Mixing in natural water bodies

Yiqing GUAN

College of Water Resources and Environment

Hohai University
 Contents
• Introduction
• Fickian diffusion
• Turbulent diffusion
• Shear flow dispersion
• Mixing in rivers
• Vertical mixing
• Transverse mixing
• Longitudinal mixing
• River mixing models
• Mixing in reservoir and estuaries
• Numerical methods
• Numerical dispersion model
• Model applications
 Objectives
• To have a better insight of mixing mechanism
• To develop the numerical model package to predict contaminant
mass transport in open channels for practical engineering use,
which requires the model use less data input but provide
equivalent accuracy of model results compare with the complex
models.
 Turbulent diffusion

Fig. 1 Sketches from Reynolds (1883) showing laminar flow (top), turbulent flow
(middle), and turbulent flow illuminated with an electric spark (bottom). Taken from
Acheson (1990).
 Turbulent diffusion

• 3D advection-diffusion equation in turbulent flows

∂ c ∂ (uc) ∂ (vc) ∂ (wc) ∂ ∂c ∂ ∂c ∂ ∂c

+ + + = ( ε x ) + ( ε y ) + (ε z )
∂t ∂x ∂y ∂z ∂x ∂x ∂y ∂y ∂z ∂z
 Turbulent diffusion

• Spatial averaging processes

• Depth averaging 3D ADE for steady flow condition

∂c ∂ ∂ ∂
b' b' b' b'

∫a ' ∂t dz + a∫' ∂x (uc)dz + a∫' ∂y (vc)dz + a∫' ∂z (wc)dz =

∂ ∂c ∂ ∂c ∂ ∂c
b' b' b'

∫a ' ∂x (ε x ∂x )dz + a∫' ∂y (ε y ∂y )dz + a∫' ∂z (εz ∂z )dz

• a’ and b’ are the bed and surface elevations

Y. GUAN Dispersion theory

• For the depth integral, we can obtain:

b'
1
u = U + u" U = ∫ udz
h a'

b'
v = V + v" 1
V = ∫ vdz
h a'

b'
1
c = C + c" C = ∫ cdz
h a'
Y. GUAN Dispersion theory
• The velocity and concentration distributions

u 1 zu * u*k s
= ln( ) + 5.5 for smooth flow <5
u* κ ν ν

u 1 z u* k s
= ln( ) + 8.5 for rough flow > 70
u* κ k s ν
Y. GUAN Dispersion theory

• The Leibnitz’s rule for integral of differential function

∂f (x, y) ∂ ∂b ' ∂a '

b' b'

∫a ' ∂x dz = ∂x a∫' f (x, y)dz − f (x, b ') ∂x + f (x, a ') ∂x

 Y. GUAN Dispersion theory
• Extensive using the Leibniz’s rule for differention of an integral,
each term of above equation can be expressed as below:

∂ (uc) ∂ ∂b ' ∂a '

b' b'

∫a ' ∂x dz =
∂x a∫'
(uc)dz − (uc)
b ' ∂x
+ (uc)
a ' ∂x

∂ (vc) ∂ ∂b ' ∂a '

b' b'

∫ ∂y
a'
dz =
∂y a∫'
(vc)dz − (vc)
b ' ∂y
+ (vc)
a ' ∂y

∂ (wc)
b'

∫a ' ∂z dz = (wc) b ' − (wc) a '

 Y. GUAN Dispersion theory
• Extensive usiig the Leibniz’s rule for differention of an integral,
each term of above equation can be expressed as below:

∂ ∂c ∂ ∂c ∂ c ∂b ' ∂ c ∂a '
b' b'

∫a ' ∂x x ∂x
(ε )dz = ∫
∂x a '
( ε x
∂x
)dz − ( ε x )
∂x b ' ∂x
+ ( ε x )
∂x a ' ∂x

∂ ∂c ∂ ∂c ∂ c ∂b ' ∂ c ∂a '
b' b'

∫a ' ∂y y ∂y
(ε )dz = ∫
∂y a '
( ε y
∂y
)dz − ( ε y )
∂y b ' ∂y
+ ( ε y )
∂y a ' ∂y

∂ ∂c ∂c ∂c
b'

∫a ' ∂z (εz ∂z )dz = (εz ∂z ) − (εz ∂z )

b' a'
Y. GUAN Dispersion theory
• Integrating 3D equation term by term lead to

∂c ∂ ∂b ' ∂a '
b' b'

∫a ' ∂t dz + ∂x a∫' (uc)dz − (uc) b ' ∂x + (uc) a ' ∂x +

∂ ∂b ' ∂a '
b'

∫
∂y a '
(vc)dz − (vc)
b ' ∂y
+ (vc)
a ' ∂y
+ (wc) − (wc)
b' a'

∂ ∂c ∂ c ∂b ' ∂ c ∂a '
b'
= ∫
∂x a '
(ε x )dz − (ε x )
∂x ∂x b ' ∂x
+ (ε x )
∂x a ' ∂x
∂ ∂c ∂ c ∂b ' ∂ c ∂a '
b'
+ ∫ (ε y )dz − (ε y ) + (ε y )
∂y a ' ∂y ∂y b ' ∂y ∂y a ' ∂y
∂c ∂c
+ (ε z ) − (ε z )
∂z b ' ∂z a '
Y. GUAN Dispersion theory
• Rearrange the equation , then

∂c ∂ ∂ ∂ ∂c ∂ ∂c
b' b' b' b' b'

∫a ' ∂t dz + ∂x a∫' (uc)dz + ∂y a∫' (vc)dz = ∂x a∫' (ε x ∂x )dz + ∂y a∫' (ε y ∂y )dz

⎡ ∂b ' ∂b ' ⎤
+ ⎢(uc) + (vc) − (wc) ⎥ ← [1]
b ' ∂x b ' ∂y
⎣ b'
⎦
⎡ ∂a ' ∂a ' ⎤
+ ⎢ − (uc) − (vc) + (wc) ⎥ ← [ 2]
a ' ∂x a ' ∂y
⎣ a'
⎦
⎡ ∂ c ∂b ' ∂ c ∂b ' ∂c ⎤
+ ⎢ − (ε x ) − (ε y ) + (ε z ) ⎥ ← [3]
⎢⎣ ∂x b ' ∂x ∂y b ' ∂y ∂z b ' ⎥⎦
⎡ ∂ c ∂a ' ∂ c ∂a ' ∂c ⎤
+ ⎢ (ε x ) + (ε y ) − (ε z ) ⎥ ← [ 4]
⎢⎣ ∂x a ' ∂x ∂y a ' ∂y ∂z a ' ⎥⎦
 Y. GUAN Dispersion theory

• Boundary conditions : at both the water surface and the

channel bed, the flux of water and tracer normal to the
boundary, therefore, the the flux at boundaries are zero .

• We can use the boundary conditions to show that terms 1- 4 in

last equation are all identically zero.
 Y. GUAN Dispersion theory

• The assumption of zero flow normal to the boundary is called

the kinematic boundary condition and in steady requires (Yeh,
1969, Verhengdehhil, 1993)

∂η ∂η
u +v −w=0
∂x ∂y

• Where η (x,y) is the coordinate of boundary like bed and

surface , therefore, terms 1 and 2 will be zero
 Y. GUAN Dispersion theory

• The tracer flux normal to both boundaries must be zero too. The
normal vectors to water surface and bed are , respectively,

∂b ' ∂b '
nb' = i+ j−k
∂x ∂y

∂a ' ∂a '
na ' = i+ j−k
∂x ∂y

• Where i, j, k are the normal vectors in the x,y and z directions

respectively, na and nb are the normal vectors to water surface
and bed
 Y. GUAN Dispersion theory
• The tracer flux at any point is

∂c ∂c ∂c
J = εx i + εy j − εz k
∂x ∂y ∂z

• As flux normal to both boundaries is zero , it follows that

Jin a ' = Jin b ' = 0

Y. GUAN Dispersion theory

• Comparing above equations, we will find that the items 3

and 4 will be zero also.
• The resulted equation will be

∂c ∂ ∂ ∂ ∂c ∂ ∂c
b' b' b' b' b'

∫a ' ∂t dz + ∂x a∫' (uc)dz + ∂y a∫' (vc)dz = ∂x a∫' (ε x ∂x )dz + ∂y a∫' (ε y ∂y )dz

 Y. GUAN Dispersion theory
• The integrals over depth can be written as

∂ ∂
b'

∫
∂x a '
ucdz =
∂x
(huc)

∂ ∂
b'

∫
∂y a '
vcdz =
∂y
(hvc)

• The depth-average of a product can be expressed as follows:

∂ (uc) ∂ (U + u '')(C + c '') ∂ (UC) ∂ (u ''c '')
= = +
∂x ∂x ∂x ∂x

∂ vc ∂ (V + v '')(C + c '') ∂VC ∂ v ''c ''

= = +
∂y ∂y ∂y ∂y
Y. GUAN Dispersion theory

• If it is assumed that turbulent diffusion coefficient do not

vary with depth, then

∂c ∂C
(ε x ) = (ε x )
∂x ∂x

∂c ∂C
εy = εy
∂y ∂y
Y. GUAN Dispersion theory
• The modified 2D equation will be

∂C ∂ ∂
h + (hUC − hu ''c '') + (hVC − hv ''c '') =
∂t ∂x ∂y
∂ ∂C ∂ ∂C
(hε x ) + (hε y )
∂x ∂x ∂y ∂y

∂C ∂ (UC) ∂ (VC)
+ + =
∂t ∂x ∂y
∂ ∂C ∂ ∂C ∂ ∂
(ε x ) + (ε y ) + (− u ''c '') + (− v ''c '')
∂x ∂x ∂y ∂y ∂x ∂y
Y. GUAN Dispersion theory

• New problems arising for solving this 2D equation?

• The last two terms on the right hand side of equation are
unknown, equation is intractable
• Dispersion in laminar flow
• Dispersion in turbulent shear flows
Y. GUAN Dispersion theory

• Former investigations for Shear Flow Dispersion

•1953, Taylor published a paper describing the spread of
dissolved contaminat in laminar flow trough pipe
•1954, Talor extended his analysis to turbulent flow
•Aris’s (1956) analysis using a cross section of arbitary
shape and variable cross sectional diffusion coefficient
•Elder’s (1959) analysis in open channel
•Sayre (1968) analysis in open channel
•Fischer et al (1979) in open channel

• Talor’s asymptotic analysis of shear dispersion in a pipe

flow
Y. GUAN Dispersion theory

Assumptions :

• Turbulent diffusion was negligibly small

• If the spread of tracer will highly depend on the shear
velocity
• If the velocity difference over depth was ∆u, the
spread distance along the channel is of order:

L = t∆u
• Which indicates the length of the cloud increases
linearly with time!
• Also implies that the variance of the tracer cloud
increases as square of time for short period
immediately after the tracer is released.
Y. GUAN Dispersion theory

• Assumptions :
• Uniform flow in channel
• Instataneous transverse line source so that transverse
concentration gradients are negligibly small
• Velocity components v and w necligibly small too, v
=0, w = 0
• The longitudinal spreading due to turbulent diffusion
is small compared with the effects of vertical velocity
shear
∂c ∂c ∂ ∂c
+u = (ε z )
∂t ∂x ∂z ∂z

• Depth averaging last equation

 Y. GUAN Dispersion theory

• After simplifying the equation , it yields:

∂ (C + c") ∂ (C + c") ∂ ∂c"

+ (U + u ") = (ε z )
∂t ∂x ∂z ∂z

• Transfrom the coordinate into a Lagrangian coordinate

ξ = x − Ut

τ=t
• Making use of the chain rule
∂ ∂
=
∂x ∂ξ

∂ ∂ ∂
= −U +
∂t ∂ξ ∂τ
 Y. GUAN Dispersion theory

• The transfromed equation will be

∂C ∂c" ∂C ∂c" ∂ ∂c"

+ + u" + u" = (ε z )
∂τ ∂τ ∂ξ ∂ξ ∂z ∂z

• In addition, the mean concentration changes slowly and c’’

is indenpendent of τ and ξ
c '' = c"(z)
∂C
=0
∂τ
• Then equation becomes according to Fischer et al (1979) and
Sayre (1968)
∂C ∂ ∂c"
u" = (ε z )
∂ξ ∂z ∂z
 Y. GUAN
Dispersion theory

• At bed and surface

∂c"
=0
∂z

• Integating following equation twice with respect to z,

∂C ∂ ∂c"
u" = (ε z )
∂ξ ∂z ∂z

• Then we get :

∂C ∂z '
z z'
c ''(z) = ∫ ∫
∂ξ z '= 0 ε z z"= o
u "(z")dz"+ c"(0)
 Y. GUAN
Dispersion theory

• The depth-averaged dispersive flux in the longitudinal

direction is
∂C 1
h h z z'
1 dz '
h0∫ u "c"dz = ∫
∂ξ h o
u "dy ∫ ε ∫
z ' = 0 z z "= o
u "(z")dz"

• The equation implies that the longitudinal dispersive flux is

proportional to the longitudinal dradient of the depth
averaged concentration
∂C
J ξ = −K x
∂ξ
• Kx is the dispersion coefficeint
h z z'
1 dz '
K x = ∫ u "dy ∫ ∫ u "(z")dz"
ho ε
z ' = 0 z z "= o
 Y. GUAN
Transverse mixing
• Reynolds Spatial-averaging procedure :

uc = UC + u′′c′′

vc = VC + v′′c′′

• Taylor and Elder’s theory for the differential advection to be

expressed as function of concentration gradient (1954, 1959)

∂C
u ′′c′′ = − K′x
∂x
∂C
v′′c′′ = −K′y
∂y
 Y. GUAN
Transverse mixing
• 2D DA mixing equation

∂hC ∂ ∂ ∂ ∂C ∂ ∂C
+ (hUC) + (hVC) = (h(K 'x + ε x ) ) + (h(K 'y + ε y ) )
∂t ∂x ∂y ∂x ∂x ∂y ∂y

• The mixing coefficient include two parts:

K x = K′x + ε x

K y = K′y + ε y
Y. GUAN
Transverse mixing
• 2D DA mixing equation with reaction term

∂hC ∂ ∂
+ (hUC) + (hVC)
∂t ∂x ∂y
∂ ∂C ∂ ∂C
= (h(K x + ε x ) ) + (h(K y + ε y ) ) ± S
' '

∂x ∂x ∂y ∂y

• 2D DA mixing equation for steady source condition

∂ ∂ ∂ ∂C ∂ ∂C
(hUC) + (hVC) = (hK x ) + (hK y )
∂x ∂y ∂x ∂x ∂y ∂y
Y. GUAN
Transverse mixing
• 2D DA mixing equation in the non-conservative form

∂C ∂C ∂C ∂ 2C ∂ 2C
+U +V = Kx 2 + Ky 2 ± S
∂t ∂x ∂y ∂x ∂y
Y. GUAN
Longitudinal mixing
• Cross-section averaging 2D equation
• 1D mixing equation – 1D longitudinal equation

∂AC ∂ ∂ ∂C
+ (AUC) = (AK x )
∂t ∂x ∂x ∂x

• 1D mixing equation for steady source

∂ ∂ ∂C
(AUC) = (AK x )
∂x ∂x ∂x

• 1D mixing equation with source/sink term

∂ ∂ ∂C
(AUC) = (AK x )±S
∂x ∂x ∂x