Fate of turbid glacial inflows in a hydroelectric reservoir

Turbidity from glacial meltwater limits light penetration with potential ecological consequences. Using profiles of temperature, conductivity, and turbidity, we examine the physical processes driving changes in the epilimnetic turbidity of Carpenter Reservoir, a long and narrow, glacier-fed reservoir in southwest British Columbia, Canada. Following the onset of permanent summer stratification, the relatively dense inflows plunged into the hypolimnion, and despite the high glacial load entering the reservoir, the epilimnion cleared due to particle settling. Using a one-dimensional (longitudinal) diffusion equation for a decaying substance to describe the variation in epilimnetic turbidity, we obtain two nondimensional parameters: the epilimnetic inflow parameter, $$\mathcal {I}$$ I , a measure of the turbidity flux into the epilimnion; and the dispersion parameter, $${\mathcal {D}}$$ D , a measure of longitudinal dispersion. In the case of Carpenter Reservoir: $$\mathcal {I}\ll 1$$ I ≪ 1 , indicating that turbidity declines over the summer; and $${\mathcal {D}}\ll 1$$ D ≪ 1 , indicating a strong gradient in turbidity along the epilimnion. Using our theoretical formulation of epilimnetic turbidity variations in conjunction with monthly field surveys, we compute the particle settling velocity ($${\sim}{0.25}\,{\hbox {m}\,\hbox {d}^{-1}}$$ ∼ 0.25 m d - 1 ), the longitudinal dispersion coefficient (50–70 $${\hbox {m}^{2}\,\hbox {s}^{-1}}$$ m 2 s - 1 ), and the flux of turbid water into the epilimnion ($${\sim }1{\%}$$ ∼ 1 % of the total inflow). Our approach is applicable to other reservoirs and can be used to investigate changes in turbidity in response to changes in $$\mathcal {I}$$ I and $${\mathcal {D}}$$ D .

Effects of Calcium and Aluminum on Particle Settling in an Oil Sands End Pit Lake

Surface mining of oil sands ore in Alberta, Canada has generated fluid fine tailings (FFT) that must be reclaimed. End pit lakes (EPLs), which consist of thick deposits of FFT capped with water, have been proposed for FFT reclamation, and Base Mine Lake (BML) is the first full-scale demonstration EPL. However, FFT particle settling and resuspension contributes to high turbidity in the BML water cap, which may be detrimental to the development of an aquatic ecosystem. This study investigated the effect of Ca and Al treatments on turbidity mitigation. The initial turbidity was reduced from 20 NTU to less than 2 NTU in BML surface water treated with 54 mg/L of Ca or 1.1 mg/L of Al. At a concentration of 1.1 mg/L, Al reduced the initial turbidity to a greater extent, and in a shorter time, than 54 mg/L of Ca. Further, resuspended Al-treated FFT particles were 100–700 nm larger in diameter, and thus resettled faster than the resuspended untreated or Ca-treated FFT particles. The final turbidity values 21 days after resuspension of untreated and 1.7 mg/L Al-treated FFT particles in fresh BML surface water were 20.5 NTU and 2.5 NTU, respectively. Thus, Al treatment may be effective in mitigating turbidity in BML through both Al-induced coagulation and self-weight settling of the resuspended Al-treated FFT particles.

Study of impact of sonic energy waves on the rate of precipitation of particles in liquid

The effects of sonic energy waves on the settling velocity of small particles in water were studied. A design of experiment (DOE) with five variables (frequency, amplitude, particle diameter, particle density and fluid viscosity) at two or three levels was conducted to obtain the particle settling velocity as the response. The DOE data were analyzed both experimentally and by a statistical multiple regression software. It was concluded that when sound frequency and amplitude in the range of 0 to 500 Hz and 2 to 3 Vrms (root mean square) respectively were applied to plastic particles of three different diameters (2,381 μm, 3,175 μm, and 4,763 μm) and two different densities ... their effects on the particle settling velocity in hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) solutions of three different viscosities ... were insignificant. The regression analysis gave an equation that is in good agreement with the experimental data.

Study of impact of sonic energy waves on the rate of precipitation of particles in liquid

The effects of sonic energy waves on the settling velocity of small particles in water were studied. A design of experiment (DOE) with five variables (frequency, amplitude, particle diameter, particle density and fluid viscosity) at two or three levels was conducted to obtain the particle settling velocity as the response. The DOE data were analyzed both experimentally and by a statistical multiple regression software. It was concluded that when sound frequency and amplitude in the range of 0 to 500 Hz and 2 to 3 Vrms (root mean square) respectively were applied to plastic particles of three different diameters (2,381 μm, 3,175 μm, and 4,763 μm) and two different densities ... their effects on the particle settling velocity in hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) solutions of three different viscosities ... were insignificant. The regression analysis gave an equation that is in good agreement with the experimental data.