Turbulent Diffusion and the Reaeration Coefficient

An investigation was undertaken with the following objectives: (1) Relating the oxygen absorption phenomenon to the modern concepts of turbulent flow; (2) obtaining a rational explanation of the mechanism causing the transfer of oxygen into water; and (3) the development of a practical method of estimating oxygen transfer rates in open channel flow using easily obtainable hydraulic parameters. Experimental determination of the reaeration coefficient and the corresponding longitudinal mixing coefficient demonstrated a direct correlation between there parameters when the depth of flow was taken as a measure of eddy size. The transfer of oxygen molecules into a liquid was explained using the kinetic gas theory and assuming that only oxygen molecules with sufficient activation energy would be absorbed by the liquid.