Sizing and Quantity Estimation for Desilting Tank of Small Hydropower Projects—An Analytical Approach.

In small hydropower (SHP) projects, desilting tank is an important component, which protects the mechanical equipment specially turbine from the silt carried by the water conductor system. Desilting tanks are used in water treatment plants and hydropower channels to remove objectionable sediment of a specified size and quantity. Design of desilting tank requires evaluation of sediment removal efficiency over the range of sediment particle sizes. In the design of desilting tank, various combinations of width, depth, and length of the tank are possible to achieve desired silt removal efficiency. In the present study, an attempt has been made to develop correlations for sizing of desilting tank and estimation of quantities of various materials required in the construction of desilting tank. The results obtained were verified with the data collected on desilting tanks of recently developed SHP projects. The results are found within maximum error of ±12%. The correlation developed can be used for sizing and cost estimation of the desilting tank. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]