In order to meet screen velocity requirements of the Clean Water Act 316 b rule, American Electric Power has investigated the possibility of replacing the Clifty Creek Power Plant traveling water screens with an array of cylindrical wedgewire screens in the cooling water intake forebay.  The site on the Ohio River experiences significant siltation, and there were concerns about associated vulnerability of the wedgewire screens. 

Alden performed flow modeling to evaluate this possibility, and provide possible solutions. The model scope included river flow both upstream and downstream of the intake structure and flow within the intake structure. To model the geometric details of the system accurately, a field survey conducted by Alden was performed prior to the flow modeling efforts. The flow study included 2D and 3D numeric modeling, as well as scale physical modeling.