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Transient flows in stormwater systems can lead to damaging and dangerous operational conditions, as exemplified by geysering events created by the uncontrolled release of entrapped air pockets. Extreme rain and associated rapid inflows may result in air pocket entrapment, which causes significant changes in flow conditions and potentially geysering. Stormwater geysers have been studied in different experimental and numerical modeling studies, as well as from limited data gathered within real systems. However, there is still no complete understanding of geysering events, as stormwater system geometries vary considerably. Most past studies involved releasing air from an intermediate shaft, in which a significant fraction of the entrapped air may bypass the release. This work advances the understanding of geysering by considering uncontrolled air release through an upstream shaft or manhole. In such cases, the entire air pocket is released upon reaching the shaft, worsening the occurrence of geysering. Pressure and water level measurements were performed for various combinations of initial water pressure, trapped air pocket volume, and vertical shaft geometries, indicating the higher severity of these geysering events. The results obtained also corroborate previous studies in that the measured pressure heads were lower than the grade elevation. Future studies should include larger-scale testing and the representation of this geometry using CFD. 

The City of Columbus, Ohio is implementing a tunnel system to reduce the number of episodes of combined sewer overflows into the Scioto River. The tunnel systems provide relief to the existing Olentangy Scioto Interceptor Sewer. Two new tunnels being implemented are the OSIS Augmentation and Relief Sewer (OARS), in service since July 2017, and the Lower Olentangy Tunnel (LOT) that is planned to be in service in 2025. The performance of these tunnels in respect to high inflow conditions was investigated with the use of the HAST mixed flow model and the OpenFOAM CFD model to determine the magnitude of surges, the possibility of air pocket entrapment, air–water surging, and the consequences of uncontrolled air pocket releases through shafts. Inflows into the systems were obtained from a calibrated collection system SWMM model. Modeling results quantified surging in the tunnel dropshafts and their mitigation from built-in surge control chambers. HAST simulations also pointed to locations where air pockets could form. These results were used in OpenFOAM to determine the effects of uncontrolled air release through the shaft that links the two tunnels. It was shown that proper ventilation at the shaft will mitigate the growth of air phase pressure to damaging levels.