Numerical modeling study of impact of a large sediment capping facility on local industrial cooling water temperature

Abstract

This study assesses the potential increase in the intake cooling water temperatures if both the local industrial intake water and outfall cooling waters are trapped in the same narrow long channel. A three-dimensional (3D) hydrodynamic model was used to quantitatively investigate water temperature structures in the channel. The model was verified in a previous hydrodynamic study at the same location using vertical current profiles measured by an acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) and further verified in this study with the measured vertical temperature profile. Several scenarios were investigated under various wind and geometrical conditions. The simulated results revealed that because of the strong buoyant force induced by water temperature differences the trapped hot outfall water would not be directly retaken by the intake located about 70 m away from the outlet and 6 m below the surface. The thermal structure in the channel eventually reached an equilibrium stage due to additional fresh bay water and heat loss through various heat-transfer mechanisms from the air–water interface. The results of this modelling study can be extended to solve other similar environmental and civil engineering problems.