Development of a dynamic mixing zone model to simulate the discharge of treated effluent into a marine environment

A dynamic mixing model has been developed to predict effluent distributions for complicated ocean discharges. The model allows for complex outfall configurations (i.e., Y-diffusers, unevenly spaced ports, different size ports, etc.) to be accurately simulated by using individual line sources to represent each open diffuser port. The model also allows for time varying discharge rates to be simulated. The dynamic mixing model allows for ambient current speed and direction to be varied at any time interval. For the present cases, this interval was ten minutes. This allowed for long term simulations using observed currents from a fixed bottom mounted ADCP.; Long-term continuous dye release experiments (10 to 15 days in duration) were conducted at two New Jersey Outfalls: South Monmouth Regional Sewerage Authority's Belmar Outfall and Cape May County Municipal Utilities Authority Avalon Outfall. The data collected during these experiments were used to calibrate and verify the dynamic mixing model as well as determine which initial mixing model best predicts plume thickness, an important input parameter to the dynamic mixing model. Of the initial mixing models examined (UMERGE, ULINE, UDKHDEN, CORMIX, UM and RSB), UMERGE provided the best predictions for plume thickness.; Based upon the results presented in this paper, a value of 1.0 cm/s appear to be appropriate for each of the diffusion velocity components, w_x, w_y, in the dynamic mixing model when simulating the Belmar Outfall, while diffusion velocity components of 1.5 cm/s are appropriate for simulating the Avalon Outfall. Simulations using these velocity components provided a good prediction of plume width and peak concentration at each transect for each outfall.; In addition to having successfully developed a dynamic mixing model where complex outfall configurations and discharges can be accurately simulated, this thesis demonstrates that a Eulerian velocity collected at one location can be used to predict a Lagrangian transport over a distance of several kilometers.