Design and Construction of an Automatic Hydro mechanical Flap Gate for Drainage and Nile Flood Water Control

Abstract

The main objective is to design and construct an Automatic hydromechanical flap gate for drainage and Nile flood water control aiming to: 1. Drain the area runoff when the river level is below gate level. 2. Close and stop river flood water when the river level is above drain water level. 3. Drain the difference between runoff level and river level in case of higher runoff level. This gate is to be installed at Shambat main drain in order to protect the college farm and building from Nile flood hazards e.g. (1988 flood). The college area was studied and the catchment area was surveyed and the catchment volume was calculated at the peak month (August). All levels and elevations data was taken from the Ministry of irrigation and from Google Earth computer program. A prototype model was designed, constructed and tested through simulation. This prototype was very useful in the designing and construction of the main gate. The gate works under three situations:-  Case 1 when there is rain and the drain is full to the highest possible level and no flood water reaches the gate.  Case 2 where there is average drain level with normal flood level.  Case 3 where there is exceptionally high flood level (1988 flood). The total drainage average time was estimated to be 2.23 hour in case 1. The total drainage average time was estimated to be 3.65 hour in case 2. The depth of water inundation in the event of flooding peak was estimated in the third case. Also the total gate opening head is calculated (0.31 m) is quite a low head that means any light rain can provide this head and keep the gate open. The cost of material used in construction of the gate and cost of labour amounted (1140) Sudanese pounds but the cost of installation is excluded. The gate proved to be at simple design, easy installation and low cost compared to others gates. It can be used in all the areas that suffer from the same above-mentioned problems.