Experimental Study on the Effects of a Vertical Jet Impinging on Soft Bottom Sediments

Wei Fan, Weicheng Bao, Yong Cai, Canbo Xiao, Zhujun Zhang, Yiwen Pan, Ying Chen and Shuo Liu
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Wei Fan: Ocean College, Zhejiang University, Zhoushan 316000, China
Weicheng Bao: Ocean College, Zhejiang University, Zhoushan 316000, China
Yong Cai: Ocean Research Center of Zhoushan, Zhejiang University, Zhoushan 316000, China
Canbo Xiao: Ocean College, Zhejiang University, Zhoushan 316000, China
Zhujun Zhang: Ocean College, Zhejiang University, Zhoushan 316000, China
Yiwen Pan: Ocean College, Zhejiang University, Zhoushan 316000, China
Ying Chen: Ocean College, Zhejiang University, Zhoushan 316000, China
Shuo Liu: Ocean Academy, Zhejiang University, Zhoushan 316000, China

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 9, 1-17

Abstract: Artificial downwelling, which is an ecological engineering method, potentially alleviates bottom hypoxia by bringing oxygen-rich surface water down below the pycnocline. However, the downward flow is likely to disturb sediments (or induce sediment resuspension) when reaching the bottom and then have unwanted side effects on the local ecosystem. To evaluate this, our paper presents a theoretical model and experimental data for the sediment resuspension caused by artificial downwelling. The theoretical model considers the critical conditions for sediment resuspension and the scour volume with the downwelling flow disturbing sediment. Experiments with altered downwelling flow speeds, discharge positions relative to the bottom, and particle sizes of sediment were conducted in a water tank, and the results were consistent with our theoretical model. The results show that the critical Froude number (hereinafter Fr) for sediment resuspension is 0.5. The prevention of sediment resuspension requires the downwelling flow speed and the discharge position to be adjusted so that Fr < 0.5; otherwise a portion of sediment is released into the water and its volume can be predicted by the derived formulation based on the Shields theory. Furthermore, sediment resuspension has side effects, such as a water turbidity increase and phosphorus release, the magnitudes of which are discussed with respect to engineering parameters. Further study will focus on field experiments of artificial downwelling and its environmental impacts.

Keywords: sediment resuspension; artificial downwelling; experiments; turbidity; phosphorus release (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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