A methodology of finding dispersion coefficient using computational fluid dynamics (CFDs)

The treatment efficiency of waste stabilization pond is directly related to its hydraulic regime. The hydraulic efficiency of the pond is dependent on parameters such as the pond geometry, the location of inlet and outlet and the inlet flow velocity. Poorly designed or specified hydraulic parameters may lead to short circuiting and dead regions within the pond. This in turn impacts the dispersion coefficient. Drogue and tracer studies are often used to get actual dispersion coefficients; however, tracer studies can be costly and are therefore not practical to do frequently. The objective of this paper is to obtain the actual dispersion coefficient using computational fluid dynamic (CFD) approach (using Fluent). The CFD results are validated using an actual tracer test.