Research Article| November 01 2005 An enhanced tanks-in-series model for interpretation of tracer tests Alejandra Martin-Dominguez; Alejandra Martin-Dominguez 1Instituto Mexicano de Tecnología del Agua (IMTA), Paseo Cuauhnahuac 8532, Col. Progreso, Jiutepec, Mor, Mexico, CP 62550, Phone: (52)7773293600, Fax: (52)7773293678 e-mail: velitchk@tlaloc.imta.mx Search for other works by this author on: This Site PubMed Google Scholar Velitchko G. Tzatchkov; Velitchko G. Tzatchkov 1Instituto Mexicano de Tecnología del Agua (IMTA), Paseo Cuauhnahuac 8532, Col. Progreso, Jiutepec, Mor, Mexico, CP 62550, Phone: (52)7773293600, Fax: (52)7773293678 e-mail: velitchk@tlaloc.imta.mx E-mail: velitchk@tlaloc.imta.mx Search for other works by this author on: This Site PubMed Google Scholar Ignacio R. Martin-Dominguez; Ignacio R. Martin-Dominguez 2Centro de Investigación en Materiales Avanzados (CIMAV), Miguel de Cervantes 120, Complejo Industrial Chihuahua, Chihuahua, Mexico, CP 31109, e-mail: ignacio.martin@cimav.edu.mx Search for other works by this author on: This Site PubMed Google Scholar Desmond F. Lawler Desmond F. Lawler 3Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA e-mail: dlawler@mail.utexas.edu Search for other works by this author on: This Site PubMed Google Scholar Journal of Water Supply: Research and Technology-Aqua (2005) 54 (7): 435–448. https://doi.org/10.2166/aqua.2005.0041 Article history Received: April 20 2005 Accepted: July 27 2005 Views Icon Views Article contents Figures & tables Video Audio Supplementary Data Share Icon Share Twitter LinkedIn Tools Icon Tools Cite Icon Cite Permissions Search Site Search Dropdown Menu nav search search input Search input auto suggest search filter All ContentAll JournalsThis Journal Search Advanced Search Citation Alejandra Martin-Dominguez, Velitchko G. Tzatchkov, Ignacio R. Martin-Dominguez, Desmond F. Lawler; An enhanced tanks-in-series model for interpretation of tracer tests. Journal of Water Supply: Research and Technology-Aqua 1 November 2005; 54 (7): 435–448. doi: https://doi.org/10.2166/aqua.2005.0041 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Reference Manager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex Imperfect hydraulic behaviour of water treatment units, expressed by stagnation space and bypassing, may substantially reduce treatment efficiency. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and residence-time distribution (RTD) based tracer test models may be used to identify such problems; the RTD models are more appropriate for operating treatment units. A three-parameter tank-in-series RTD model for interpretation of tracer tests is presented in this paper, where the parameters are the number of tanks, the portion of dead-space and the portion of bypassing. Expressions for the first three moments of the proposed RTD function are derived. An optimization procedure, implemented in MS Excel, is then used to obtain the number of tanks, and the fractions of dead-space and bypassing minimizing the difference between tracer test data and unit's residence-time distribution function. The uniqueness of the solution is discussed, and comparison with simpler one and two-parameter models is provided. Results were compared with experimental data obtained from real drinking water treatment plants located in the cities of Nuevo Laredo and Río Bravo, Tamaulipas; and Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico. dead-space and bypassing, multi-parameter models, residence time analysis, tanks-in-series, tracer test, water treatment plants This content is only available as a PDF. © IWA Publishing 2005 You do not currently have access to this content.