Description Of Patent No. 136214
AUSTRIAN PATENT OFFICE DESCRIPTION OF PATENT No. 136214
Class 84. Issued 10th January 1934.
VIKTOR SCHAUBERGER IN PURKERSDORF NEAR VIENNA CONSTRUCTION AND EQUIPMENT FOR REGULATING
THE DISCHARGE FROM DAMS AND FOR INCREASING THE STABILITY
OF DAM-WALLS
Application date: 23rd April 1930 - Patent applies from: 15th August 1933
The invention concerns the design of plant and associated equipment for regulating the downstream channel of reservoirs and for increasing the structural stability of their barrage-walls. In particular, the invention consists in the fact that a mixture of heavy- and light-water, which is suited to and dependent upon the external tem- perature, can be conducted from the reser- voir into the drainage channel automatically and in such away that, as circumstances demand, the heavy-water to be discharged into the drainage channel can be diverted to cool the valley-side of the barrage-wall by over-trickling it with heavy-water.
It has become evident that in all hydraulic practices applied to the drainage of water in channels, an important factor has been disregarded, namely the temper- ature of the water in relation to ground- and air-temperatures, as well as the differ- ences in temperature in the flowing water itself. Furthemore it has also been deter- mined that the existing and constantly changing differences in temperature influ- ence the movement of the water decisively. Inasmuch as the natural channel is subdi- vided by artificial constructions, such as dams, weirs and the like, and the dis- charge therefrom is either via bottom- sluices (which discharge heavy-water with a temperature of about +4°C only) or via the spillway (whereby the downstream channel is supplied with the currently
highest temperature water), disturbances develop in the downstream channel, which in particular give rise to curves in the channel and to the destruction of the riverbank. However, if water of a tempera- ture corresponding to the ambient external temperature, i.e. correctly tempered water, is discharged into a given channel, then as circumstances dictate, the water-masses can either be braked and their sweeping- force reduced or conversely, they can be accelerated and their sweeping-force increased. Instead of regulating the chan- nel with bank-protecting structures, whose effect is only local, it is therefore possible to bring about the disturbance-free drainage of the water-masses solely through the regulation of the right water- temperatures; that is, through the automat- ic establishment of an enduring state of equilibrium in the water itself. Widening of the channel through the deposition of sediment, or the ejection of the same (grav- el banks), and fissures in the riverbank, especially at the bends, can be prevented by properly designed and equipped dams, and incorrect drainage conditions correct- ed. Through the appropriate adjustment of the mechanisms incorporated in these dams for controlling the discharge of light- or heavy-water, the temperature gradient corresponding to the ambient external temperature can be re-established and in this way the danger of flooding in particu- lar can be almost completely averted.
Concurrently with the regulation of the drainage channel, the stability of the struc- ture required for this purpose, namely the specially designed barrage-wall of the reservoir, can also be increased in a man- ner whereby the pores in the wall-struc- ture are sealed through the cooling of the water-particles infiltrating into the wall from the reservoir, thereby removing the cause of the wall's destruction. With a reduction in temperature, the light-water infiltrating into the wall-pores loses its ability to transport and dissolve salts and other substances, until at a temperature of +4oC it reaches the condition where its dis- solving power is at minimum and the fil- ter-action of the wall is greatest, through the cooling of the valley-side of t h e bar- rage-wall by overtrickling it with +4oC heavy-water, the light-water infiltrating from the reservoir is cooled and precip- tates its dissolved substances into the pores, thereby sealing them. The water- tight sealing of the wall-pores is achieved within a few weeks, thus making any fur- ther safety precautions against the destruc- tion of the wall superfluous. Should the aforementioned cooling of the valley-side of the wall be omitted, then the light-water infiltrating into the wall from the reservoir will be warmed from the valley-side of the wall, in particular by solar irradiation, thereby gaining in dissolving power vis-a- vis the solid particles of the construction material. The pores will be leached out. With increasing enlargement of the pores, the explosive action of frost will also be greater. Fissures will develop in the wall, which permit the entry of more water not only as a result of hydrostatic pressure, but also due to current-pressure, until such time as the structure of the wall, particu- larly at the height of the normal water- level, is completely destroyed.
The diagram depicts an example of the design of the installation, namely the bar- rage-wall of a dam. Fig. 1 shows a cross-sec- tion and Fig. 2 the plan, whereas Fig. 3 is a detail showing the discharge control-mech- anism in section.
For the purposes of regulating the amounts of cold heavy-water and warm light-water, sluices O in the barrage-wall K of the reservoir B are incorporated on both sides of the same, whose sluice-gates T are operated by a temperature-controlled floating body G. The rising pipes W con- nect the sluices O to the main spillway K1 of the barrage-wall. Diverter-pipes U1 , U2 and U3 are located at various heights, which branch off from the rising pipes W and are controlled as required by stop valves V1 and V2 These diverter-pipes lead to the valley-side of the barrage-wall K and discharge into their respective, hori- zontal troughs. At the base of the valley- side of the barrage-wall K, an upwardly curved structure K3 is incorporated for the purposes of creating vortices and for the better mixture of the water flowing over the wall.
The blades of the sluice-gates T rest on a sill recessed into the bottom of sluices O and their water-tight closure is effected by pressure-alleviating rollers set in vertical grooves. By means of a connecting-rod F, situated in a shaft in the side-wall H, the sluice-gate T is attached to the floating body G, which can be shaped like a div- ing-bell for example. In the side-wall H at various heights above sluice O, pipe- shaped openings A are incorporated, which communicate between the shaft in which diving-bell G floats and the open water of the reservoir. When sluice-gate T is opened, communication is also achieved between riser-pipe W and the reservoir through the filling of the riser-pipe, which relieves sluice-gate T from one-sided pressure, thus ensuring its most friction-free operation. Being constructed preferably of timber, sluice-gate T can therefore be precisely adjusted to the carrying capacity of diving- bell G, so that its free movement under all water conditions is assured. Diving-bell G, whose position on connecting-rod F is vari- able, can therefore be set to float at any desired height. In the lid of diving-bell G there is a closable air-vent P, through which, if opened, compressed air within the diving-bell can escape, causing sluice-gate T to shut immediately. By means of a verti- cally calibrated pipe R, open at both ends, the water-level inside the diving-bell can be set to any desired height depending on the depth at which the bottom of pipe R is fixed. When diving-bell G is completely submerged with no internal air-cushion, it can be raised through the supply of com- pressed air via pipe R by shutting air-vent P, thereby enabling sluice-gate T to be raised. During normal operation the air- cushion enclosed within the diving-bell is in close contact with the atmosphere via the diving-bell wall, so that, particularly in the case of metal walls, the external tempera- ture will exert an influence on the volume of the air-cushion. Depending on the exter- nal-temperature-related increase or decrease in the volume of the air-cushion in diving-bell G, sluice-gate T will either be raised or lowered. The amount of heavy- water conducted to the valley-side of the dam-wall via sluices O , rising-pipes W and diverter pipes U1, U2 and U3, and dis- charged into the channel, will therefore vary according to the external temperature. The light-waterflows over a special spill- way-structure M above the top of the dam- wall and down into the channel.
The thorough mixture of heavy- and light-water will not only be facilitated through the upwardly curving structure K3 at the base of the valley-side of the bar- rage-wall, but also through the conduction of heavy-water via the horizontal diverter- pipes U1, U2 and U3 and their respective troughs into the path of the vertically falling light-water; their intimate mixture being achieved by means of the vortices created artificially in this way. As each indi- vidual diving-bell G is irradiated by the sun, the respective sluice-gate T will be fur- ther raised and in this way a greater per- centage of heavy-water will be added to the light-water flowing over the top of the bar- rage-wall at M, whereas with cool external temperatures, sluice-gates T will be nearly or completely closed, allowing only warm light-water to overflow into the channel.
The heavy-water conducted to the top of the dam wall at spillway K1 for purpos- es of better mixture can simultaneously be employed to increase the stability of the barrage-wall. Once construction of bar- rage-wall K has been completed, the lower, valley-side portion of the barrage-wall K will be over-trickled with heavy-water exclusively by means of diverter-pipe U2 for instance, for which purpose diving-bell G will be so adjusted that the sluice-gates T will remain open constantly. At this junc- ture an overflow over the top of the dam is not appropriate and the heavy-water supply will be conducted directly to the chan-
nel via sluice O. The heavy-water over- trickling the valley-side of the barrage-wall now cools the wall from the outside to such an extent that the light- water percolating into the wall-pores from the reservoir deposits its dissolved sub- stances and seals them off. After the lower portion of the barrage-wall has been sealed, the heavy-water can be conducted to the upper portion of the barrage-wall via diverter-pipes U3, which can then be sealed in a similar fashion. This sealing process, during which the wall-pores become water-tight, may require several weeks, depending on the quality of the construction material. Once completed, no further dangers are to be feared, even dur- ing normal operations. After the wall has been sealed, the special spillway-structure M, which need only be made of steel and placed atop the wall temporarily, can also be removed so that the light-water, instead of discharging over spillway M, will over- trickle the top of the dam-wall K1, thereby preserving and protecting the wall-struc- ture on the valley-side.
PATENT CLAIMS
1. The design of the installation for regu- lating the downstream channel of reser- voirs and for increasing the stability of their barrage-walls is characterised by the provision of equipment by means of which a mixture of heavy- and light-water, suited to and dependent upon the external tem- perature, is automatically discharged into the downstream channel. 2 In accordance with Claim 1, the design of the installation is characterised by the incorporation of mechanisms whereby the valley-side of the barrage-wall K of the reservoir can be cooled by overtrickling it with heavy-water.
3. In accordance with Claim 1, t h e design
of the installation for regulating the dis- charge from the reservoir is characterised by the temperature-controlled operation of the sluice-gates T by a floating body G.
4. In accordance with Claims 2 & 3, the design of the installation is characterised by the conduction of the heavy-water from sluice-gates T to the top of the barrage- wall K1 by means of rising-pipes W.
5. In accordance with Claim 4, the installa- tion is further characterised by the conduc- tion of heavy-water to the valley-side of the barrage-wall K in horizontal troughs U1, U2 and U3 at various heights above the
base.
6. In accordance with Claim 3, the installa- tion is characterised by the provision of a floating body G, constructed as a diving bell with variable air-content, which can be raised or lowered.
7. In accordance with Claim 6, the installa- tion is characterised by the incorporation of an open-ended, vertically adjustable pipe R in contact with the atmosphere.
8. In accordance with Claim 5 the installa- tion is characterised by the connection of the individual diverter-pipes U1, U2 and U3
for the conduction of heavy-water, to their common rising-pipe W via closable valves V1 and V2.
See Figure 23
Note: Figures referred to in patent text relate to those indicated in
fig. 23 of this book.

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