Radial gate having fine tuning of flow control

Claim 1

An apparatus in operable combination with a hydraulic turbine for controlling a flow of water through a waterway in which said turbine, is located, comprising: a radial gate within said waterway upstream of said turbine having a water face plate movable between a closed position for interrupting said flow of water through said waterway toward said turbine and a full open position permitting a generally uninhibited flow of water through said waterway toward said turbine; means for moving said radial gate between said closed and full open position and operable to maintain said radial gate at preselected incremental open positions intermediate said closed and full open positions to permit a preselected incremental flow of water through said waterway toward said turbine; a second gate carried by said radial gate and operable independent of the positioning of said radial gate to be selectively moved between a flow blocking position to a maximum open position with said second gate permitting a maximum supplemental flow of water through said waterway to said turbine when in said maximum open position and permitting generally no supplemental flow when in said blocking position; said water face plate of said radial gate having an opening therethrough operable to permit said maximum supplemental flow of water through said radial gate to said turbine and said second gate comprising a flap-gate having a water surface plate sized to completely cover said opening in said radial gate; said flap-gate being supported on said radial gate on a downstream surface thereof in said blocking position wherein said water surface plate covers said opening in said radial gate and movable from said blocking position to a maximum open position to permit said maximum supplemental flow of water through said opening toward said turbine; and means for selectively moving said second gate between said blocking and maximum open positions independent of the positioning of said first gate comprising a power operator operably connected to said flap-gate to move said flap-gate between said flap blocking and maximum open position; whereby said radial gate is positionable to an intermediate open position permitting only a predetermined amount of water to flow to the turbine which is less than an amount necessary to drive the turbine to achieve a synchronization of the turbine and said flap-gate may be operated to permit a supplemental flow of water to the turbine to fine tune the water flow to achieve synchronization and thereafter said radial gate may be opened to permit full water flow to the turbine.

Claim 2

An apparatus in operable combination with a hydraulic turbine for controlling a flow of water through a waterway in which said turbine, is located, comprising: a radial gate within said waterway upstream of said turbine having a water face plate movable between a closed position for interrupting said flow of water through said waterway toward said turbine and a full open position permitting a generally uninhibited flow of water through said waterway toward said turbine; means for moving said radial gate between said closed and full open position and operable to maintain said radial gate at preselected incremental open positions intermediate said closed and full open positions to permit a preselected incremental flow of water through said waterway toward said turbine; a second gate carried by said radial gate and operable independent of the positioning of said radial gate to be selectively moved between a flow blocking position to a maximum open position with said second gate permitting a maximum supplemental flow of water through said waterway to said turbine when in said maximum open position and permitting generally no supplemental flow when in said blocking position; said water face plate of said radial gate having an opening therethrough operable to permit said maximum supplemental flow of water through said radial gate to said turbine and said second gate comprising a flap-gate having a water surface plate sized to completely cover said opening in said radial gate; said flap-gate being supported on said radial gate on a downstream surface thereof in said blocking position wherein said water surface plate covers said opening in said radial gate and movable from said blocking position to a maximum open position to permit said maximum supplemental flow of water through said opening toward said turbine; and means for selectively moving said second gate between said blocking and maximum open positions independent of the positioning of said first gate comprising a power operator operably connected to said flap-gate to move said flap-gate between said flap blocking and maximum open position; whereby said radial gate is positionable to an intermediate open position permitting only a predetermined amount of water to flow to the turbine which is less than an amount necessary to drive the turbine to achieve a synchronization of the turbine and said flap-gate may be operated to permit a supplemental flow of water to the turbine to fine tune the water flow to achieve synchronization and thereafter said radial gate may be opened to permit full water flow to the turbine.