Ice accumulation and thickness distribution before inverted siphon

In winter, the safe operation and the water transfer efficiency of an inverted siphon are big concerns for water diversion projects in a high latitude area. This paper takes the Tanghe inverted siphon of the Middle Route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project in China as an example, and carries out experimental studies under the real ice condition with different water levels, flow discharges and submerged depths. The ice accumulation process and the ice jam thickness distribution before the inverted siphon are tested and measured. The characteristics of the ice jam distribution and the relationship between ti/H (ratio of ice jam thickness ti to total water level H) and Fri (Froude number under ice jam) are analyzed. An equation for the ice jam thickness calculation before the inverted siphon is put forward. Analysis results might help the thickness prediction and the ice jam prevention of similar water diversion projects during ice period.