Common behavioral trends and characteristics of alluvial channels including rivers are extensively discussed in the literature. However, little is known about the hydrodynamic effects of seepage on alluvial channels. Factors like sand bed resistance, stream power of the channel, incipient motion of bed particles, and geometry of the channel cross section are significantly affected by seepage. This thesis presents the experimental investigations that are aimed to find out the quantitative effect of seepage, through a sand bed in downward (suction) direction, on the above mentioned factors. The problem in the sediment transport analysis is that the knowledge of complex interaction of several parameters with seepage cannot be fully obtained. In order to generalize the results, experiments are conducted in four rectangular smooth walled sand bed flumes under steady and fairly uniform flow conditions. Among the four, one is the Large Tilting Flume (LTF), which is 25 m long, 1.80 m wide and 1.00 m deep and with a seepage length of up to 20 m. This LTF is specially built at hydraulic laboratory, Indian Institute of Science exclusively for the present research work especially on alluvial channel regime. The experimental channels are designed to apply controlled amounts of uniform seepage flow in either direction in one flume (Flume-2), and only in downward direction to other three flumes (Flumes 1, 3 and 4). The application of seepage is perpendicular to the sand bed thickness over a sufficient length of the main channel. Appropriate instruments are used to accurately measure the basic experimental variables such as discharge in the main channel, seepage discharge, flow depth, water surface and bed slope, seepage gradients and cross sectional profiles. Experiments are carried out at different conditions (plane beds and curved shape channels) as explained below: Plane sediment beds Series – 1: Experiments to determine incipient motion of bed particles under no-seepage condition. Series – 2: Experiments on the non-transporting condition of the bed particles under both no-seepage and seepage condition. Series – 3: Experiments on the transporting condition of the bed particles under both no-seepage and seepage condition. Curved shape channels Series – A: Experiments to verify Lane’s (1953) geometric profile against higher discharge than prescribed by Lane (1953). Series – B: Experiments to verify the Lane’s (1953) geometric profile by allowing the discharge prescribed by Lane (1953). Series – C: Experiments to predict the final geometric profile by applying suction to Series – B experiments. A wide range of sediment particles are tested. Five different sized uniform sands (d50 = 1 mm, 0.56 mm, 0.65 mm, 1.00 mm and 1.77 mm) and gravel of size d50 = 8.00 mm are used for experimentation. Among the six sizes, three sizes (d50 = 0.56 mm, 0.65 mm, 2 mm) are used for seepage experimentation. The experimental data from the present experiments along with the available data from other sources on more sizes of sand are analyzed, thus covering a wide range of sand sizes. The following important results are obtained from the analysis. A new resistance equation has been developed for plane sediment beds (with little or no-transport) such that the average velocity in the channel depends on the shear velocity Reynolds number. A careful study has been done on incipient motion and concluded that incipient motion is better explained by critical stream power criterion for plane sediment beds. With the help of critical stream power criterion, a straightforward design procedure using design tables/design curves and analytical methods are presented to solve six possible design problems. For plane and non-transporting beds, in general, the stream power in the channel increases with suction and decreases with injection. The increase and decrease depend on the seepage power intensity parameter (NP), initial value of stream power (Ωbo), and critical stream power of the particles under no-seepage condition (Ωco). An expression relating all the influencing parameters is established to quantitatively estimate the stream power (Ωbs) variation with both the types of seepages, i.e., with suction and injection. It is found that the seepage has a significant influence in changing critical stream power for incipient motion of the bed material and the value is significantly different from the no-seepage critical value. An expression is established to quantitatively estimate the critical stream power with seepage (upward and downward) for a given critical stream power (Ωco) of the bed material under no-seepage conditions and initial stream power (Ωbo). It has been established that critical stream power curve used to define incipient motion is valid only for no-seepage condition of the bed and it cannot be used for sand beds under seepage condition, as seepage effects significantly alters the stream power. From the wide range of experimental data (including the observations from LTF) it is found that suction (downward seepage through the sand bed) enhances the transport or aids the incipient motion of bed particles which are initially at rest. Thus, suction reduces the stability and increases the erosion of bed particles when compared to no-seepage conditions. However, it is found that injection (upward seepage) affects in an opposite way, i.e., it can reduce the transport rate or even inhibit the incipient motion. Thus, injection increases the stability and reduces the erosion of bed particles when compared to no-seepage conditions. Therefore, it is concluded that suction increases the mobility of sand particles where as injection decreases their mobility. An expression to find the incipient motion with seepage (both suction and injection) is established in terms of stream power’s (Ωco, Ωbo and Ωbs) based on the present experimental data along with others' data. With the help of these expressions design procedure is developed for ten types of possible problems. A numerical model for spatially varied flow has been developed with the help of the seepage governing equations, developed in this thesis, to compute flow profiles along the channel length. A methodology of predicting the location of incipient motion section in sand bed channels affected by seepage is also presented. Channel geometry affected by seepage (suction) is established in the form of regression relationships for perimeter, flow depth and slope of the channel. Different combinations (bi-variate and tri-variate) of dimensional and non-dimensional regression relationships are developed. An approach to channel design has been developed based on the application of functional analysis of the salient variables that control the channel behavior. And also, it has been established that, Lane’s (1953) profile almost matches with experimental profile for no-seepage condition. The present investigation clearly shows the significance of seepage in altering the hydraulic and sediment transport behavior of sand bed channels. From the practicing engineer’s point of view it is hoped that present design procedures will be helpful in safe guarding the seepage affected channels.

Lors d’une opération de forage, un certain nombre d’événements imprévus par rapport à l’écoulement du fluide de forage dans le puits, peuvent se produire assez rapidement. Des exemples de tels événements sont les afflux de pétrole ("kick") ainsi que les pertes de boue dans la formation. Un "kick" qui augmente en intensité peut entraîner, par ce que l’on nomme, un "blowout" (par exemple l’incident Deepwater Horizon en 2010). Les pertes et les gains sont habituellement détectés en contrôlant l’équilibre de la boue de forage dans le puits, en particulier en contrôlant le débit sortant du puits et en le comparant au débit entrant induit par les pompes. La plupart des méthodes de surveillance, de l’écoulement du puits en cours de forage, est d’utiliser un simple "paddle" (capteur qui mesure la hauteur du fluide de forage avec l’inclinaison d’une pagaie) dans la ligne d’écoulement de retour, ou d’utiliser un débitmètre de Coriolis (débitmètre connu pour sa précision, mais coûteux et nécessite une installation complexe en ajoutant un "by-pass"). Il y a un besoin évident d’un nouveau débitmètre précis, mais facile à installer et peu coûteux. Le canal Venturi a été utilisé comme débitmètre pendant des années dans l’industrie des eaux. Il apparaît comme une solution peu chère mais précise pour mesurer des débits importants. Beaucoup de personnes ont travaillé sur cette solution pour améliorer sa précision et élargir son champ d’application. Ils ont développé des modèles, sur la base d’un processus d’étalonnage, permettant de relier la hauteur en amont au débit. Cela signifie que les modèles actuels, comme ISO NORM 4359 [1], peuvent être uniquement utilisés pour l’écoulement d’eau et pour une géométrie bien spécifique. Comme nous le savons, les boues ont des comportement non- Newtonien, et donc ces modèles établis ne peuvent pas être utilisés avec ce type de fluides. Pour notre application, la forme trapézoïdale apparaît comme un bon compromis entre la précision et la portée des mesures de débit. Ainsi, nous avons développé un modèle capable de calculer le débit en prenant en compte les propriétés du fluide ainsi que les paramètres géométriques du canal. Ce modèle a été simplifié sous forme 1D en utilisant la théorie des eaux peux profondes, et a été complété par un modèle de friction tenant en compte de la variation des propriétés des fluides et de la géométrie du canal. Ce modèle a été validé par une série d’expériences avec les deux types de fluides: Newtonien et non-Newtonien, où nous avons mesuré le débit et la hauteur de l’écoulement à différents endroits le long du canal Venturi. Nous avons également réalisé des simulations 3D, en simulant des écoulements Newtoniens et non- Newtonien le long du canal. Pour généraliser cette étude, cette démarche a été étendue à une autre forme de Venturi plus adapté à un certain design de plate-forme pétrolière. Les corrélations et les modèles développés et validés expérimentalement au cours de cette étude peuvent être utilisés pour étendre l’utilisation des canaux Venturi à tous les fluides Newtonien mais aussi non-Newtonien. Il est maintenant l’occasion pour les industries de proposer une solution, peu chère mais précise pour mesurer les débits dans des canaux ouverts et pour tous types de fluides. / During a drilling operation, a certain number of unexpected events, related to the flow of drilling fluid in the well, may happen rather quickly. Examples of such events are formation fluid influx (kick) and mud loss to the formation. An uncontrolled kick that increases in intensity may result in what is known as a blowout (e.g. the Deepwater Horizon incident in 2010). Influxes and kicks are traditionally detected by monitoring the drilling mud balance in the well, in particular, by monitoring the flow out the well and comparing it to the incoming flow induced by the pumps. Most methods of monitoring the flow out of the well while drilling consists in using a simple paddle (sensor that measures the height of drilling fluid with the inclination of a paddle) in the return flow line, or in using a Coriolis flow meter (flow meter known for its accuracy but expensive and requires a complex installation by adding a bypass). There is a clear need of a new accurate flow meter, but easy to install and inexpensive. The Venturi flume has been used as flow meter for years in water industry. It appears as a cheap but accurate solution to measure large flow rates. Many people have worked on this solution to improve its accuracy and to expand its scope. They have developed models, based on a calibration process, to relate the upstream height to the flow rate. This means that current models, as ISO NORM 4359 [1], can be used only for water flow and specific geometry. As known, muds have non-Newtonian behavior and water models cannot be used with this kind of fluids. For our application, trapezoidal shape appears as a good compromise between accuracy and range of flow rate measurements. Thus, we built a model able to compute the flow rate with taking into account fluid properties and geometrical parameters. This model is simplified in 1D form by using the Shallow Water theory, and completed by a friction model taking into account the variation of fluid properties and geometry along the open channel. It have been validated by series of experiments with both Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids, where we measured the flow rate and heights of the flow at different locations along the trapezoidal Venturi flume. It have been also completed by 3D CFD which has been simulated both Newtonian and non-Newtonian flows along the flume. To generalized this study, the work was extended to another shape of Venturi more suited to some rig design. The correlations and models developed and experimentally validated during this research can be used to extend the use of Venturi flume flow meters for any fluids : Newtonian and non- Newtonian. It is an opportunity for industries to propose a cheap but accurate solution to measure flow rates in open channels with any kind of fluids.

Operações de produção de petróleo, que utilizam sistemas de bombeamento centrífugo submerso, constantemente encontram a presença de gás livre nos poços, o que pode gerar ou agravar problemas como cavitação e falhas dinâmicas, quando o gás é succionado pela bomba. O separador gravitacional do tipo shroud invertido é uma solução possível para este problema nos casos de operação em poços direcionais de petróleo. O trabalho tem como objetivo apresentar um estudo do diâmetro das bolhas que ocorrem no interior de um separador gravitacional gás-líquido do tipo shroud invertido. A finalidade é o aprimoramento de um modelo fenomenológico do funcionamento deste tipo de separador, aplicado à indústria petrolífera, sendo que o modelo fenomenológico garante total separação de gás, fornecidas determinadas condições. O modelo prevê, através do cálculo da energia cinética turbulenta, o tamanho médio das bolhas carregadas para o seio do líquido por aeração no duto anular. Partindo de estudos anteriores, uma verificação do modelo fenomenológico foi feita utilizando um aparato experimental com misturas bifásicas ar-água e ar-óleo em três diferentes inclinações. O aparato possui dimensões radiais reais de um poço de petróleo offshore. Foi utilizado um sensor 3D ORM para a medição do tamanho médio (sauter) das bolhas arrastadas pelo líquido até a entrada do tubo de produção, em diversas combinações de vazões da mistura água-ar. Esta medição permite o ajuste das correlações que regem o modelo fenomenológico, no que diz respeito às equações dependentes do diâmetro teórico de bolhas arrastadas pela fase líquida. As descobertas provenientes deste estudo foram implementadas em um código computacional que será utilizado pela PETROBRAS, financiadora do projeto, para suas operações de bombeamento. / Oil mining operations powered by centrifugal submersible pumping systems suffer constant setbacks due to the presence of free gas in wells. Decompression in the reservoir liberates this gas in the form of bubbles that, upon reaching the suction end of the pump, cause cavitation and dynamic failures resulting in production and equipment losses. The Inverted-shroud gravitational separator is a possible solution to this problem. This work presents a study on diameters of bubbles that occur inside this separator. The goal is the improvement of the understanding of this kind of separator as well as the enhancement of a previously reported phenomenological model, which ensures total gas separation when the separator is installed in directional wells and under specific operational conditions. Empirically adjusted correlations are used to ensure that all entrained bubbles do not reach the pump. The model was tested for two-phase flows of water-air and oil-air mixtures using three different inclinations. Tests were performed with an experimental apparatus that simulates a pilot-scale well casing with an inverted-shroud separator installed. A 3D ORM particle-size sensor was employed in order to measure the average (sauter) diameter of entrained bubbles that are dragged by the liquid flow towards the end of the production tube. This investigation will be used to improve the reliability of the phenomenological model and reduce its dependency on a theoretical prediction of the bubble size. The findings were incorporated to the final version of an in-house gas separator design software developed at the request of PETROBRAS, the project funder and Inverted-shroud patent holder, for usage on its oil mining operations.

Un mascaret est une vague remontant contre le courant d’un fleuve lorsque la marée se propage dans un estuaire. À son passage, le mascaret induit une forte turbulence et un fort mélange dont les effets sur la vie de l’estuaire sont encore mal quantifiés. Ici, le phénomène est étudié expérimentalement et numériquement en utilisant un modèle d’onde positive se propageant contre un courant permanent.L’étude en laboratoire a permis de mesurer les variations de la surface libre, de la vitesse de l’écoulement ainsi que des échelles de turbulence. Lors de son passage, des fluctuations importantes de la surface libre et de la vitesse de l’écoulement sont observées, ainsi que des variations des échelles de turbulences. Des structures turbulentes semblent se former près du fond sous le front de l’onde et montent dans la colonne d’eau après le passage du front.La simulation numérique fut réalisée à partir de données expérimentales d’onde positive ondulée sur fond lisse. Une validation des méthodes numériques a été réalisée pour différente configuration. Les résultats des simulations d’onde positives donnent une cartographie détaillée de l’écoulement dans tout le canal. De plus, la simulation a permis d’identifier une inversion de la vitesse près des parois lors du passage des crêtes des ondes générant dans certaines configurations des structures turbulentes. / Tidal bores are surge waves propagating upstream rivers as the tide rushes into estuaries. They induce large turbulences and mixing of the river and estuary flow of which effects remain scarcely studied. Herein, tidal bores are investigated experimentally and numerically with an idealised model of positive surges propagating upstream an initially steady flow. The experimental work estimated flow changes and typical turbulent length scale evolution induced by undular bores with and without breaking roller. The bore passage was associated with large free surface and flow velocity fluctuations, together with some variations of the integral turbulent scales. Coherent turbulent structures appeared in the wake of leading wave near the bed and moved upward into the water column during the bore propagation. The numerical simulations were based on previous experimental work on undular bores. Some test cases were realised to verify the accuracy of the numerical methods. The results gave access to the detailed flow evolution during the bore propagation. Large velocity reversals were observed close to the no-slip boundaries. In some configurations, coherent turbulent structures appeared against the walls in the wake of the bore front.

This master’s thesis deals with the assesment of directional sensivity and accuracy of current stream velocity using electromagnetic induction meters in circumstances simulating the real measurement profiles condictions. The theoretical part of the thesis describes the issue of streamflow measurement in open channels and determination of the relevant measurement uncertainties. It also includes description of the hydraulic circuit and the subject current velocity meters. The experimental part of the thesis focuses on the effect of turbulence on the value and accuracy of measured velocity and directional sensivity of electromagnetic induction meters of current velocity. The results are compared with parameters given by manufacturers, research by other authors and with the metrological characteristics of hydrometric propellers, which are commonly used for streamflow measurement in open channels.