Near-Field Dilution Characteristics of a Negatively Buoyant Hypersaline Jet Generated by a Desalination Plant
Publication: Journal of Hydraulic Engineering
Volume 137, Issue 1
Abstract
Field experiments were conducted to investigate the near-field dilution characteristics of a hypersaline brine discharge into coastal waters via an offshore diffuser from a desalination plant. The aim was to determine the dilution of the negatively buoyant plume as it exited the diffuser under three different discharge Froude number regimes (one-third, two-thirds, and full-flow capacity) and to compare these measurements to scaling arguments derived from laboratory measurements. Equations based on the densimetric jet Froude number , obtained from laboratory experiments, were found to adequately describe the dilution of the brine for cases when . For , no laboratory results exist and the dilution was found to be greater than that anticipated from an extrapolation of the laboratory results.
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Acknowledgments
This research was funded by the Water Corporation of Western Australia. The writers would like to acknowledge the support provided by Steve Christie and Greig Mercer from the Water Corporation in organizing the plant start-up process such that the experimental work could be completed. The input of Greg Attwater, Brendan Busch, and Carol Lam of the CWR Field Operations Group is also gratefully acknowledged.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Hydraulic Engineering
Volume 137 • Issue 1 • January 2011
Pages: 57 - 65
Copyright
© 2011 ASCE.
History
Received: Feb 23, 2009
Accepted: May 3, 2010
Published online: May 11, 2010
Published in print: Jan 2011
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