A Dispersion Model for Heated Effluent from an Ocean Outfall

摘要

A mathematical model is developed for dispersion of a heated effluent from an ocean outfall. Input parameters include atmospheric and oceanic conditions and discharge characteristics. The model solves the steady-state, two-dimensional differential equation for non-conservative diffusion of heat in a moving fluid. The solution is calibrated and verified using data from surveys conducted at the Southern California Edison Company power plant at Huntington Beach, California. Temperature fields predicted by the model are compared with the actual fields for seven different surveys. These comparisons indicate that the model can be used to predict the large scale influence of the outfall on the local ocean environment. (Author)