Title | Dissolved oxygen downstream of an effluent outfall in an ice-covered river : natural and artifical aeration |
Publication Type | Journal Article |
Year of Publication | 2007 |
Authors | Lima Neto, I. E., Zhu D. D., Rajaratnam, Nallamuthu Y. T., Spafford M., & McEachern P. |
Volume | 133 |
Issue | 11 |
Pagination | 1051-1060 |
Publisher | Journal of Environmental Engineering |
Publication Language | en |
Abstract | In ice-covered rivers, dissolved oxygen (DO) might fall below critical levels for aquatic biota in the absence of surface aeration, combined with low winter flow conditions and reduced photosynthesis rates. Open-water zones, however, can be created downstream of a diffuser by warm effluent discharges, resulting in an increase in surface aeration. In this study, we modeled the behavior of the effluent plume and the resulting open-water lead development in the Athabasca River, Alberta, Canada downstream of a pulp mill diffuser. The DO was found to increase by 0.26 mg ∕ L due to surface aeration of an open-water lead of 6.07 km . We also evaluated oxygen injection into the effluent pipeline to increase the DO in the river. At an injection rate of 3,500 and 5,000 lb ∕ day of liquid oxygen, the DO was increased by 0.16 and 0.21 mg ∕ L , which corresponded to an absorption efficiency of about 50%. The artificial aeration technique evaluated here appears to be an effective alternative to increase DO levels in ice-covered rivers. The results of this study are important in developing accurate DO models for ice-covered rivers and in evaluating oxygen injection systems. Read less |
Topics | Hydrology |
Locational Keywords | Athabasca River |
Active Link | |
Group | Science |
Citation Key | 47765 |