Mechanical Aeration System Design for Reservoir Tailwater Enhancement

by Richard E. Price, USACE Waterways Experiment Station, Vicksburg, United States,
Edward B. Meyer, USACE Waterways Experiment Station, Vicksburg, United States,



Document Type: Proceeding Paper

Part of: Water Quality Issues at Fossil Fuel Plants

Abstract:

Low dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations in tailraces below hydropower facilities has been identified as a problem at some projects during nongeneration periods. One technique which may be used to alleviate this concern is to install a mechanical surface aerator. These have been tested in stream environments and methods for stream aeration system design have been developed. Since the DO deficit has been recognized as the major driving force for reaeration in tailwaters, a design procedure was developed based on the DO deficit. This procedure uses the deficit to compute the reaeration coefficient (K_La) for the tailrace. This predicted K_La is then used to compute the required horsepower for the desired release DO. Tests of aerators in rivers and streams and pilot tests of an aspirating aerator in a tailrace were used to demonstrate this technique.

Subject Headings: Aeration | Dissolved oxygen | Rivers and streams | Tailwater | Reservoirs | Hydro power | Water treatment

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