Along the river along which the movement of ships is carried out, there are areas with a too steep slope, shallow bottom and other hydraulic disturbances. For unobstructed passage in such places, a system of hydraulic structures called sluices is used.
The main obstacles to river navigation are shoals, rapids, slopes, the difference in water levels in adjacent waters in the presence of dams or dams. In order to ensure the smooth passage of ships in these areas, a number of complex structures are being erected. These include gates, chambers, gates and water injection installations.
Navigational lock device
A lock is a part of a river bed or a navigable canal, bounded on both sides by hermetic seals. Both gates correspond in height to the water level in the upper part of the transition. Usually the bottom of the airlock is made of stone to maintain a more stable level when filling or emptying the chamber. On complex crossings, several locks can be built in a row, arranged in a cascade.
Each gateway is equipped with closed or open channels of the water supply system, through which water is pumped or discharged. Typically, the pumping and gate station is located in close proximity to the main array of hydraulic structures. Water supply and discharge can be carried out both naturally by opening a flat sluice connecting the chamber with a high-level water area, and by forced pumping.
How is the gateway process going?
When passing the lock, the ship enters the lock through an open gate on one side. If the vessel is ascending to a higher water area, the chamber is empty. The chamber is filled before the vessel moves from the water area of the higher level to the lower one. When the ship enters the lock, the gate closes behind it, and the chamber becomes almost completely sealed.
This is followed by the discharge or injection of water into the chamber, while the vessel is respectively lowered or raised. As soon as the water level in the sluice becomes relatively equal to the adjacent reservoir, small gates are opened to completely stabilize the water surface. The main gate then opens and the ship can leave the lock.
Features of river sluicing
As a rule, on rivers the main obstacles are dams of reservoirs and dams of hydroelectric power stations. In these places, the level difference is too high. To ensure the waterway past them, a bypass canal is being built, intended both for navigation and for regulating the water level in the upper water area of the dam. Do not confuse locks with ship lifts. The latter, although they may have a similar appearance, are much more complex and are limited in the displacement of the transported ships.
