On December 3, 2020, the Chinese National Committee on Large Dams (CHINCOLD) organized the 9th Reservoir Dam New Technology Promotion Seminar in Beijing. At the meeting, the 2020 CHINCOLD Science and Technology Progress Award winning institutions and individuals were commended. The project results of Efficient Operation and Safety Guarantee Technology for Long-Distance Water Supply Channels in Highly Cold Areas, presided over by Deputy Chief Engineer CAI Zhengyin of NHRI, were awarded the Grand Prize.
Mainly relying on more than 10 engineering research projects including the National Key Research and Development Project Capacity Improvement and Safety Guarantee Technology for Long-Distance Water Supply Projects in Highly Cold Areas, the MWR Public-Good Special Research Project Frozen Damage Assessment, Prediction and Treatment Technology for Irrigation Channels in Salty Cold Areas and the MWR Technology Demonstration Project Application and Promotion of Frozen Damage Assessment and Treatment Technology for Water Supply Channels in Salty Cold Areas, this project focused on the demand of safe, reliable and efficient operation of long-distance water supply channels in the harsh environment of highly cold areas, and a series of innovative results have been achieved after eight years of research as follows. A dual reciprocal damage mechanism of soil strength decay and structural failure under “wet-dry-freeze-thaw” cyclic action of channels in highly cold areas has been revealed for the first time, the hydro-thermal-stress coupling numerical analysis and a super gravity simulation experimental platform developed, and a channel anti-frozen damage design theory and method proposed. A complete set of technology, equipment and engineering methods for upgrading channel anti-freezing in highly cold areas, a 3D anti-drainage and slip resistance system for channels and a hot melt adhesive bonding plus welding technology for the old and new impermeable membrane in channel upgrade and renovation have been invented and developed, which have improved the water supply efficiency of the channels in China's highly cold areas. A digital channel simulation system for hydraulic control during the ice season has been created, and a local ice melting technology for channels’ water warming and thermal insulation including floating solar blanket, solar application of heat piles in channel base, electrical heating on lining plate surface and a highly efficient channel’s composite thermal insulation cover developed, which have provided a brand-new solution for low-temperature operation control of channels in highly cold areas. In addition, a channel vehicle-mounted intelligent non-destructive health detection system, an all-weather unattended system and an early warning and forecast cloud platform of safety monitoring, and an emergency inspection system and a dispatch platform for dangerous situations of channels based on BIM technology and UAV automatic identification have been developed, which have effectively guaranteed the safe operation of long-distance water supply channels in highly cold areas.
The research results are fruitful, with 32 national patents and 5 software copyrights obtained, more than 120 papers and 4 monographs published, 2 society standards in water sector formulated, and some of the results incorporated into the national standards. The research results have been successfully applied in the large-scale water supply projects in Northern Xinjiang. With correlational technique applications, the duration of water supply in channels has increased by 15-30 days per year, the efficiency of water supply by more than 25%, and the direct economic benefit has reached 4.4 billion Yuan in the past three years. The project results have not only improved the capacity of water distribution in cold areas and created sustainable economic benefits, but also provided large-scale compensatory water supply to areas along the channels, which has produced remarkable ecological and environmental benefits by turning deserts into oases and fertile lands, and enriching flora and fauna resources. The development of the efficient operation and safety guarantee technology for long-distance water supply channels in highly cold areas has effectively ensured the optimal allocation of water resources in China's cold areas, and will play a more important role in the further promotion of the strategies of the “Belt and Road Initiative” and “Western China Development”.
