Design of Floating Fish Guidance Systems Using CFD Modelling

Downstream fish migration is in many rivers often prevented by river fragmentation. In particular, many hydropower structures create an effective barrier for the migrating fish. Even in locations where an alternative bypass route exists, diversion of water into a headrace tunnel or channel is likely to divert the fish along with the water.
In this study, a three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model is used to evaluate proposed designs for a floating fish guidance system. The effects from the guidance structures on the overall hydraulic flow field in the intake area is investigated, and the consequences of the different solutions for fish guidance is evaluated qualitatively.