Appendix E Basin Outlet Sizing Examples 2013

APPENDIX E BASIN OUTLET SIZING EXAMPLES

Perforated Risers Outlet Sizing Methodology (Figure 2-2)
The following attributes influence the perforated riser outlet sizing calculations:

• Shape of the basin (e.g. trapezoidal)

• Depth and volume of the basin
• Elevation / depth of first row of holes
• Elevation / depth of last row of holes
• Size of perforations
• Number of rows or perforations and number of perforations per row
• Desired draw down time (e.g. 16 hour and 32 hour draw down for top half and bottom
half respectively, 48 hour total draw down time)

The governing rate of discharge from a perforated riser structure can be calculated using
Equation E-1 below:

2 Ap 3
Q = Cp 2g H 2 (Equation E-1)
3H s

Where:

Q = riser flow discharge (cfs)

Cp = discharge coefficient for perforations (use 0.61)
Ap = cross-sectional area of all the holes (ft2)
s = center to center vertical spacing between perforations (ft)
Hs = distance from s/2 below the lowest row of holes to s/2
above the top row of holes (McEnroe 1988)
H= effective head on the orifice (measured from center of
orifice to water surface)

For the iterative computations needed to size the perforations in the riser and determine the
riser height a simplified version of Equation E-1 may be used, as shown below in Equation E-2:

3
Q = kH 2 (Equation E-2)

Where:
2 Ap
k = Cp 2g (Equation E-3)
3H s

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Uniformly perforated riser designs are defined by the depth or elevation of the first row of
perforations, the length of the perforated section of pipe, and the size or diameter of each
perforation. The steps needed to size a perforated riser outlet are outlined below.

Step 1: Determine riser elevation or depth in the basin

Set the riser elevation at 6” above the basin bottom to provide for sediment storage. Select a
riser height such that the last row of perforations is in-line with the top of the water quality pool
elevation.

Step 2: Determine basin and riser attributes and constants for computations

Parameters examined at this step include basin geometry such as basin shape, basin bottom
length and width, and basin side slopes. Organize the attributes obtained in this step in a table
such as Table E-1.

Step 3: Determine constant k

Determine the value of the constant k (Equations E-2 and E-3) that provides the desired draw
down time.

Set up a computation table such as Table E-3. Note that the table must have at
least 19 height slices or the bottom 5% of the basin shall be combined in the computations.
The formulas for each column of the computation table are provided in Table E-2.

Using the basin depth, partition the basin into equal height horizontal slices to be
stored as entries in Table E-3. At each elevation En (or table entry), complete the following:

Determine the change in elevation Hn (ft) [Hn =( Eo – En+1)]

Calculate the average discharge Qn (cfs) [Qn =k(Hn)3/2 ] Eqn E-2
Calculate the basin surface area An (ft2) [An = Ln x Wn for
rectangular basins]
Compute the available storage Vn (ft3) [Vn = An x Hn]
Determine the average drain time Tn (hrs) [Tn = (Vn / Qn ) x 3600]

Sum up the drain times at each height slice to determine the total drain time for the
basin. If the value obtained is smaller or greater than the desired value, increase or decrease
the k value and repeat the computations in step b until the desired drain time is achieved.

Step 4: Determine the size and number of rows of perforations

Determine the size and number of rows of perforations that yield a k value equal to the k value
used in the previous step. Follow the steps below to obtain riser attributes:

Select an initial number of rows, number or holes per row and an initial hole
diameter.

Obtain flow area per row values from Table E-4 or compute flow area.
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Select a value for Hs and Cp and compute k.

Repeat the above steps varying the number of rows, hole diameter, number of holes
per row and Hs until the desired value of k is obtained or it is determined that k is too small to
be matched by any realistic combination of inputs. Hole diameter shall not be less than 1/4" to
minimize the potential for clogging.

Step 5: Verify the design

The design is completed by verifying that the drain time for both the top half and the bottom
half are acceptable and the total drain time is equivalent to the desired value. Note that the
drain time for the top half can be obtained by summing the drain times for the top half of the
entries in the computation Table E-3. The drain time for the bottom half can similarly be
obtained by summing values for the drain times for the bottom half of the entries in the
computation Table E-3.

Table E-1: Constants Used in Example Computations

Constant Values Units

Orifice coefficient (Cp) 0.6 -
Perforation diameter (d) 0.0468 ft
Combined area of holes (Ap) 0.0399 ft2
Acceleration due to gravity (g) 32.2 ft/s2
Basin bottom length (L) 40 ft
Basin bottom width (W) 20 ft
Side slopes (z) 3 -
Basin bottom surface area
(A) 800 ft2
3/2
k 0.02791 ft /s

Table E-2: Basin Draw Down Time Calculation

Change in Average *Basin Storage Average
Line Elev. Elevation Discharge Surface Area Volume Drain Time
No. (ft) (ft) (cfs) (ft2) (ft3) (hrs)
3/2
1 Eo Ho =( Eo – E1) Q0 =k(Ho) A0 = L0 x W0 Vo = Ao x Ho T0 = V0 / Q0
2 E1 H1 =( E1 – E2) Q1 =k(H1)3/2 A1 = L1 x W1 V1 = A 1 x H 1 T1 = V1 / Q1
3 E2 H2 =( E2 – E1) Q2 =k(H2)3/2 A2 = L2 x W2 V2 = A 2 x H 2 T2 = V2 / Q2
… … … … … … …
* Basin surface area can be calculated or measured. Non rectangular cross sections must use the
appropriate formulas for calculating cross-sectional areas.

Table E-3: Sample Spread Sheet for Perforated Riser Outlet Sizing Calculations
Time to
Average Flow Basin
Line Change in Storage Drain
Elevation at Elev. (top Surfac
No. height Volume Unit at
orifice only) e Area
Current
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Flow

[En] [En - En+1] [See Eqn E-2] An [An x Hn] [Vn / Qn]
(ft) Hn (ft) Qn (cfs) (ft2) Vn (ft3) Tn (hrs)
1 6 0.3 0.4102 4256 1419 1.0
2 5.7 0.3 0.3765 3996 1332 1.0
3 5.3 0.3 0.3438 3744 1248 1.0
4 5.0 0.3 0.3120 3500 1167 1.0
5 4.7 0.3 0.2814 3264 1088 1.1
6 4.3 0.3 0.2518 3036 1012 1.1
7 4.0 0.3 0.2233 2816 939 1.2
8 3.7 0.3 0.1960 2604 868 1.2
9 3.3 0.3 0.1699 2400 800 1.3
10 3.0 0.3 0.1450 2204 735 1.4
11 2.7 0.3 0.1215 2016 672 1.5
12 2.3 0.3 0.0995 1836 612 1.7
13 2.0 0.3 0.0789 1664 555 2.0
14 1.7 0.3 0.0601 1500 500 2.3
15 1.3 0.3 0.0430 1344 448 2.9
16 1.0 0.3 0.0279 1196 399 4.0
17 0.7 0.3 0.0152 1056 352 6.4
18 0.3 0.3 0.0054 924 308 15.9
19 0.0 0.0 0.0000 800 0 0.0
Total Draw Down Time 48

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Table E-4: Circular Perforation Sizing for Perforated Riser.

Source: UDFCD, 1999

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Multiple Orifice Outlet Sizing Methodology

The following attributes influence multiple orifice outlet sizing calculations:

• Shape of the basin (e.g. trapezoidal)

• Depth and volume of the basin
• Elevation of each orifice
• Desired draw-down time (e.g., 16 hour and 32 hour draw down times for top half and
bottom half, respectively, 48 hour draw down time for whole basin )

The rate of discharge from a single orifice can be calculated using Equation E-4 below:

Q = CA(2 gH )0.5 (Equation E-4)

Where:
Q= orifice flow discharge
C= discharge coefficient
A= cross-sectional area of orifice or pipe (ft2)
g= acceleration due to gravity (32.2 ft/s2)
H= effective head on the orifice (measured from center of orifice to water surface)

Multiple orifice designs are defined by the depth (or elevation) and the size (or diameter) of
each orifice (Figure 2-1). The steps needed to size a dual orifice outlet are outlined below;
multiple orifices may be provided and sized using a similar approach.

Step 1: Determine orifice elevations

For the bottom orifice, set the orifice elevation (Hb) at a maximum of 6” above the
basin bottom. If the bottom orifice is below the invert of the outlet pipe, then use the outlet
pipe invert elevation for orifice calculations.

For the top orifice, set the orifice elevation (Ht) at half way to the top of the water
quality pool.

Step 2: Determine basin and orifice attributes and constants for computations

Parameters examined at this step include basin geometry such as basin shape, basin bottom
length and bottom width and basin side slopes. Organize the attributes obtained in this step in
a table such as Table E-5.

Step 3: Determine the required size of the bottom orifice

Set up a computation table such as Table E-6. The formulas for each column of the
computation table are provided in Table E-7.

Using the basin depth, partition the basin into equal height horizontal slices to be
stored as entries in Table E-6. At each elevation En (or table entry), complete the following:

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Determine the change in elevation Hn (ft) [Hn =( Eo – En+1)]

Calculate the average discharge Qn (cfs) [Qn =CA(2gHn)0.5 ] Eqn E-4
Calculate the basin surface area An (ft2) [An = Ln x Wn for
rectangular basins]
Compute the available storage Vn (ft3). [Vn = An x Hn]
Determine the average drain time Tn (hrs) [Tn = (Vn / Qn)x 3600]

Sum up the drain times at each height slice to determine the total drain time for the
bottom half of the basin. If the value obtained is smaller or greater than the desired value,
increase or decrease the orifice diameter and repeat the computations in step b above until the
desired drain time is achieved

Step 4: Determine the required size of the top orifice

Set up a Table such as Table E-8. The formulas for each column of the computation
tables are provided in Table E-7.

At each elevation En complete the following:

Determine the change in elevation Hn (ft) [Hn =( En – En+1)]

Calculate the average discharge Qn (cfs) [Qn =CA(2gHn)0.5 ] Eqn E-4
Calculate the combine average discharge QTOT-n [QTOT-n = Qn + Qb]
Calculate the basin surface area An (ft2) [An = Ln x Wn for
rectangular basins]
Compute the available storage Vn (ft3) [Vn = An x Hn]
Determine the average drain time Tn (hrs) [Tn = Vn / Qt]
Note that Qb is the maximum discharge from the bottom orifice.

Sum up the drain times at each height slice to determine the total drain time for the
top half of the basin. If the value obtained is smaller than the desired value, increase or
decrease the orifice diameter and repeat the computations in step 4b until the desired drain
time is achieved.

Step 5: Verify the design

The design is completed by verifying that the sum of the detention times for the top half of the
basin and the bottom half of the basin add up to the total desired detention time (36 to 48
hours).

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Table E-5: Constants Used in Example Computations

Constant Lower Orifice Values Upper Orifice Values Units

Orifice coefficient (Cp) 0.6 0.6 -
Orifice diameter (d) 0.0633 0.0675 ft
Orifice cross-sectional area (a) 0.003 0.004 ft2
Acceleration due to gravity (g) 32.2 32.2 ft/s2
Basin bottom length (L) 40 40 ft
Basin bottom width (W) 20 20 ft
Side slopes (z) 3 3 -
Basin bottom surface area (A) 800 800 ft2

Table E-6: Sample Spreadsheet for Dual Orifice Basin Outlet Sizing Calculations:
Bottom Half of Basin
Average Average
Discharge at Available Drawdown
Change in Basin Surface
Elevation Elevation, E Storage Time at
Line height Area
[E] (bottom Volume Current Flow
Number orifice only) Rate
[En-En+1] [See Eqn E-4] An [An x Hn] [Vn / Qn]
(ft) Hn (ft) Qn (cfs) (ft2) Vn (ft3) Tn (hrs)
1 3.0 3.0 0.0567 2204 735 3.6
2 2.7 2.7 0.0534 2016 672 3.5
3 2.3 2.3 0.0500 1836 612 3.4
4 2.0 2.0 0.0463 1664 555 3.3
5 1.7 1.7 0.0422 1500 500 3.3
6 1.3 1.3 0.0378 1344 448 3.3
7 1.0 1.0 0.0327 1196 399 3.4
8 0.7 0.7 0.0267 1056 352 3.7
9 0.3 0.3 0.0189 924 308 4.5
10 0.0 0.0 0.0000 800 0 0.0
Subtotal Draw Down Time 32.0

Table E-7: Basin Draw Down Time Calculation

Average
* **
Discharge at Combined Basin
Change in Elevation, E Average Surface Storage Average
Line Elev Elevation (top orifice Discharge Area Volume Drain Time
No. (ft) (ft) only) (cfs) (cfs) (ft2) (ft3) (hrs)
1 Eo Ho =( Eo – E1) Qo =CA(2gHo)0.5 QTOT-o = Qo + Qb A0 = L0 x W0 Vo = Ao x Ho T0 = V0 / Q 0

2 E1 H1 =( E1 – E2) Q1 =CA(2gH1)0.5 QTOT-1= Q1+ Qb A1 = L1 x W1 V1 = A1 x H1 T1 = V1 / Q 1

3 E2 H2 =( E2 – E1) Q2 =CA(2gH2)0.5 QTOT-2= Q2 + Qb A2 = L2 x W2 V2 = A2 x H2 T2 = V2 / Q 2

… … … … … … … …
* Qb is the maximum discharge from the bottom orifice.
** Basin surface area can be calculated or measured. Non-rectangular cross sections must use the
appropriate formulas for calculating cross-sectional areas.

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Table E-H-8: Sample Spreadsheet for Dual Orifice Basin Outlet Sizing Calculations:
Top Half of Basin
Average
Change Flow at Combined Basin Time to Drain
Storage
Elevation in Elevation, E Average Surface Unit at
Volume
height (top orifice Discharge Area Current Flow
Line
only)
Number [En - [See Eqn E- [An x
[E] [Qn + Qb] An [Vn / Qn]
En+1] 4] Hn]
QTOT-n
(ft) H (ft) Qn (cfs) (ft2) Vn (ft3) Tn (hrs)
(cfs)
1 6.0 3.0 0.1615 0.2181 4256 1419 1.8
2 5.7 2.7 0.1522 0.2089 3996 1332 1.8
3 5.3 2.3 0.1424 0.1990 3744 1248 1.7
4 5.0 2.0 0.1318 0.1885 3500 1167 1.7
5 4.7 1.7 0.1203 0.1770 3264 1088 1.7
6 4.3 1.3 0.1076 0.1643 3036 1012 1.7
7 4.0 1.0 0.0932 0.1499 2816 939 1.7
8 3.7 0.7 0.0761 0.1328 2604 868 1.8
9 3.3 0.3 0.0538 0.1105 2400 800 2.0
10 3.0 0.0 0.0000 0.0567 2204 0 0.0
Subtotal Draw Down Time 16.0
Total Draw Down Time 48.0

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