid enters in
the pipelines of low pressure and through the filters comes back to the main pumps. The
scheme of the hydrodrive is represented in Figure 2.
1
2
4
4
5
6
7
Figure 2
Simplified scheme of hydraulic system.
1 hydraulic pump, 2 check valve, 3 and 4 safety valves, 5 boost pump,
6 air dome, 7 hydraulic engine.
3 Common Features of Closed Hydraulic Drives
The hydraulic power drives are widely used in various technical devices and mechanisms.
In comparison with the electric drive (other wide widespread drive) the hydraulic drive has
a number of advantages (reliability and stability in operation, the large initial effort,
opportunity to receive any required working characteristics, etc.)
The hydrodrive is a typical example of complex pressure piping system, which structure
contains: 1) the high pressure pipe network, supplying the high pressure; 2) low pressure
pipe network, on which the discharge liquid is being gathered and delivered to pumps
again; 3) one or several pump stations supplying a working liquid to system; 4) safety
valves and regulating ones for maintenance of required modes of operation and protection
of system from overloads; 5) the actuators.
Strictly speaking, the specificity of the hydrodrive is being manifested through the
actuators, in the capacity of which the hydromotors (for ship elevators), or, for example,
the power cylinders (for test stands) or pressure molding cylinder (for the machines of
pressure die casting) can act.
4 Mathematical Formulation of Problem
4.1 Domain of Definition
The considered pipe network is being described by directed graph . The each arc of
corresponds to the pipe of the network, and each vertex of corresponds to the node of
network.
Let the arcs of be numerated from 1 to S, and the vertexes (tops) be numerated from 1
to J. The superscript j will mark the quantities, relating to the top with number j, and
subscript i will mark the quantities relating to the pipe with number i.
The designations
j
R
+
, R
j

, and R
j
(
j j j
R R R
+
) denote the set of all input arcs, the
set of all output arcs and the set of all arcs incidence the vertex j, correspondingly.
The each arc i have the length L
i
corresponding to the length of pipe i. The arc
orientation defines the positive direction of x-axes along each arc. Thus, such graph can
be considered as the generalization of x-axis (Voevodin and Shugrin, 1981).
4.2 Governing Equations
The liquid flow in each pipe i (i=1,...,S) is described by the known equations of the water
hammer (Zukowsky, 1899; Streeter and Wylie, 1968):
0
2

x
Q a
t
p
i
i
i i

,
i i
i i i
i
i
i i i
d
Q Q
dx
dz
g
x
p
t
Q

2
+

,
(1)
where p=p( t,x) is pressure; Q=Q(t , x) is liquid discharge; is the density of liquid, a is
the velocity of water hammer wave, is cross-section area of pipe, g is acceleration of
gravity, z=z(x) is pipe ordinate, is hydraulic friction coefficient (Streeter & Wylie 1968).
4.3 Boundary condition
The equations describing the functioning of system nodes will serve as the boundary
conditions for equations (1). Let's consider this equations for various nodes of hydro-drive
pipe system.
Let's denote the pressure and the discharge at the extremity of i-th pipe nearest j-th node
as
j
i
p and
j
i
Q , correspondingly.
Hydraulic Pump. Hydraulic engine (hydromotor)

i

k
Figure 3

i

k
Figure 4
The hydraulic pump (see Figure 3) is being described by the following equations:

j
p j
p
j
p
j
p
j
k
p
r q Q

,


j
p j
p
j
p
j
p
j
p
j
i
p
r q Q


,
(2)
where j is node number,
p
is pump angular velocity, q
p
is pump capacity, is dynamic
viscosity;
j
i
j
k
j
p
p p p ; r
p
is loss factor,
p
is part of pump leak going back to return
pipeline.
The equation (2) is being complemented by the equation of rotation pump rotor
( ) ( ) ( )
j
p
j
p
p
p j
p
p
p j
p
j
p
p
p t q sign t M
dt
d
J

,
`

.
|


2
1
2
1
2 2
,
(3)
where J
p
is rotor's moment of inertia; M
p
is electromotor torque;
p
is pump efficiency
coefficient.
The case 0
j
p
M corresponds to the sudden de-energization situation.
The functioning of hydraulic engine (see Figure 4) is being described by following
equations

j
m j
m
j
m
j
m
j
i
p
r q Q

+ ,


j
m
j
m
j
m
j
m
j
m
j
k
p
r q Q

+
,
(4)
where
m
is angular velocity of hydraulic engine, q
m
is hydraulic engine capacity; r
m
is loss
factor,
j
k
j
i
j
m
p p p ;
m
is part of pump leak going back to return pipeline.
Here: angular velocity
m
is defined as
tw
c
j
m
r
V
,
(5)
where V
c
is chamber velocity, r
tw
is radius of cod-wheel.
The boundary conditions are complemented by the equation of chamber motion, linking
the chamber acceleration with total pressure difference on hydraulic engines (Atavin et al,
1993)
( ) ( )
c
c
w r
V sign
dt
dV
M M +
2
sin ,
(6)
where M
r
is reduced mass of chamber; M
w
is the mass of water in chamber (including the
vessel mass).
Here: quantities and are
( ) ( )
lw lm u w c
S j
j j
m
g
F F F g M M p q
r
m
+ + +
+

cos sin
2
1
2
, (7)
and
( )
g
bt rw
fr
S j
j j
m
g
r
t M n
F p q
r
m
+ +

2
1
2
(8)
where

is total coefficient of efficiency; r


g
is radius of cog-wheel; S
m
is the set of node
numbers where hydraulic engines are located; M
c
is chamber mass including mass of all
equipment; F
u
is the wave force; F
l m
is the mooring force; F
lw
is longitudinal wind force; F
fr
is friction force; n
rw
is the number of running wheels; M
bt
is shaft braking torque of hydraulic
engine.
The pressure p
b
in outlet pipe of boost pump satisfies the following equation
in normal situation ;

'

,
`

.
|
+
+

2
0
0
0
b
b
b s
b s
b
p p
p p
p

while de-energezation occurs.


(9)
Here: p
s
is the pressure in the suction port of boost pump; ps0 is nominal pump head;
b0
is nominal angular velocity and
b
is angular velocity of pump rotor, which is specified by
the equation
2
0
0

,
`

.
|

b
b
b
b
b
M
dt
d
J


where J
b
is pump rotor's moment of inertia; M
b0
is nominal pump drag torque.
Form losses will being described by the following equations in common case:
j j j j j j
k
j
i
Q Q B Q A p p + ,
j j
k
j
i
Q Q Q , (10)
where Q
j
is the discharge through j - th node, A
j
and B
j
is the resistance coefficients.
The check valves, the safety valves, the filters and so on are the special cases of (10).
Pipe junction Air dome
j
R
j
+
R
j
-
q
leak
Figure 5
j
R
j
+
R
j
-
q
j
p
ad
, W
Figure 6
Pipe junction is represented in Figure 5. The liquid flow through this node is being
described by the next equations
j
leak
R i
j
i
R i
j
i
q Q Q
j j


+

,
j j j
i
R i p p , ,
(11)
where
j
leak
q is the leak from j-th node, p
j
is the pressure at j-th node.
Air dome is represented in Figure 6. The discharge q
j
from the air dome to the pipeline is
defined by the equations
( )
ad
j
ad j
ad
j
k
p p
p p sign q

,
j
R i
j
i
R i
j
i
q Q Q
j j


+

,
j j j
i
R i p p , , (12)
where k
ad
is the resistance of the transition section between air dome and pipelines.
The pressure p
ad
in air chamber satisfies the equation
j
n
n
ad
ad ad ad
q
p
p
W
np
dt
dp

,
`

.
|

+1
0 0
0
,
(13)
where n is polytropic exponent, p
ad0
is initial pressure in air chamber and W
0
is initial
volume of air chamber.
4.4 Initial Data
The initial flow parameters must be specified for the each pipe and node of system (if it is
necessary):
( ) ( ) x p x p
i i 0
0 , , ( )
0
0 ,
i i
Q x Q (14)
where i = 1, ..., S.
Usually the stationary solution of systems (1) - (13) is used as initial data (14).
Thus the problem is reduced to the solving of the initial-boundary problem (1) - (14) for the
system of hyperbolic equations defined on the graph (Voevodin and Shugrin, 1981).
5 Method of Calculation
The family of the computational methods is suggested which are based on the explicit-
implicit scheme of running calculation (Rojdestvensky & Yanenko 1978). The re-
formulated problem in Riemann invariants
i
and
I
is used, where
2 / ) ( gz aQ p + + , 2 / ) ( gz aQ p +
(15)
Then the equations (1) become
( )
i i i
i
i
i
B
x
a
t


+

, ( )
i i i
i
i
i
B
x
a
t


+

, (16)
where
ad d
Q
B

4 4
+
,
(17)
The rectangular grid with the x-axis step h
i
= L
i
/N
i
(i=1,...,S) and time step is considered,
where the integer N
i
> 0 .
The scheme with the changeable time step has shown the most efficiency for
calculations of unsteady process in pipe system. This scheme can flexibly accommodate
to the peculiarities of the pipe system and the unsteady process.
( ) ( )
k
n
k
n
k
n
k
n
k
n
k
n
k
n
B s r s s B s r + + + +
+

+ 1
1 1
1
) ( 1 1 ,
(18)
where n = 1, ..., N
i
;
( ) ( )
k
n
k
n
k
n
k
n
k
n
k
n
k
n
B s r s s B s r + + + +
+
+ +
+ 1
1 1
1
) ( 1 1 ,
(19)
where n = N
i
- 1, ..., 0.
Here: k is time step index, r
i
= c
I
/h
i
is Courant number, s
i
= min(1,r
i
);
In the case of explicit scheme (r
I
1) the boundary conditions may be solved separately
from each other with (18) under n=N
i
if
j
R i
+
and with (19) under n=0 if
j
R i

. In the
case of implicit scheme the boundary conditions are to be solved together with all the
equations (18) - (19) as one system.
6 Some Results of Calculation
6.1 Numeric Experiments for Comparison of Models
The equation (6) - (8) take into account the complete dynamic action of water and vessel
to the chamber. The simplified account of these dynamic effects consist in neglect of the
wave force F
u
and mooring force F
l m
in formulae (7).
Figure 7.
The results of calculation for the first and second case (the curve 1 and 2 correspondingly)
are shown in Figure 7. These results vindicate that the role of term (F
u
- F
l m
)cos in
equation (7) is insignificant. The curve 3 is corresponding to the case of "frozen" water, in
other words under the assumption that the water in chamber became solid without account
of influence of waveformation on the chamber moving. The character of a curve 3 specifies
that last assumption ("the frozen water") is rougher.
6.2 Pressure in High - Pressure Pipeline
Figure 8.
The diagrams of pressure in the pumping main near the hydromotors are given in the
Figure 8. The curve 1 corresponds to the case, when the pump delivery ceases (it is
reduced up to zero during 1 sec) and the brakes are applied when the speed of the ship
elevator chamber reach 1,5 m/s. The curve 2 corresponds to the same case as curve 1,
but the cavitation in return pipeline and the operations of return valves and safety valves
(its pressure of operation is equal to 20,0 MPa) are taken into account. The curve 3
corresponds to the case of curve 2, but the pressure of operation is equal to 16,0 MPa.
6.3 Comparison with Experiment
The full-scale experiment on hydrodrive was performed for check of adequacy of an
calculation technique. The hydrodrive of the test stand was chosen as object of research.
This hydraulic drive is rather convenient object for realization of such experiment due to its
compactness and operational accessibility.
Water hammer in the hydraulic system was produced by closing the high-speed stopcock
on a pumping main therefore the violent non-stationary process arose in all a pressure
pipelines, which caused the operation of valves, change of modes of operations of pumps
etc. The pressure in various points of system was recorded. Comparison the results of
account with the experimental data have confirmed acceptable accuracy and reliability of
used techniques of account.
Figure 9.
The pressure near the stopcock.
6.4 Calculation under Conditions of Inexact or/and Incomplete Data
The modeling of work of a hydrodrive is frequently complicated by absence of the initial
information necessary for calculation realization, especially under the dynamic modes. For
example, it is rather difficult to obtain the exact values of losses on friction in movable
parts of pistons and valves, leakage sizes in various units etc. Many initial parameters are
possible to be evaluated only approximately. For example, such key parameter for
calculations of pressure losses, as the roughness of pipeline walls, is usually characterized
by an interval of values and the average value is used for calculations. Thus, rather typical
the situation is, when the account should be executed under conditions of incompleteness
or/and uncertainty of the initial information.
Two approaches are applied to overcoming this uncertainty: 1) additional imitations of
separate parts of system with the purpose of specification of initial parameters on the
indirect data or estimation of their influence on process as a whole; 2) applications of
modern information technologies, which allow to work with an inexact and/or an
incomplete information.
The first approach was realized by the authors in the form of "mathematical test stand"
technique (Sheronosova and Tarasevich, 1999.)
The second approach was developed by the authors with help of such integrated
intellectual software as NeMo+ and Semp-TAO systems (Tarasevich, 1997; Tarasevich
and Zagorulko, 1999). These systems unite in the whole many information technologies
and allow working with inexact and/or incomplete data.
7 Conclusion
The above-mentioned mathematical models and methods of computation provide reliable
toolkit for modeling of various regular and irregular situations on such complex structure as
a ship elevator. This enables to elaborate the modes of its safe operation.
References
1. Atavin, A.A., Vasiliev, O.F. and Yanenko, A.P. Hydrodynamic processes in the
navigation passes. - Novosibirsk, Nauka, 1993. (in Russian).
2. Voevodin, A.F. and Shugrin, S.M. The numerical methods of calculating of one-
dimensional systems.- Novosibirsk, Nauka, 1981. (In Russian).
3. Zukowsky, N.E. About the water hammer in water-supply pipelines // Proc. 4th Russian
water-supply congress. - Moscow, Russia, 1899. (See also: N.E.Zukowsky, About the
water hammer in water-supply pipelines. - Moscow-Leningrad, OGIZ, 1948, vol.2.) (In
Russian).
4. Rojdestvensky, B.L. and Yanenko, N.N. The systems of quasilinear equations and their
applications to gas dynamics, Moscow, Nauka, 1978. (In Russian).
5. Streeter, V.L. and Wylie, E.B. Hydraulic transients. New York, McGraw-Hill, 1968.
6. Sheronosova, T.Yu. and Tarasevich, V.V. The Simulation of Transients in Hydro-
Automatic Systems under Flow Control. Water Industry Systems: Modelling and
Optimization Applications (Eds. D.Savic, G.Walters), vol.1, Research Studies Press ltd.,
Baldock, Hertfordshire, England, 1999. p.425-436.
7. Tarasevich, V.V. The Simulation and Mathematical Modelling of the Complex Pipe
Systems. 15-th (IMACS) World Congress on Scientific Computation, Modelling and
Applied Mathematics (Ed. Achim Sydow.). Berlin, August 1997. Proceedings, vol. 3.,
Computational Physics, Chemistry and Biology. P. 115-120.
8. Tarasevich, V.V. and Zagorulko, G.B. Computation of Flow Distribution in a Pipe
Network With the Help of NeMo+ System. Water Industry Systems: modelling and
optimization applications (Eds. D.Savic, G.Walters), vol.2, Research Studies Press ltd.,
Baldock, Hertfordshire, England, 1999. p.53-64.

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