COMPARATIVE EVALUATION OF WEIR AND TYROLEAN INTAKES AT PROTOTYPE SCALE IN TUYU RURI, ÁNCASH, PERU

Abstract

In high Andean basins, variations in flow rate and sediment transport influence the continuity, quality, and maintenance requirements of surface water intakes. The aim was to comparatively evaluate the efficiency of weir and sluice gate intakes at the prototype level at the Tuyu Ruri Experimental Center, Marcará, Áncash, Peru. This was a descriptive-comparative study with a non-experimental design and longitudinal follow-up. The units of analysis were two prototypes subjected to similar hydraulic conditions for eight days, with eight pairs of observations. Using hydraulic measurement forms, field data sheets, photographic records, and sample analysis, the following parameters were recorded: inflow rate, captured flow rate, overflow, efficiency, head loss, initial and final turbidity, settleable solids, obstructions, maintenance time, and cost. Descriptive statistics were performed and compared using paired tests, confidence intervals, and effect sizes. The zip line achieved a higher average captured flow rate (0.6717 L/s) and hydraulic efficiency (87.73%) than the weir (0.6294 L/s and 82.22%); the efficiency difference was -5.51 percentage points for the weir without the zip line, t (7) = -3.804, p = 0.0067, d_z = -1.34. The weir exhibited a lower average head loss (7.389 vs. 8.324 m.w.c.). The percentage reduction in turbidity was similar (21.74% and 21.06%; p = 0.655), as were the settleable solids (p = 0.844). The zip line accumulated fewer obstructions required less cleaning time and had lower maintenance costs; furthermore, it showed better overall performance under the evaluated conditions; while the weir retained the specific advantage of a lower head loss.