Measurement of Reaeration in Streams: Comparison of Techniques
Publication: Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 115, Issue 5
Abstract
In most streams, reaeration makes an important contribution to the oxygen budget. It is unfortunate that despite recent developments in the use of hydrocarbon gas tracers, there is no simple satisfactory technique for reaeration measurement. This paper describes a new technique based on the rate of dissolution of a floating soluble solid. The theoretical basis of the new method is described, and laboratory experiments showing the correlation between the atmospheric reaeration and solids dissolution processes are reported. A comparison with the gas tracer technique showed overall correlations between the rate of reaeration, solids dissolution, and propane desorption, but differences became apparent at high Reynolds numbers. The limiting factor between oxygen absorption and solids dissolution was identified as being the difference in the surface area of contact between the two phases. Nevertheless, it is suggested that solids dissolution is a simple and inexpensive technique for estimating reaeration.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
References
1.
Bales, J. D., and Holley, E. R. (1986). “Flume tests on hydrocarbon reaeration tracer gases.” J. Envir. Engrg., ASCE, 112(4), 695–699.
2.
Bennett, J. P., and Rathbun, R. E. (1972). “Reaeration in open channel flow.” U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 737. U.S. Geological Survey, Denver, Colo.
3.
Bicudo, J. R. (1988). “The measurement of reaeration in streams,” thesis presented to the University of Newcastle‐upon‐Tyne, at Newcastle‐upon‐Tyne, U.K., in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.
4.
Bowie, G. L., et al. (1985). “Rates, constants, and kinetics formulations in surface water quality modeling.” Report No. EPA‐600/3‐85/040, 2nd Ed., Environmental Research Laboratory, U.S. EPA, Athens, Ga.
5.
Box, G. E. P., Hunter, W. G., and Hunter, J. S. (1970). Statistics for experimenters. John Wiley and Sons, New York, N.Y.
6.
Boyle, W. C., Berthouex, P. M., and Rooney, T. C. (1974). “Pitfalls in parameter estimation for oxygen transfer data.” J. Envir. Engrg. Div., ASCE, 100(2), 392–408.
7.
Brown, L. C., and Baillod, C. R. (1982). “Modeling and interpreting oxygen transfer data.” J. Envir. Engrg. Div., ASCE, 108(4), 607–628.
8.
Danckwerts, P. V. (1951). “Significance of liquid‐film coefficients in gas absorption.” Ind. Engrg. Chem., 63(6), 1460–1467.
9.
Dixon, W. J. (1983). BMDP statistical software. University of California Press, Los Angeles, Calif.
10.
Gameson, A. L. H., and Truesdale, G. A. (1959). “Some oxygen studies in streams.” J. Instn. Water Engrs., 13(2), 175–187.
11.
Giansanti, A. E., and Giorgetti, M. F. (1986). “Conttribuicao para Determinacao do Coeficiente de Reoxigenacao Superficial em Cor pos D'agua‐II,” presented at the Second Latin American Congress of Heat and Mass Transfer, Sao Paulo, Brazil, 12–15 May.
12.
Giorgetti, M. F., and Giansanti, A. E. (1983). “Avaliacao do Nivel de Turbulencia em Aguas Correntes e sua Correlacao com o Coeficiente de Reaeracao Superficial,” presented at the Association of Brazilian Environmental Engineers XII Congress held in Camboriu, Santa Catarina, Brazil.
13.
Giorgetti, M. F., and Shulz, H. E. (1986). “Contribuicao para a Determinacao do Coeficiente de Reoxigenacao Superficial em Cor pos D'agua‐I,” presented at the Second Latin American Congress of Heat and Mass Transfer, Sao Paulo, Brazil, 12–15 May.
14.
Gilliland, E. R., and Sherwood, T. K. (1934). “Diffusion of vapors into air streams.” Ind. Engrg. Chem., 26(5), 516–523.
15.
Grant, R. S., and Skavroneck, S. (1980). “Comparison of tracer methods and predictive equations for the determination of stream reaeration coefficients on three small streams in Wisconsin.” U.S. Geological Survey Water Resources Investigations 80‐019, U.S. Geological Survey, Denver, Colo.
16.
Hixson, A. W., and Baum, S. J. (1941). “Mass transfer coefficients in liquid‐solid agitation systems.” Ind. Engrg. Chem., 33(4), 478–485.
17.
Hixson, A. W., and Crowell, J. H. (1931). “Dependence of reaction velocity upon surface and agitation, I. Theoretical considerations.” Ind. Engrg. Chem., 23(8), 923–931.
18.
Holley, E. R., and Yotsukura, N. (1984). “Field techniques for reaeration measurements in rivers.” Gas transfer at water surfaces, W. Brutsaert and G. H. Jirka, eds., D. Reidel Publ. Company, Dordrecht, Holland, 381–401.
19.
Hovis, J. S., et al. (1982). “An assessment of the measurement uncertainty in the estimation of stream reaeration coefficients using direct tracer techniques.” Proc., Stormwater and Water Quality Management Modeling Users Group Meeting, U.S. EPA 600/9‐82‐015, 36–53.
20.
Johnson, A. I., and Huang, C.‐J. (1956). “Mass transfer in an agitated vessel.” Am. Instn. Chem. Engrs. J., 2(3), 412–419.
21.
Kirk, R. E., and Othmer, D. F. (1978). Encyclopedia of chemical technology. 3, Wiley Interscience Publications, John Wiley and Sons, New York, N.Y.
22.
Liu, C. C. K., and Fok, Y.‐S. (1983). “Stream waste assimilative capacity analysis using reaeration coefficients measured by tracer techniques.” Water Resour. Bull., 19(3), 439–445.
23.
McCready, M. J., and Hanratty, T. J. (1984). “A comparison of turbulent mass transfer at gas‐liquid and solid‐liquid interfaces.” Gas transfer at water surfaces, W. Brutsaert and G. H. Jirka, eds., D. Reidel Publishing Company, Dordrecht, Holland, 283–292.
24.
Montgomery, D. C. (1984). Design and analysis of experiments. John Wiley and sons, New York, N.Y.
25.
Rainwater, K. A., and Holley, E. R. (1984). “Technical report on laboratory studies of the hydrocarbon gas tracer technique for reaeration measurement.” Report CRWR 189, Center for Research in Water Resources, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Tex.
26.
Rathbun, R. E., and Grant, R. S. (1978). “Comparison of the radioactive and modified techniques for measurement of stream reaeration coefficients.” U.S. Geological Survey Water Resources Investigations 78‐60, U.S. Geological Survey, Denver, Colo.
27.
Rathbun, R. E., et al. (1978). “Laboratory studies of gas tracers for reaeration.” J. Envir. Engrg. Div., ASCE, 104(2), 215–229.
28.
Rathbun, R. E., et al. (1980). Closure to “Laboratory studies of gas tracers for reaeration,” by R. E. Rathbun,et al., J. Envir. Engrg. Div., ASCE, 106(3), 663–670.
29.
Roberts, P. V. (1984). “Dependence of oxygen transfer rate on energy dissipation during surface aeration and in stream flow.” Gas transfer at water surfaces, W. Brutsaert and J. H. Jirka, eds., D. Reidel Publishing Company, Dordrecht, Holland, 347–355.
30.
Ryan, B. F., Joiner, B. L., and Ryan, T. A., Jr. (1985). Minitab handbook. PWS Publishers, Boston, Mass.
31.
Shulz, H. E. (1985). “Investigacao do Mecanismo de Reoxigenacao da Agua em Escoamento e sua Correlacao com o Nivel de Turbulencia Junto a Superficie,” thesis presented to the University of Sao Paulo, at Sao Carlos, Brazil, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Civil Engineering (in Portuguese).
32.
Shulz, H. E., and Giorgetti, M. F. (1986). “Modelo de Transferencia de Oxigenio na Interface Ar‐Agua a Partir da Teoria Estatistica de Turbulencia,” presented at the Second Latin American Congress of Heat and Mass Transfer, Sao Paulo, Brazil, 12–15 May.
33.
Streeter, H. W., and Phelps, E. B. (1925). “A study of the pollution and natural purification of the Ohio River.” Public Health Bulletin 146, U.S. Public Health Service, Washington, D.C.
34.
Tsivoglou, E. C. (1979). Discussion of “Laboratory studies of gas tracers for reaeration” by R. E. Rathbun, D. W. Stephens, D. J. Shultz, and D. Y. Tai. J. Envir. Engrg. Div., ASCE, 105(2), 426–428.
35.
Tsivoglou, E. C., and Neal, L. A. (1976). “Tracer measurement of reaeration: III. Predicting the reaeration capacity of inland streams.” J. Water Pollut. Control Fed., 48(12), 2669–2689.
36.
Wilcock, R. J. (1988). “Study of river reaeration at different flow rates.” J. Envir. Engrg., ASCE, 114(1), 91–105.
37.
Zizon, C. W., et al. (1978). “Rates, constants, and kinetics formulations in surface water quality modeling.” Report No. EPA‐300/3‐78‐105, Environmental Research Laboratory, U.S. EPA, Athens, Ga.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 115 • Issue 5 • October 1989
Pages: 992 - 1010
Copyright
Copyright © 1989 ASCE.
History
Published online: Oct 1, 1989
Published in print: Oct 1989
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.