| Peer-Reviewed

An Experimental Study to Improve the Design of Brine Discharge from Desalination Plants

Received: 11 November 2013    Accepted:     Published: 10 December 2013
Views:       Downloads:
Abstract

An experiment was performed in water resources engineering department laboratory at Lund University of Sweden to investigate the behavior of inclined negatively buoyant jets. Such jets arise when brine is discharged from desalination plants and improved knowledge of their behavior is required for designing discharge systems that cause a minimum of environmental impact on the receiving waters. In the present study, a turbulent jet with a specific salinity was discharged through a circular nozzle at an angle to the horizontal into a tank with fresh water and the spatial evolution of the jet was recorded. In total, 72 experimental cases were carried out where four different initial jet parameters were changed, namely the nozzle diameter, the initial jet inclination, the jet density (or salinity), and the flow rate (or exit velocity). The measurements of the jet evolution in the tank included five geometric quantities describing the jet trajectory that are useful in the design of brine discharge systems. From the data analysis some geometric quantities describing the jet trajectory showed strong correlations. Also, the results confirmed that the new relationships between the parameters can develop the current knowledge for the new plan to design desalination plants outfall. Thus, if the vertical and horizontal distance to the maximum centerline level (or, alternatively, the maximum jet edge level) can be predicted, other geometric quantities can be calculated from the regression relationships that were developed.

Published in American Journal of Environmental Protection (Volume 2, Issue 6)
DOI 10.11648/j.ajep.20130206.19
Page(s) 176-182
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Desalination, Lab-Scale Experiment, Turbulent Jet, Negative Buoyancy, Brine Modeling

References
[1] Sánchez, D. (2009). Near-field evolution and mixing of a negatively buoyant jet consisting of brine from a desalination plant. Master Thesis at the dept. Water Resources Engineering, Lund University.
[2] Turner, J.S. (1966). Jets and plumes with negative or reversing buoyancy. J. Fluid Mech. 26 779–792.
[3] Abraham, G. (1967). Jets with negative buoyancy in homogeneous fluid. J. Hyd. Res. 5 (4) 235–248.
[4] Tong, S.S., Stolzenbach, K.D. (1979). Submerged discharge of a dense effluent. Rep. No. 243, Ralph M. Parsons Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Mass.
[5] James, W.P., Vergara, I., Kim, K. (1983). Dilution of a dense vertical jet. J. Environ. Eng., 109 (6) 1273–1283.
[6] McLellan, T.N., Randall, R. (1986). Measurement of brine jet height and dilution. J. Waterw., Port, Coast, Ocean Eng. 112(2), 200–216.
[7] Baines, W.D., Turner, J.S., Campbell, I.H. (1990). Turbulent fountains in an open chamber. J. Fluid Mech. 212, 557–592.
[8] Roberts, P.J.W., Toms, G. (1987). Inclined dense jets in flowing current. J. Hydraulic Eng. 113(3), 323–341.
[9] Roberts, P.J.W., Toms, G. (1988). Ocean outfall system for dense and buoyant effluents, J. Environ. Eng., 114(5) 1175–1191.
[10] Roberts, P.J.W., Ferrier, A., Daviero, G. (1997). Mixing in inclined dense jets. J. Hydraulic Eng. 123(8), 693–699.
[11] Zhang, H., Baddour, R.E. (1998). Maximum penetration of vertical round dense jets at small and large Froude numbers. J. Hyd. Eng., ASCE 124 (5) 550–553, Technical Note No. 12147.
[12] Zeitoun, M.A., Reid, R.O., McHilhenny, W.F., Mitchell, T.M. (1972). Model studies of outfall systems for desalination plants. Office of Saline Water Research and Develop. Progress Rep. 804. U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Washington DC.
[13] Cipollina, A., Brucato, A., Grisafi, F., Nicosia, S. (2005). Bench scale investigation of inclined dense jets. J. Hydraulic Eng. 131(11), 1017–1022.
[14] Kikkert, G.A., Davidson, M.J., Nokes, R.I. (2007). Inclined negatively buoyant discharges. J. Hydraulic Eng. 133(5), 545–554.
[15] Papakonstantis, I., Kampourelli, M., Christodoulou, G. (2007). Height of rise of inclined and vertical negatively buoyant jets, Proc. 32nd IAHR Congress, Venice, Italy.
[16] Jirka, G.H. (2008), Improved discharge configuration forbrine effluents from desalination plants. J. Hydr. Eng, 134 (1), 116-120.
[17] Christodoulou, G.C., Papakonstantis, I.G. (2010), Simplified estimates of trajectory of inclined negatively buoyant jets, in "Environmental Hydraulics", Taylor & Francis, London, 165-170.
[18] Ferrari, S., Querzoli, G. (2010), Mixing and re-entrainment in a negatively buoyant jet, J. Hydr. Res, 48(5), 632-640.
[19] Papakonstantis, I.G., Christodoulou, G.C., Papanicolaou, P.N. (2011). Inclined negatively buoyant jets 1 – Geometrical characteristics, J. Hydr. Res. 49 (1) 3-12.
[20] Pincince, A.B., List, E.J. (1973). Disposal of brine into an estuary. J. Water Pollut. Control Fed., 45 2335–2344.
[21] Fischer, H.B., List, E.J., Koh, R.C.Y., Imberger, J., Brooks, N.H. (1979). Mixing in Inland and Coastal Waters. Academic Press.
[22] Wright, S.J. (1984). Buoyant jets in density-stratified crossflow. J. of Hydraulic Engineering. ASCE. 110, (5) 643–656.
[23] Doneker, R.L., Jirka, G.H. 2007. A Hydrodynamic Mixing Zone Model and Decision Support System for Pollutant Discharges into Surface Waters. Cormix User Manual 6.0E.
[24] Bleninger, T., Jirka, G.H. (2007a). Modelling and environmentally sound management of brine discharges from desalination plants. Accepted for EDS Congress, April 22-25, Halkidiki, Greece.
[25] Bleninger, T., Jirka, G.H. (2007b). Towards Improved Design Configurations for Desalination Brine Discharges into Coastal Waters. IDA World Congress-Maspalomas Gran Canaria –Spain October 21-26, REF: IDAWC/MP07-139.
[26] Bashitialshaaer, R., Larsson, M., Persson, K.M. (2012) An Experimental Investigation on Inclined Negatively Buoyant Jets. Water 2012, 4, 750-768.
[27] Bashitialshaaer, R., Flyborg, L., Persson, K.M. (2011) Environmental assessment of brine discharge and wastewater in the Arabian Gulf, Desalination and Water Treatment (25) 276–285.
Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Raed Bashitialshaaer, Magnus Larson, Kenneth M Persson. (2013). An Experimental Study to Improve the Design of Brine Discharge from Desalination Plants. American Journal of Environmental Protection, 2(6), 176-182. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajep.20130206.19

    Copy | Download

    ACS Style

    Raed Bashitialshaaer; Magnus Larson; Kenneth M Persson. An Experimental Study to Improve the Design of Brine Discharge from Desalination Plants. Am. J. Environ. Prot. 2013, 2(6), 176-182. doi: 10.11648/j.ajep.20130206.19

    Copy | Download

    AMA Style

    Raed Bashitialshaaer, Magnus Larson, Kenneth M Persson. An Experimental Study to Improve the Design of Brine Discharge from Desalination Plants. Am J Environ Prot. 2013;2(6):176-182. doi: 10.11648/j.ajep.20130206.19

    Copy | Download

  • @article{10.11648/j.ajep.20130206.19,
      author = {Raed Bashitialshaaer and Magnus Larson and Kenneth M Persson},
      title = {An Experimental Study to Improve the Design of Brine Discharge from Desalination Plants},
      journal = {American Journal of Environmental Protection},
      volume = {2},
      number = {6},
      pages = {176-182},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ajep.20130206.19},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajep.20130206.19},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajep.20130206.19},
      abstract = {An experiment was performed in water resources engineering department laboratory at Lund University of Sweden to investigate the behavior of inclined negatively buoyant jets. Such jets arise when brine is discharged from desalination plants and improved knowledge of their behavior is required for designing discharge systems that cause a minimum of environmental impact on the receiving waters. In the present study, a turbulent jet with a specific salinity was discharged through a circular nozzle at an angle to the horizontal into a tank with fresh water and the spatial evolution of the jet was recorded. In total, 72 experimental cases were carried out where four different initial jet parameters were changed, namely the nozzle diameter, the initial jet inclination, the jet density (or salinity), and the flow rate (or exit velocity). The measurements of the jet evolution in the tank included five geometric quantities describing the jet trajectory that are useful in the design of brine discharge systems. From the data analysis some geometric quantities describing the jet trajectory showed strong correlations. Also, the results confirmed that the new relationships between the parameters can develop the current knowledge for the new plan to design desalination plants outfall. Thus, if the vertical and horizontal distance to the maximum centerline level (or, alternatively, the maximum jet edge level) can be predicted, other geometric quantities can be calculated from the regression relationships that were developed.},
     year = {2013}
    }
    

    Copy | Download

  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - An Experimental Study to Improve the Design of Brine Discharge from Desalination Plants
    AU  - Raed Bashitialshaaer
    AU  - Magnus Larson
    AU  - Kenneth M Persson
    Y1  - 2013/12/10
    PY  - 2013
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajep.20130206.19
    DO  - 10.11648/j.ajep.20130206.19
    T2  - American Journal of Environmental Protection
    JF  - American Journal of Environmental Protection
    JO  - American Journal of Environmental Protection
    SP  - 176
    EP  - 182
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2328-5699
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajep.20130206.19
    AB  - An experiment was performed in water resources engineering department laboratory at Lund University of Sweden to investigate the behavior of inclined negatively buoyant jets. Such jets arise when brine is discharged from desalination plants and improved knowledge of their behavior is required for designing discharge systems that cause a minimum of environmental impact on the receiving waters. In the present study, a turbulent jet with a specific salinity was discharged through a circular nozzle at an angle to the horizontal into a tank with fresh water and the spatial evolution of the jet was recorded. In total, 72 experimental cases were carried out where four different initial jet parameters were changed, namely the nozzle diameter, the initial jet inclination, the jet density (or salinity), and the flow rate (or exit velocity). The measurements of the jet evolution in the tank included five geometric quantities describing the jet trajectory that are useful in the design of brine discharge systems. From the data analysis some geometric quantities describing the jet trajectory showed strong correlations. Also, the results confirmed that the new relationships between the parameters can develop the current knowledge for the new plan to design desalination plants outfall. Thus, if the vertical and horizontal distance to the maximum centerline level (or, alternatively, the maximum jet edge level) can be predicted, other geometric quantities can be calculated from the regression relationships that were developed.
    VL  - 2
    IS  - 6
    ER  - 

    Copy | Download

Author Information
  • Department of Water Res. Eng., Lund University-LTH, Box 118; SE-221 00 LUND-Sweden

  • Department of Water Res. Eng., Lund University-LTH, Box 118; SE-221 00 LUND-Sweden

  • Department of Water Res. Eng., Lund University-LTH, Box 118; SE-221 00 LUND-Sweden

  • Sections