Patent ID: 8348553

Claim:
A three-dimensional convex-concave hydraulic structure fairing, equipped with at least one vortex generator, for reducing drag and flow blockage, preventing flow-borne debris build-up, flow overtopping frequency, riverbed junction scour, and protecting said hydraulic structure from flow-borne impact loads, with a shape that further prevents the formation of scouring vortices for a range of river inflow angles of attack and upstream swirl of flow passing a hydraulic structure, comprising: a streamlined fairing installed around a perimeter of said hydraulic structure and extending from a height above a river on said structure to a bed of said river surrounding said structure, said streamlined fairing completely enveloping said hydraulic structure and providing a faired shape in a direction of flow of said river, said fairing including a streamlined nose and a streamlined stern, each said nose and stern having a convex shape along each horizontal plane and a concave shape along each vertical plane perpendicular to surfaces of the fairing, said convex and said concave shapes intersecting at each point on the surfaces of said streamlined nose and stern; at least one vortex generator attached to a surface of said streamlined fairing beyond a streamlined nose thereof and along a longitudinal distance of a stem to stern dimension of said streamlined fairing, and being proximal to said river bed in a flow region void of adverse pressure gradients that persist downstream of said at least one vortex generator for at least one length of said at least one vortex generator, so as to energize a portion of near wall flow with higher-momentum outer layer flow to produce a steady, compact separation and wake and prevent formation of scouring vortices within said river flow.