The rotating hydraulics of steady flow in open channels

Properties of steady flows in rotating open channels are investigated. The flow is studied using conservations of potential vorticity, Bernoulli function, and volume transport. It is found that three main types of flow can occur in the rotating channel; namely, the subcritical flow, the critical flow, and the supercritical flow. In addition, there are also rotation induced separated flows associated with each of the three types of flows. The criteria for identifying these different types of flows are determined for the constant potential vorticity case. Experiments are performed to verify some of the rotating channel flows, specifically the critical flow, the subcritical flow, and the supercritical separation. Possible applications of hydraulics to Norwegian overflows and the loop current in the Gulf of Mexico are discussed.