Discharge rate measurements in a canal using radiotracer methods

• Radiotracer methods were used for discharge rate measurements in a canal.
• Iodine-131 was used as a radiotracer.
• Measured discharge rates were in good agreement with the design discharge rate.
• Efficacy of concrete volute pumps (CVPs) was validated.

Discharge rates of water were measured in a canal using radiotracer methods with an objective to validate the efficacy of Concrete Volute Pumps (CVPs) installed at various pumping stations along the canal. Pulse velocity and dilution methods were applied to measure the discharge rates using Iodine-131 as a radiotracer. The discharge rate measured in one of the sections of the canal using the pulse velocity method was found to be 22.5 m3/s, whereas the discharge rates measured using the dilution method in four different sections of the canal varied from 20.27 to 20.62 m3/s with single CVP in operation. The standard error in discharge rate measurements using dilution method ranged from ±1.1 to ±1.8%. The experimentally measured values of the discharge rate were in good agreement with the design value of the discharge rate (20 m3/s) thus validating the performance of the CVPs used in the canal.