The hydraulic indexes of Sanxikou shiplock are high and the lock chamber is nonstand. At the same time, the layout of filling and emptying system of Sanxikou shiplock is affected by many limiting factors. Therefore, it is difficult to design its end filling and emptying system. The characteristics of different energy dissipating modes are analysed in this paper. And energy dissipating mode that combines grid stilling chamber with stilling basin is put forward and dimensions of the filling and emptying system are calculated. The hydraulic characteristics during lock filling and emptying, velocity distribution characteristics and mooring conditions of ship in lock chamber, pressure characteristics in culverts, and flow conditions at inlet or outlet are all studied and relevant improvement measures are presented through physical model experiment(scale 1∶20). Furthermore,the valve opening modes, length of stilling lock section and dimensions of baffle sill in stilling chamber at downstream lock head are proposed. The energy dissipating type is very suitable for Sanxikou shiplock and many technical problems about layout of filling and emptying system have been solved. The experiment results accord with requirements of criterion and design.