DCE-KU Water supply and Sanitation (CIEG 313) Asst. Prof.

Manish Prakash

Intakes

The intakes or intake works comprise a structure placed in a surface water source to permit
the withdrawal of water from this source and then discharge into an intake conduit through
which it will flow into the water works system.

Design considerations

The general considerations in the design are

1. Reliability of operations
2. Quality of water
3. Structural strength
4. Economy of construction

Classification of Intake

Fig. Classification of Intakes

Submerged Intake: When an intake is constructed entirely under the water, this is called
submerged intake. There is no obstruction to the navigation, no danger from floating bodies
and cheap in construction. Eg. intake in lake

Exposed Intake: When an intake is constructed near or away from bank of water bodies, this
is called submerged intake. Eg. intake in river

Wet Intake: It is an intake tower in which water level is practically remains as same as the
level of the source of supply and water is conveyed indirectly passed into the convey pipes.
There are operation valves only in the inner shell.

Dry Intake: It is an intake tower in which no water remains in water tower and water through
entry port is directly passed into the convey pipes but operation valves are used.

River Intake: An intake tower constructed at the bank or inside of the river to withdraw water
is called river intake. As per their construction, river intake may be dry type or wet type.

Dry river intake: Water through entry port is directly passed into the convey pipes and if
gates are closed, there is no water inside the intake take so it is called dry river intake. Here

36
DCE-KU Water supply and Sanitation (CIEG 313) Asst. Prof. Manish Prakash

inspection can be done by providing a ladder from control room. Several inlets called
penstock for drawing water are provided at the different levels to permit the withdrawal of
water when the water drops. All inlet ends are provided with a screen with valves to control
the flow of water operation from the control room.

Fig. Typical River Intake (Side Intake-Dry Intake)

Fig. Dry River Intake

Wet river intake: These intakes are normally constructed inside the river. In this case, there is
water inside the intake tower, if the inlet valves of the tower are closed. Since these types of
intakes remain wet, inspection cannot be done easily. It consists of inner and outer concrete
shell. The wall of the outer shell consists of inlets (may be with screen) at different levels for
withdrawal of water even in the dry period. Inner shell also consists of openings provided
with gates and a water withdrawal conduit to convey water under gravity to the treatment
plant directly or sump well at the bank, from where water can be pumped to treatment plant.
Outer shell is always filled (wet) with water hence it is named as wet intake.

37
DCE-KU Water supply and Sanitation (CIEG 313) Asst. Prof. Manish Prakash

Fig. Wet River Intake

Reservoir Intake: Two types of reservoir intakes are commonly used to suit the type of dam
constructed. One type is at the slope of earthen dams and other type is within the dam itself in
case of RCC dams.

In case of earthen dam, the intake may consist of an intake tower constructed on the upstream
toe at dam from where intake can draw sufficient quantity of water even in the driest period.
The water is withdrawn through intake pipes (protected with screen and provided with
valves) located at different levels with a common vertical pipe so as to draw water in the
driest period. The vertical pipe is connected at the bottom to an intake conduit which is taken
out to through the body of dam. Since there is no water inside the tower (only in inlet pipes)
this intake is called dry intake tower.

Fig. Reservoir Intake within at Earthen Dam

38
DCE-KU Water supply and Sanitation (CIEG 313) Asst. Prof. Manish Prakash

Fig. Reservoir Intake within RCC Dam itself

Lake Intake:It is submersible intake normally constructed at the central portion of the bed of
lake for withdrawal of water because maximum depth of water is available at the central
portion of natural lake. Another type of similar intake constructed in the lake at the place
where it may not get buried under the silting in due course of time. It consists of an intake
conduit laid on the bed of lake with its inlet end placed in the middle of the lake projecting
above the bed. The inlet end of intake conduit is then covered by protective timber or
concrete crib. The water enters in the pipe through bell mouth (may be with screen) and flows
under the gravity to treatment plant directly or to the sump well from where it can be pumped
to treatment plant.

Canal Intake: Canal intake is comparatively a simpler arrangement consisting of a brick-

masonry chamber built partially in the canal bank. It has side opening fitted with coarse
screen which excludes heavier matter, silt etc., from entering the conduit. A bell mouth with
hemispherical fine screen in the inlet end of the inlet pipe inside the chamber is provided and
the outlet pipe is brought through the canal bank and taken to the treatment plant. The entry
of water into the conduit is controlled by gate valves which can be operated from the top. As
this intake obstructs a portion of the water way, resulting in an increase of velocity, it is often
necessary to pitch both the upstream as well as the downstream bed in order to protect it
against scouring.

39
DCE-KU Water supply and Sanitation (CIEG 313) Asst. Prof. Manish Prakash

Fig. Canal Intake

Spring Intake: An intake constructed at the spring source to withdrawal water is called spring
intake. It is generally constructed in small rural water supply scheme in Nepal. Spring intake
should be impervious and provided around the source to prevent the source contamination
and physical damage by runoff water. Simple one or more springs can be joined for greater
discharge.

Fig. Spring Intakes

40
DCE-KU Water supply and Sanitation (CIEG 313) Asst. Prof. Manish Prakash

Numerical1Design a bell mouth canal intake for a city of population 75000, drawing water
from a canal which runs only for 10 hours a day with a flow depth of 1.5 m. Also calculate
the head loss in the intake conduit if the treatment works are 0.25 km away. Draw a neat
sketch of the canal intake. Given the average consumption per person = 150 litres/day. The
velocity of flow through the screen and bell mouth to be less than 0.16 m/s and 0.32 m/s
respectively.
Solution:
Discharge required for the city = 150 X 75000 l/d = 11.25 X 106 l/d = 11.25 Ml/d
Since canal runs only for 10 hours a day, this entire daily flow is required to be drawn in 10
hours.
11.25 X 106
Intake discharge = 10 X 3600 X 103
= 0.3125 m3/s

Design of course screen

Discharge entering the chamber through screen
Area of coarse screen = Velocity of flow through screen
Assuming velocity of flow through the coarse screen = 0.15 m/s, we obtain
0.1325
Area of coarse screen = 0.15
= 2.083 m2
Assuming the minimum water level in canal to be 0.25 m below the full supply level (FSL),
the top of the screen is kept (1.50 – 0.25) = 1.25 m above the bed of the canal.
If the bottom of the screen is kept 0.15 m above the bed of the canal, then
Height of the screen = 1.25 – 0.15 = 1.10 m
Total length of the openings (or clear waterway) to be provided for the screen
2.083
= = 1.894 m
1.10
Assuming each opening between the bars to be 30 mm or 0.03 m, the number of openings
1.894
= = 63
0.03
Number of bars = 62
Assuming bar diameter as 20 mm or 0.02m, total length occupied by the bars
= 62 X 0.02 = 1.24m
Length of the screen = 1.894 + 1.24 = 3.134 ≈ 3.15 m
Thus provide a coarse screen of size 3.15 m X 1.1 m, comprising vertical m.s., bars 20 mm
diameter with clear opening of 30 mm or centre to centre spacing of 50 mm.

Design of bell mouth inlet

Assuming a velocity of flow through the bell mouth inlet as 0.30 m/s, the area of the bell
0.1325
mouth inlet = = 1.042 m2
0.030
If D is the diameter of the bell mouth inlet, then
𝜋𝐷 2
= 1.042
4
D = 1.152 m say 1.2 m

41
DCE-KU Water supply and Sanitation (CIEG 313) Asst. Prof. Manish Prakash

Thus provide bell mouth inlet of diameter 1.2 m, covered with a hemispherical shaped fine
screen having openings of size 5 mm X 5 mm.
Design of intake conduit
Assuming the velocity of flow in the intake conduit as 1.5 m/s, we have
0.3125
Area of intake conduit = = 0.2083 m2
1.5
If d is the diameter of the intake conduit, then
𝜋𝑑2
= 0.2083
4
d = 0.515 m say 0.5 m
Thus provide intake conduit of diameter 0.5 m.
The actual velocity of flow in the intake conduit will then be
0.3125
V= π0.52
= 1.59 m/s
4
Head loss through the intake conduit up to treatment works is calculated by using Hazen-
Williams formula, according to which
V = 0.849 CH R0.63 S0.54
For cast iron pipes CH may be taken as 130,
For pipe running full,
𝑑 0.5
Hydraulic mean depth of pipe, R = 4 = = 0.125 m
4
On substitution,
1.59 = 0.849 X 130 X (0.125)0.63 X S0.54
Slope of energy line, S = 4.4 X 10-3
Head loss, H
L
Also, S = Length of pipe,L
HL = 4.4 X 10-3 X (0.25 X 103) = 1.1 m

Fig. Canal Intake

42
DCE-KU Water supply and Sanitation (CIEG 313) Asst. Prof. Manish Prakash

Numerical 2Design a river intake with respect to (i) number and size of opening in the intake
well, and (ii) the diameter and height of the intake well, with the following data:
R.L of the river bed = 100 m
R.L of lowest water level = 102 m
R.L of high flood level = 120 m
R.L of normal water level = 115 m
Population to be served = 50000
Average water demand = 200 lpcd
Assume other data required. Draw sketch to show the designed details.
Solution:
Discharge required to serve the given population = 200 X 50000 l/d
= 10 X 106 l/d = 10 Ml/d ≈ 0.12 m3/s
In this case it is proposed to provide three inlets or penstocks at different levels as indicated
below.
a. One inlet may be provided to draw water when the water level in the river is the
lowest;
b. One inlet may be provided to draw water when the water in the river is at normal level
of flow; and
c. One inlet may be provided to draw water when the water in the river is at the high
flood level.
The inlets may be designed as indicated below.
i. Let the diameter of each of these inlets be0.25 m and its coefficient of discharge be 0.6.
ii. If H is the head required to obtain the above noted discharge, then we have
Q = Cd a √2𝑔𝐻
𝜋 𝑋 0.252
Q = 0.12 m3/s; Cd = 0.6; a = = 0.049 m2
4
Thus by substitution, we get
0.12 = 0.6 X 0.049 X √2 X 9.81 X H
H = 0.85 m ≈ 1.0 m
The inlet will be a submerged inlet, and hence the difference in water levels in the river
and in the intake well should be 1.0 m.
iii. The lowest most inlet is assumed to be located at a height of 0.5m above the bed of
the river.
Thus when the water in the river is at minimum level, i.e., at R.L 102 m, the head above the
centre line of the inlet on the upstream or river side will be 1.5 m.
The head above the centre line of the inlet on the downstream side or in the intake well
should be 0.5 m, so that the effective head available is 1.0 m.
The diameter of the intake well should be such that the required head of 1.0 m is developed.
When the valve of the inlet is opened water from the river flows into the intake well. If it is
assumed that water from the intake well is pumped almost simultaneously as the water flows
into the intake well, then the time t1 taken to fill the intake well up to the level of opening is
given by the expression
[(𝐶𝑑 𝑋 𝑎 𝑋 √2𝑔 𝑋 1.5) − 0.12] t1 = A X 0.5

43
DCE-KU Water supply and Sanitation (CIEG 313) Asst. Prof. Manish Prakash

in which A is the cross-sectional area of the intake well.

Till the water level reaches the inlet, it will behave as a freely discharging inlet as considered
in the above expression.
Thus by substitution, we get
𝜋 𝑋 0.252
[(0.6 𝑋 𝑋 √2 𝑋 9.81 𝑋 1.5) − 0.12] t1 = A X 0.5
4
t1 = 12.563 A ………………..(i)
With the increase in the water level in the intake well the inlet will be submerged. The time t 2
taken to reduce the head above the centre line from 1.5 m to 1.0 m is given by the expression,
2𝐴 𝐻𝑒𝑎𝑑 2
t2 = - [−(𝐾√ℎ − 𝑄) + 𝑄 log 𝑒 (𝐾√ℎ − 𝑄)]𝐻𝑒𝑎𝑑 1
𝐾2
2𝐴 1.0
t2 = - 𝐾2 [−(𝐾√ℎ − 0.12) + 0.12 log 𝑒 (𝐾√ℎ − 0.12)]1.5
in which K = 𝐶𝑑 𝑋 𝑎 𝑋 √2𝑔 and
h = head above the centre line of the inlet in submerged condition
Thus by substitution, we get
𝜋 𝑋 0.252
K = 0.6 X 𝑋 √2 𝑋 9.81 = 0.1305
4
2𝐴 0.1305√1.0− 0.12
t2 = - 0.13052 [0.1305 (√1.5 − √1.0) + 0.12 𝑋 2.303 𝑋 log10 (0.1305√1.5− 0.12)]
2𝐴
t2 = - 0.13052 [0.0293 – 0.1600]
t2 = 15.349 A ………………..(ii)
Now if it is assumed that the intake well has a diameter of 3 m, the total time taken to fill the
intake well up to R.L 101 m is given by equations (i) and (ii) as
𝜋 𝑋 32
t1 + t2 = (12.563 + 15.349) X 4
t1 + t2 = 197.3 s = 3.3 minutes
That is after opening the valve of the inlet the water level in the intake well will be raised to
the desired level of R.L 101 m, within about 3.5 minutes, which appears to be alright.
The other two inlets may also be likewise located with their centre lines at R.L's 113.5 m and
118.5 m respectively, so that under steady flow conditions the effective head for each inlet
will be developed as 1.0 m as desired.
As indicated earlier the intake well of diameter 3 m may be provided. Its height may be so
adjusted that it extends well above the high flood level and the control room may be located
in its top position.
The accompanying figure shows the detailed sketch of the designed river intake.

44
DCE-KU Water supply and Sanitation (CIEG 313) Asst. Prof. Manish Prakash

Fig. River Intake

45