Unsteadytwo-dimensionalorificeflow:alarge-sizeexperimentalinvestigation Ecoulementnon-permanentdansunorificerectangulaire:uneétudeexperimentale degrandetaille

Orificeflows were used as water clocks since the Antiquity up to the 16-th century. Today orifices and nozzles are used for measuring discharges. Most works were conducted with steady flow conditions and there is little information on the unsteady flow pattern. In this study, the writers describe an experimental investigation of an unsteady orificeflow discharging vertically. The study was conducted in a large-size facility with a rectangular orifice (0.75-m by 0.07-m) discharging up to 1.2 m 3 in about 10 seconds. The study presents new information on the unsteady flow patterns, the discharge capacity and the velocity field in the reservoir. The results are compared with ‘‘classical’’ orifice flow results. RESUME Lesecoulementsdanslesorificesonteteutilisescommehorlogesaeaudepuisl’Antiquitejusqu’au16 ieme siecle.Denosjourslesorificesetlesajutages sont utilises pour les mesures de debit. La plupart des travaux ont ete menes en ecoulement permanent et l’on manque d’information sur les configurationsnonpermanentes.Danscetarticle,lesauteursdecriventl’etudeexperimentaled’unecoulementinstationnairedebitantverticalementparunorifice. Les essais ont ete faits dans une installation de grande taille avec un orifice rectangulaire (0.75 m sur 0.07 m), evacuant jusqu’a 1.2 m 3 en 10 secondes environ.L’etudepresentedesinformationsnouvellessurlesconfigurationsdel’ecoulementinstationnaire,lacoefficientdedebitetlechampdevitesse dans le reservoir. Les resultats sont compares avec les resultats ‘‘classiques’’ des ecoulements dans les orifices.