HEAVY DUTY TITESEAL SLUICE GATE

The Heavy duty Titeseal Copolymer Sluice Gate is a non-metallic, corrosion resistant sluice gate that provides the engineer with a superior alternative to other plastic gates and competes well with stainless steel and cast iron gates. It is designed to handle high head applications of 25 feet or more in seating and unseating service. The guide includes a top closure bar that allows the gate to seal around all four sides. This gate is also often used for open channel weir applications. This gate is like the Wedging Titeseal gate, a high performance, low leakage slide gate.

The gates are individually fabricated and can be designed to cover most opening. Sizing can range from about one foot square to over ten feet in width and height.

Copolymer gates can range in thickness from 2-l/2 inches to over 12 inches depending on the head and deflection requirement.

The gate is fabricated using a reinforced copolymer composite material (FRP), which totally encapsulates an internal structural steel matrix, and has no seams, joints or cut edges. The core of the gate is completely sealed against any corrosive attack by water or chemicals that might be present in the stream.

Heavy Duty Titeseal sluice gates do not use wall thimbles. Instead, the guide is anchored to a flat surface and approximately one inch of grout is used to permanently seal between the guide and the wall. The guide is normally fabricated using T-304 or T-316 stainless steel, but FRP guides and other more exotic metals are available. Plasti-Fab has fabrication experience with Monel, Hasalloy and Aquamet to name a few.

GuidesThe gates require specially formed guides, but these will still be classified as embedded, surface mounted, or in-channel according to how they are mounted. Surface mounted guides bolt to the face of the wall around an opening using special slotted clips that slide onto the anchor bolts. In-channel guides bolt to the inside face of an existing channel.

SEALS Heavy Duty Titeseal Sluice Gates have a virgin neoprene J-seal and wedged bottom seal mechanically fastened to the gate. Neoprene forms a true seal that has high resilience and durability, and will not bridge or gap over small debris. It has been used successfully by the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers in hydro-electric dams for the past seventy years as the proven seal of choice. Plasti-Fab will not use sponge rubber, which has low compression set characteristics and low tear strength.

Mounted on the opposite side of the gate is a UHMW low-friction sliding surface which helps to reduce the lifting force required to move the gate. As the gate starts to open, the seal is released from contact with the wedge. This allows the gate to move freely in the guide with lower operating forces. The adjustable wedging bar in the guide allows the gate to be fine-tuned to achieve the lowest possible leakage rates. The end result is leakage rates that are much less than the AWWA standard for sluice gates (AWWA C-501 establishes leakage of no more than 0.1 GPM/foot of wetted perimeter for a seating head, and 0.2 GPM/foot of wetted perimeter for unseating heads of 20 feet or less.)

Example A four-foot by four-foot gate with 20 feet of seating head will require nearly 18,000 pounds of thrust to begin upward movement. (16 ft.² gate surfaced X 18 ft. Head to the gate center line X 62.4 lbs/ft.³ H₂O = 17,971 lbs. breakaway force.)

The entire load plus the weight of the gate and stem must be moved by the stem and lift nut, and supported by the head frame and lift. For periods of up to 20 years (sic). In addition, AWWA C-501 sluice gate standards require that this initial gate movement should take place with no more than 25 to 40 pound pull on the handwheel or crank. All this means that proper sizing of the lift, stem, and other gate components is critical.

All lifts used by Plasti-Fab will have ball bearings, and many will be geared. Geared lifts can also be operated by an electric or gas powered portable operator to reduce cycling time. Plasti-Fab also uses electric, pneumatic, and hydraulic actuators. We have worked with most of the major gate and operator manufacturers in the U. S. for over twenty years.

LOCATION May include any size open channels and any wall opening that will have a seating or un-seating head greater than the opening itself.

WHY BUY PLASTI-FAB?

1. The Heavy Duty Titeseal Sluice Gate exceeds any other metallic gates. We can give the owner, engineer, and contractor an alternate to this high-priced proprietary spec., that exceed the functional aspects of the specification in all areas.
2. The seals are mounted to the gate which is a unique feature to most other gates on the market today. This allows the adjustment and replacement of the seals without dewatering of the channel.
3. Plasti-Fab can fabricate using a large variety of high corrosion performance metals and resins.
4. Gate will perform when needed for emergency shut off, spill containment or any other critical shut-off situation.
5. Wide range of experience with customer requirements that will help get the job done right the first time.

PALMER-BOWLUS FLUME GENERAL COMMENTS

The Palmer-Bowlus Flume was originally designed for use in manholes. It is still most commonly installed in pipelines and manholes. However, it is also suitable for open channel applications when a proper transition is used in front of the flume. The flume can use a simple power equation or a more accurate polynomial equation. It can be used with any of the meters available on the market today.

ADVANTAGES

1. The Palmer-Bowlus “U” shaped design and relatively short length make it ideal for retrofitting existing piping systems. This design also allows 4” – 12” flumes to fit through an existing manhole opening.
2. Larger Palmer-Bowlus flumes (typically 48” and larger) can sometimes provide a good alternative to the Parshall. They often give better flow resolution, and may cost less to install.
3. The flume design accelerates the flow as it passes through the flume thus making it “self-cleaning”. Its wide throat is great for passing larger solids and debris.
4. The raised throat helps create positive head for the water to pass out and away from the flume.
5. The Palmer-Bowlus can tolerate a high level of submergence: 85 – 90%!

DISADVANTAGES

1. The Palmer-Bowlus flume was originally designed to fit pipes the same size as the flume. It is now a common practice to install a smaller Palmer-Bowlus flume in a larger channel or pipe. This however, may limit the total amount of flow range that can be accurately used if the wider opening significantly affects the downstream tail water. Above the lower flow range limit, you could experience a progressive over-discharge resulting in a 3 – 5% low reading.
2. Although the Palmer-Bowlus has a fairly good flow range, it is typically not a good style of flume for measuring low flows.
3. Flat or low sloped inlet pipes and channels could create solids settling because of low velocities and the raised throat design. This is especially true during low flow periods. However, the solids will normally pass through the flume when flow picks up.

 

APPLICATION NOTES: Also see “General Flume Design Data”

1. The most common calibration errors are:
   1. Not having the correct measurement location. This should be upstream of the entrance ramp, a distance equal to half the diameter of the flume, or 0/2.
   2. Not having the correct zero point. The zero point is level with the raised throat of the flume. At zero flow you have standing water at the measurement point.
2. Do not expect accurate predictable readings for flows under 5 to 10 GPM even in the smallest (4”) Palmer-Bowlus flume.
3. The Palmer-Bowlus flume will experience submerged conditions at about 85% – 90% of the downstream depth compared to the upstream depth. If at all possible do not design or install a new flume system with the anticipation of it operating in a submerged state.
4. One of the most common misunderstandings is the use of the term “Insert” as it relates to a Palmer-Bowlus flume. A Palmer-Bowlus “Insert” is a flume without an approach section, staff gage, end flanges or mounting slips. “Inserts” are made to fit into a pipe that is the same size as the flume, i.e….a true 6” l.D. pipe will require a 6” 0.0. “Insert” flume.

Note:  

1. The gauging point will be in the pipe or channel ahead of the flume.
2. The true pipe l.D. must be confirmed. Plastic and clay pipes frequently have an irregular ID. — 6” pipe may actually be 5 3/4” ID.
3. Palmer-Bowlus Insert flumes were originally intended for temporary installations such as storm water and I & I studies.

A Palmer-Bowlus “Insert” with Approach is a modification that is sometimes used in order to include the staff gage within the flume. This style will often be used in “roughed-in” U-channels.

Note:  

1. The same installation requirements apply, pipe ID. and flume 0.D. must match.
2. Probe cavities or instrument mountings that increase the O.D. of the flume wall are not allowed.
3. Plasti-Fab has standard molds for this type of flume from 4” through 12” diameter. Flume length including the approach of 3D+1”.

A Palmer-Bowlus Cutback or “exit” style flume is another modification of the Insert flume. In this version of the downstream vertical walls of the flume have been removed to match the height of the half pipe. This allows the outlet end of the flume to be inserted into the downstream pipeline.

Note:  

1. Again, the same installation requirements apply.
2. The cutback flume usually does not include an approach section.
3. The upper flow range will be restricted to about 60 or 70% of full pipe.
4. Use the conservative peak flow as the upper limit.

The Palmer-Bowlus with Approach is sometimes referred to as a “Permanent” or standard flume. The normal length with an approach of 4D + 1”. These flumes have side clips for keying into concrete and a structural flange around both ends. The approach section is desirable because it provides a control area in the flume for measurement, a built-in gage, and a place to mount a meter.