Model Studies For Outfall Discharges Of Non-Conservative Effluents

The number of marine outfall systems along the Omani coastal areas is growing. This outfall disposal system consists of long (submerged) pipelines which terminate in a diffuser that discharges a large volume of municipal wastewaters, cooling waters, or desalination brine effluents to the Oman sea. Major wastewater treatment plants operated by Muscat Municipality are located at As-Seeb, Al-Ansab, and Darsait. Cooling waters are required to cool crude oil stored in PDO tank farms at Mina al Fahal and in many industrial facilities at the Port of Sohar. Major power and seawater desalination plants of Oman are located at Sohar, Barka, Al-Ghubrah and Sur.In addition to optimized efficiency, reliability and economical construction costs of marine outfalls, the present day design of outfall systems also requires clear proof of minimal adverse environmental and ecological impacts that complies with the water quality standards and minimal public health impacts. Non-conservative effluents are subject to significant decay. Decay mechanisms include consumption by bacteria or radioactive decay (temporal decay), heat loss or evaporation through the surface (decay decreasing with depth), and break up by turbulence (decay proportional to the flow). The proposed research project will initiate collaboration with the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Niger Delta University, Nigeria, in providing analytical and numerical solutions of model studies, which illustrate how the seabed profile and effluent decay affect the mixing and spreading of non-conservative effluent discharges from a sea outfall. The collaboration also provides an opportunity for a PhD student to discuss and work together in developing knowledge exchange mechanisms, allowing greater interaction, collaboration and better enable access to the networks? knowledge and expertise.