Abstract
The sedimentation of cohesive particles has negative effects on water resource management such as siltation of dams as well as reducing water quality. Sedimentation processes are governed mainly by the flocculation and the settling of suspended particles, which are affected by many factors simultaneously. To provide a reliable solution to this problem, the contribution of the different factors to the sedimentation mechanism must be analysed. The majority of research considers only one single factor. In this experimental study, the combined effect of two significant parameters is considered: the salinity of the solution and the initial concentration of suspended solid matter. Experiments were conducted on mixtures with different sediment concentration (100, 150 and 200 g/l) under different salinity conditions. The chemical additives used for the preparation of sedimentary solutions are sodium chloride (NaCl), sodium hydroxide (NaOH), sulphuric acid (H2SO4), ferrous sulphate (FeSO4) and potassium permanganate (KMnO4). Attention has been given to the evolution of hydrodynamic parameters such as settlement height, settling velocity and the permeability coefficient. The results show that settlement over time increases with increasing initial sediment content, and the height of deposited layers in salt water is lower than that in fresh water for the same sediment concentration. Settlement height increases with increasing salt concentration. Settling velocity and the permeability coefficient decrease with increasing initial sediment content. The variations of these two parameters are much more pronounced from 100 to 150 g/l of sediment concentration than for 150–200 g/l, particularly for mixtures with high chemical concentration. The influence of salinity on sedimentation processes depends on the initial concentration of suspended solid matter, on the chemical concentration and notably on the chemical composition of the solution (the effect of salinities is much more important for mixtures with NaCl and H2SO4 solutions).
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Menad, K., Nougar, B., Brahimi, A. et al. Experimental hydrodynamic study of mud sedimentation processes. Euro-Mediterr J Environ Integr 7, 433–444 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41207-022-00316-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s41207-022-00316-4