A three-dimensional simulation of pollutant dispersion for near and far field in coastal waters

SANCHEZ ARCILLA A; A RODRIGUEZ; M MESTRES

Journal of Marine Environmental Engineering

Gordon & Breach Publ

Año: 1998 vol. 4 p. 217 - 243

1061-026X

Two-dimensional numerical models have been extensively used to solve the hydrodynamics and the associated pollutant transport within the so-called far-field. Water quality modelling in the near-field, however, can not rely upon 2DH models, since these fail to reproduce the three-dimensionality of the problem; this also becomes clear in regions where the hydrodynamics is mainly 3D, such as nearshore wind-induced currents or wave-induced currents in the surf zone. A 3D Lagrangian numerical model has been developed to solve the three-dimensional convection-diffusion equation, and therefore to simulate pollutant transport in non-uniform and stratified hydrodynamic flows. The model is described in detail in this paper, and is applied to the real case of the Besos marine outfall, near Barcelona (Spain).