Abstract
When many desalination plants are operated closely together along coastal areas, the continuous brine discharges through marine outfall systems from these cluster plants can have a significant impact on the coastal marine environment. The potential impact can be minimized and regulated by treatment and recycling technologies, by limiting the concentration values of brine at the discharge point and also by imposing concentration values within a prescribed circular mixing zone in the coastal waters via the outfall design.
The maximum concentration values for monitoring the coastal water quality standard are formulated using analytical solutions of the far-field mathematical model for single and two outfall discharges based on a flat seabed, developed to incorporate the effect of a tidally oscillating flow. The results for a single outfall model show that a smaller mixing zone is suitable only for a stronger ambient current condition at the discharge site. If a second outfall is allowed to discharge close to an existing outfall, the results show that the radius of the mixing zone should be increased to accommodate the compounded impacts.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Ahmad N, Baddour RE (2014) A review of sources, effects, disposal methods, and regulations of brine into marine environments. Ocean Coast Manage 87:1–7
Al-Barwani HH, Purnama A (2008a) Simulating brine plumes discharged into the seawaters. Desalination 221:608–613
Al-Barwani HH, Purnama A (2008b) Brine discharges from two coastal desalination plants. In: Delgado DJ, Moreno P (eds) Desalination research progress. Nova Science Publisher, New York, pp 1–10
Bleninger T, Jirka GH (2008) Modelling and environmentally sound management of brine discharges from desalination plants. Desalination 221:585–597
Jirka GH, Bleninger T, Burrows R, Larsen T (2004) Environmental quality standards in the EC-Water Framework Directive: consequences for water pollution control for point sources. European Water Management Online (EWMO). www.ewaonline.de
Lattemann S, Hopner T (2008) Environmental impact and impact assessment of seawater desalination. Desalination 221:1–15
Purnama A, Al-Barwani HH (2006) Spreading of brine waste discharges into the Gulf of Oman. Desalination 195:26–31
Purnama A, Al-Barwani HH, Bleninger T, Doneker RL (2011) CORMIX simulations of brine discharges from Barka plants, Oman. Desalin Water Treat 32:329–338
Ragas AMJ, Haans JLM, Leuven RSEW (1997) Selecting water quality models for discharge permitting. Eur Water Poll Control 7:59–67
Roberts DA, Johnston EL, Knott NA (2010) Impacts of desalination plant discharges on the marine environment: a critical review of published studies. Water Res 44:5117–5128
Sheppard C, Al-Husiani M, Al-Jamali F, Al-Yamani F, Baldwin R, Bishop J, Benzoni F, Dutrieux E, Dulvy NK, Durvasulla SRV, Jones DA, Loughland R, Medio D, Nithyanandan M, Pilling GM, Polykarpov I, Price ARG, Purkis S, Reigl B, Saburova M, Namin KS, Taylor O, Wilson S, Zainal K (2010) The Gulf: a young sea in decline. Mar Pollut Bull 60:13–34
Smith R, Scott CF (1997) Mixing in the tidal environment. J Hydr Eng ASCE 123:332–340
Voutchkov N (2011) Overview of seawater concentrate disposal alternatives. Desalination 273:205–219
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Additional information
List of Figures
Fig. 18.1 Diagram of two sea outfalls
Fig. 18.2 Radius of the mixing zone as a function of C 1 max
Fig. 18.3 Minimum dilution as a function of the radius of the mixing zone
Fig. 18.4 Radius of the mixing zone as a function of C 2 max
Fig. 18.5 Minimum dilution for the two outfalls discharge model
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2015 Springer International Publishing Switzerland
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Purnama, A. (2015). Environmental Quality Standards for Brine Discharge from Desalination Plants. In: Baawain, M., Choudri, B., Ahmed, M., Purnama, A. (eds) Recent Progress in Desalination, Environmental and Marine Outfall Systems. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-19123-2_18
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-19123-2_18
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-19122-5
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-19123-2
eBook Packages: Earth and Environmental ScienceEarth and Environmental Science (R0)