Computation of the mixing energy in rivers for oil dispersion

Document Type

Conference Proceeding

Publication Date

1-1-2016

Abstract

The formation of oil droplet from an oil slick in rivers plays an important role in the transport and fate of oil. We provided a means to compute the mixing energy (energy dissipation rate) in streams, which is needed to estimate oil dispersion in streams. The formulation allows on to estimate the mixing properties of a stream based on easily measurable quantities, such as stream slope, average water speed, and the roughness coefficient. By assuming a roughness height at the streambed, one could also predict the value of the local energy dissipation rate at various depths. The formulation provides also a direct relation between the energy dissipation rate and the shear stress at the bottom of the stream. An example is provided for illustration, and it shows that for a stream that is 30 m wide and has a natural slope of 1/1000, the average energy dissipation rate is equal to 0.001 watt/kg and the maximum value is at the streambed and is around 0.01 watt/kg. The latter value is comparable to spilling breakers of 0.30 m high waves.

Identifier

85011945200 (Scopus)

Publication Title

39th AMOP Technical Seminar on Environmental Contamination and Response

First Page

429

Last Page

433

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