Velocity measurements in developing narrow open-channel flows with high free-stream turbulence: Acoustic Doppler Velocimetry (ADV) vs Laser Doppler Anemometry (LDA)

A developing narrow open-channel flow has been investigated using Acoustic Doppler Velocimetry (ADV) and Laser Doppler Anemometry (LDA). The objectives were to first characterize the flow environment with the LDA system alone, then quantify the intrusion effect of the ADV sensor immersion, and finally compare ADV-LDA measurements. The main features of the flow have been described. The turbulence levels measured in the outer flow region are high and almost isotropic due to the specificities of the flow (3D, narrow, developing). This contributes to a flattening of the mean streamwise velocity profile in this region. The intrusion effect of the ADV sensor is found to be dependent on Froude number (Fr=U0/gH with U0 the discharge velocity, H the flow depth, and g the gravity acceleration). Vertical flow below the sensor is amplified while the streamwise component of the flow is enhanced for “low” Fr (≤0.6) and reduced for “high” Fr (≥1.1). On the other hand, turbulence quantities are not affected by the sensor presence. Compared to the LDA, the ADV is shown to underestimate the mean flow and turbulence intensities, while not affecting Reynolds shear stress measurements. The underestimation of the turbulence intensities can be attributed to the lower sampling rate and larger sampling volume of the ADV, but the underestimations of the mean velocities are more likely linked to a constant bias that the ADV seems to have or to some type of ADV-intrinsic noise. Some implications for practical application are discussed.