Gates and Valves 3.1 General

CHAPTER 3
Gates and Valves

3.1 General
The main operational requirements for gates and valves are failure-free performance ,control of
floods, watertight ness, rapidity of operation, minimum hoist capacity and convenience
installation and maintenance.
Gates may be classified according to the following:
1. Position in the dam- crest gates and high head (submerged )gates & valves:
2. Function -service, maintenance and emergency gates,
3. Material-gates made of steel, aluminum alloys, reinforced concrete, wood, rubber, nylon
and other synthetic materials :
4. Pressure transmission-to piers or abutments, to the gate sill, to the sill and piers:
5. Mode of operation: regulating and non-regulating gates or valves
6. Type of motion: - translatory, rotary, rolling, floating gates, gates moving along or across
the flow:
7. Moving mechanisms:- gates powered electrically, mechanically, hydraulically,
automatically by water pressure or by hand.
3.2 Crest gates
If a temporary barrier can be installed over the permanent raised crest of a spillway, additional
water can be stored between the spillway crest and the top of the barrier during the fog-end of the
rainy season. The small flows in excess of the barrier top level, may be permitted to pass over the
barrier. If, however, large floods occur, the barrier may be removed and full spillway capacity
made available for the outflow. The basic feature of structural design of crest gates is the method
used for transferring the pressure acting on them.
A) Pressure transmission to piers and abutments is used by plain vertical lift gates
and stop- lags, radial gates and roller gates; the gates may be designed for flow over or
under them for a combined flow condition.
B) Pressure transmission to the gate sill is used, for example by sector (drum) gates (with
upstream or downstream hinge), roof (bear-trap) gates ,pivot-leaf(flap)gates,roll-out
gates,and inflatable gates.
C) pressure transmission both to piers and sill, e.g. some types of flap gates and
floating(pontoon)gates.
1
3.2.1 Plain gates
Plain (vertical lift) gates, designed as a lattice, box girder, a grid of horizontal and vertical beams
and stiffeners, or a single slab steel plate, may consist of single or double section (or even more
parts can be involved in the closure of very high openings) in the case of flow over the top of the
gate it may be provided with an additional flap gate. The gates can have slide or wheeled
support.
The pier face downstream of the gate slots may be protected against the effect of flow separation
and possible cavitations either by recessing it against the upstream pier face or by a bevel of
slope about 1:12. (see figure below)
3.2.2 Radial gates
Radial (Tainter) gates are usually constructed as portals with cross bars and arms (straight, radial,
or inclined), but could also be cantilevered over the arms. Their support hinges are usually down
stream but (for low heads) could also be upstream, resulting in shorter piers.
The usual range of heads and spans for radial gates is 2<H(m)<20 and 3< B(m) 55, with (BH)max
 550m2. Radial gates may be designed for more than 20MN per bearing.
The advantages of radial over plain gates are smaller hoist, increased speed of raising, higher
stiffness, lower piers, absence of gate slots, easier automation and better winter performance; on
other hand, radial gates require longer and thicker piers, and there may be difficulties with the
bulk-head installation.
2
The gate is usually hoisted by cables fixed to each end to prevent it from twisting and jamming.
As the cables are connected to the bottom of the gate its top can be raised above the level of the
hoist it self. (see fig . below.)
3
3.2.3. Sector Gates
Sector (drum) gates may be hinged upstream or downstream; in the later case the hinge is usually
below the spillway crest by about 0.1H to 0.2H. Sector gates on dam crests are usually of the
upstream hinge type, with the hinge about 0.25H above the d/s gate sill and a radius of curvature
of r=H. The heads can be as high as 10m and the spans 65m.
Both types of gates are difficult to install, and require careful maintenance and heating in winter
conditions; their main advantages are care of automation and absence of lifting gear, fast
movement, accuracy of regulation, ease of passing of ice and debris, and low piers. (Figure
Below)
4
3.3 High head gates and valves
High head (submerged) gates and valves transmit the load to the surrounding structure either
directly through their support e.g. Plain (Vertical lift), radial, or ring follower gates, or through
the shell encasing the valve. The most common valves of the latter type are non-regulating disc
(butterfly) valves (turning about a horizontal or vertical axis), cylindrical or sphere (rotary)
valves etc.
3.3.1 High- pressure gates
Plain (vertical lift) gates are sliding, wheeled or moving on rollers or caterpillars. For optimum
conditions it is best to contract the pressure conduit upstream of the gate and to provide
deflectors d/s to aid aeration as an anti cavitations measure. The conduit face d/s of the gate slots
should be protected against capitation in the same way as for crest gates.
5
Radial gates are normally hinged d/s, but sometimes used in reversed position with arms inside
or, more frequently, out side the conduit at the end of which the regulating gate is installed.
A special feature of some high- head fainter gates is the use of eccentric trunnions which permit
a gap to be formed between the seals and the seal seats before opening the gate so that only
moments causes by the gate weight and hinge friction have to be overcome.
3.3.2 High- head valves
The cone dispersion (Howell-Bunger) valve is probably the most frequently used type of
regulating valve installed at the end of outlets discharging in to the atmosphere. It consists of a
fixed 900 cone disperser, upstream of which is the opening covered by a sliding cylindrical
sleeve.
The needle valve, (its variation the tube value), has a bulb shaped fixed steel jacket, with the
valve closing against the casing in the downstream direction. When open, the valves produce
solid circular jets and can also be used in a submerged condition. The valves may suffer from
cavitation damage and produce unstable jets at small openings, and are expensive as they have to
withstand full reservoir pressures.

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CHAPTER 3

Gates and Valves

Gates may be classified according to the following:

3.2 Crest gates

3.2.2 Radial gates

3.3.1 High- pressure gates

3.3.2 High- head valves

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