Swakopmund desalination plant EIA: Numerical modelling results Hardus Diedericks CSIR NATURAL RESOURCES AND THE ENVIRONMENT
Outline • Assumed project description • Assumptions and limitations of the study • Model results: waves, hydrodynamics, brine discharge and sediment transport • Additional requirements • Guidelines
Project description • Provide numerical results to assess potential environmental impacts • Brine disposal at two possible intake/discharge pipe layouts • Sediment impacts at an intake basin • Results are for an EIA
Conceptual layout of intake & discharge structures
Limitations and assumptions • Assessment based on project description as supplied • Uncertainties: Pipeline locations, orientation, distance between intake and discharge pipes (parallel and perp. ) Potable Water Produced (m 3/day) Brine Discharge Volumes (m 3/day) Intake Volumes (m 3/day) 80 000 90 000 170 000 Discharge Salinity (ppt) 65. 9 Increased Discharge Temperature (deg C) 1. 0
Limitations and assumptions • Near-field behaviour based on conceptual designs, very near-field not resolved • Diffuser length 200 metres • 3 D modelling needs improved input data and calibration data
Input data: NCEP waves
Wave reliability NCEP vs Slangkop wave climate Annual Hmo exceedance: Slangkop (NCEP) 1% 5% 10% 25% 50% 6. 1 4. 8 4. 2 3. 3 2. 6 (5. 7) (4. 4) (3. 8) (2. 9) (2. 3)
Input data: bathymetry
Model results: waves
Wave applications • Waves are used in hydrodynamic simulations (per month (season)) • Make a look-up table (rapid transformation) (1997 – 2008)
Waves at northern discharge position • Pipe orientation approx 249 o • Waves approx 225 o • All waves
Waves at locations (10 years) Northern location Southern location Proposed basin
Hydrodynamic modelling • Input requirements Wind, waves, offshore water temperature, surface heat fluxes (all concurrent) Bathymetry, beach profiles, D 50 • Calibration and verification data • Simulation periods Jan 2007 (summer) June 2007 (winter) Calm season (still to do)
Input data: Winds (NCEP)
Model results: Currents
Model results: Currents
Near-field behaviours
Model results: Salinity (north option)
Model results: Salinity (south option)
Basin bathymetry
Suspended sediment transport
Required information • Hydrodynamics: wind atmospheric data • Hydrodynamics: calibration data (ADCP) • Details of discharge and intake pipe locations • Chemical discharged (biocides) • Nearshore beach profiles at basin site • Median grain sizes (offshore and onshore)
Analyses of results • Salinity, temperature, biocides and achievable dilutions • 80% to 99% exceedance contours • Days of exceedance of a selected guideline
WQ Guidelines Salinity (< 1 psu or < 36 psu; < 40 psu) Temperature (ΔT < 1ºC; ANZECC) Biocides (< 3 µg/ℓ) Achievable Dilutions (nominally > 100)