Analysis of Thermal Plume Dispersion into the Sea by Remote Sensing and Numerical Modeling

Luis Laguna-Zarate,Raudel García-Díaz,Hermilo Ramírez-León,Rocio Becerril-Piña,Héctor Barrios-Piña

doi:10.3390/jmse9121437

Abstract

The aim of this work was to study, by remote sensing and numerical modeling, the thermal dispersion of a plume discharged into the sea by a nuclear power plant. The case study is the thermal discharge of the Laguna Verde nuclear power plant, located on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. First, the thermal plume dispersion was characterized by applying remote sensing for different scenarios. Afterwards, Delft3D-FLOW numerical simulations were performed to expand the analysis of the thermal processes for a case in which the thermal plume tends towards the intake of the power plant. This thermal analysis was carried out by comparing the behavior of different dimensionless parameters. Moreover, the results of the numerical simulations were used to investigate the performance of the AEM and the k-L and k-ε turbulence models, available in the Delft3D-FLOW model. An LES turbulence model contribution was also analyzed. The results show that forced convection is predominant near the plume discharge area and at the vicinity of the intake structure. According to the metrics calculated, all turbulence models produced good agreement with the remote sensing data, except when the LES scheme was considered. Finally, the use of remote sensing and numerical simulations is helpful to better understand thermal plume dispersion.

Highlights

Coastal zones are preferred locations for the operation of power plants due to the vast availability of seawater, which is used for cooling purposes
This paper focused on the study of a thermal plume dispersion into the sea, applying a methodology based on remote sensing (RS) and numerical simulation
Temperature patterns obtained by RS were compared against a wide area of field measurements of the Secretaría de Marina (SEMAR) of Mexico

Summary

Introduction

Coastal zones are preferred locations for the operation of power plants due to the vast availability of seawater, which is used for cooling purposes. Metabolic rates are increased and dissolved oxygen is reduced, causing a series of harmful events that gradually increase in severity [2,3]. This seriously endangers aquatic ecosystems [4]. Thermal plumes cause changes in flow, altering the environment for the proper feeding of some marine species. Such environments, in which low Reynolds numbers can be observed under normal conditions, are disturbed; the feeding mechanisms become altered by phenomena typical of turbulent flows, such as raking or stirring [5]

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