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1973•JAWRA Journal of the American Water Resources AssociationRequires access

NUMERICAL MODELING OF THERMAL STRATIFICATION IN A RESERVOIR WITH LARGE DISCHARGE‐TO‐VOLUME RATIO1

Gordon G. Park, Philip Schmidt

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Abstract

ABSTRACT: A numerical model study of thermal stratification in a high discharge‐to‐volume reservoir is described. Predicted temperature profiles are compared with field data for two different years. The model accurately predicts the date of fall turnover, and predicts degree of stratification and depth of the thermocline within about 20% for both years simulated. A parametric study of stratification mechanics for a high flow reservoir indicated that diffusion was the predominant heat transport mechanism in the hypolimnion, while surface effects dominated the epilimnion. Flow effects for the particular case studied, in which all inflows and outflows occur in the epilimnion, did not significantly affect stratification behavior.

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What this paper is about

ABSTRACT: A numerical model study of thermal stratification in a high discharge‐to‐volume reservoir is described. Predicted temperature profiles are compared with field data for two different years. The model accurately predicts the date of fall turnover, and predicts degree of stratification and depth of the thermocline within about 20% for both years simulated. A parametric study of stratification mechanics for a high flow reservoir indicated that diffusion was the predominant heat transport mechanism in the hypolimnion, while surface effects dominated the epilimnion. Flow effects for the particular case studied, in which all inflows and outflows occur in the epilimnion, did not significantly affect stratification behavior.

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Available abstract

ABSTRACT: A numerical model study of thermal stratification in a high discharge‐to‐volume reservoir is described. Predicted temperature profiles are compared with field data for two different years. The model accurately predicts the date of fall turnover, and predicts degree of stratification and depth of the thermocline within about 20% for both years simulated. A parametric study of stratification mechanics for a high flow reservoir indicated that diffusion was the predominant heat transport mechanism in the hypolimnion, while surface effects dominated the epilimnion. Flow effects for the particular case studied, in which all inflows and outflows occur in the epilimnion, did not significantly affect stratification behavior.

Key concepts: Epilimnion, Stratification (seeds), Thermocline, Hypolimnion, Thermal stratification, Environmental science, Mechanics, Geology

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NUMERICAL MODELING OF THERMAL STRATIFICATION IN A RESERVOIR WITH LARGE DISCHARGE‐TO‐VOLUME RATIO1 — Research Paper | ScholarLens