Two‐Dimensional Numerical Model of Thermal Discharges in Coastal Regions
Publication: Journal of Hydraulic Engineering
Volume 113, Issue 8
Abstract
This paper describes a two‐dimensional numerical model of thermal discharge in coastal regions. The model uses potential flow theory to calculate the ambient velocity field of the coastal water. Using the calculated velocity field, the heat transport equation is solved to define the excess temperature field. The finite difference method for arbitrary boundary shapes is used to solve the stream function for the current velocity calculation and the two‐dimensional heat transport equation for the excess temperature calculation. To illustrate the computational procedure, the model is applied to the case of a recently developed industrial complex in the Red Sea region. The power and desalination plants of the industrial complex require a large amount of seawater for cooling purposes. The used cooling water is discharged into the Red Sea. Hypothetical values for the various parameters are used in this case study. The model is run on a minicomputer, a VAX‐11/730. The case study demonstrates the usefulness of the stream function to obtain the velocity field. It also demonstrates that the model can provide a first approximation of the temperature field. Therefore, the use of the model is justified where field data are not readily available.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
References
1.
Adams, E. E., Stolzenbach, K. D., and Harleman, D., “Near and Far Field Analysis of Buoyant Surface Discharges into Large Bodies of Water,” Ralph M. Parsons Laboratory Report No. 205, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Mass. 1975.
2.
Bryce, J. B., and Elliott, R. V., “Thermal Plume Measurements in Lake Ontario and Resulting Phenomenological Model,” Proceedings of the International Symposium on Stratified Flows, IAHR, 1972, pp. 145–159.
3.
Edinger, J. E., Brady, D. K., and Geyer, J. C., “Heat Exchange and Transport in the Environment,” Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, Md., 1974.
4.
Eraslan, A. H., “A Transient, Two‐Dimensional Discrete‐Element Model for Far‐Field Analysis of Thermal Discharges in Coastal Regions,” Thermal Pollution Analysis, The MIT Press, Cambridge, Mass. 1975, pp. 165–201.
5.
Fofonoff, N. P., “Steady Flow in a Frictionless Homogeneous Ocean,” Journal of Marine Research, Vol. 13, No. 3, 1954, pp. 254–262.
6.
Ippen, A. T., Ed., Estuary and Coastline Hydrodynamics, McGraw‐Hill, New York, N.Y., 1966.
7.
Jirka, G. H., Abraham, G., and Harleman, R. F., “An Assessment of Techniques for Hydrothermal Prediction,” U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Report NUREG‐0044 NRC‐6, 1976.
8.
Koh, R. C. Y., and Fan, L. N., “Mathematical Models for the Prediction of Temperature Distributions Resulting from the Discharge of Heated Water into Large Bodies of Water,” Environmental Agency Report 16130 DW0, 1970.
9.
Leendertse, J. J., Alexander, R. C., and Liu, S. K., “A Three‐Dimensional Model for Estuaries and Coastal Seas,” Rand Corporation Report R‐1417‐OWRR, Santa Monica, California, 1973.
10.
Pedlosky, J., Geophysical Fluid Dynamics, Springer‐Verlag, New York, N.Y., 1978.
11.
Pinder, G. F., and Gray, W. G., Finite Element Simulation in Surface and Subsurface Hydrology, Academic Press, New York, N.Y., 1977.
12.
Roache, P. J., Computational Fluid Dynamics, Hermosa Publishers, Albuquerque, N.M., 1972.
13.
Robinson, A. R., Ed., Wind‐Driven Ocean Circulation, Blaisdell Publishing Company, New York, N.Y., 1963.
14.
Schwind, J. J. V., Geophysial Fluid Dynamics for Oceanographers, Prentice‐Hall, Inc., Englewood Cliffs, N.J., 1980.
15.
Wada, A., “Study of Thermal Diffusion in a Two‐Layer Sea Caused by Outfall of Cooling Water,” Proceedings of the International Symposium on Stratified Flows, IAHR, 1972, pp. 449–464.
16.
Wang, J. D., and Connor, J. J., “Mathematical Modeling of Near Coastal Circulation,” Ralph M. Parsons Laboratory for Water Resources and Hydrodynamics Report No. 200, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Mass., 1975.
17.
Weigel, R. L., Oceanographic Engineering, Prentice‐Hall, Inc., Englewood Cliffs, N.J., 1964.
18.
Yudelson, J. M., “A Survey of Ocean Diffusion Studies and Data,” W. M. Keck Laboratory Technical Memo No. 67‐1, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, Calif., 1967.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Hydraulic Engineering
Volume 113 • Issue 8 • August 1987
Pages: 1032 - 1040
Copyright
Copyright © 1987 ASCE.
History
Published online: Aug 1, 1987
Published in print: Aug 1987
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.