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Alternative Oxygenation Possibilities for Large Polluted Rivers
Author(s) -
Whipple William,
Yu Shaw L.
Publication year - 1971
Publication title -
water resources research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.863
H-Index - 217
eISSN - 1944-7973
pISSN - 0043-1397
DOI - 10.1029/wr007i003p00566
Subject(s) - aeration , environmental science , environmental engineering , diffuser (optics) , channel (broadcasting) , estuary , hydrology (agriculture) , water resource management , engineering , waste management , fishery , telecommunications , biology , light source , physics , geotechnical engineering , optics
The idea of induced aeration of polluted rivers is gaining acceptance, prototype equipment having been installed on the Miami River in Ohio and on the Ruhr River in Germany. Previous analysis and reports have indicated the general feasibility of aeration on small rivers. This paper describes tests of aeration equipment on a major river, the Delaware Estuary, and discusses transfer efficiency, suitable aerator system design, and cost comparisons. Navigational considerations and deeper, more turbulent water cause design requirements for large rivers to differ considerably from the requirements for small rivers. Reinforced aerators at the surface appear favorable for uncrowded river areas, but air diffusers on the bottom appear more practicable and comparably economical for port areas. Diffusers can be placed only on channel margins and anchorage areas, but dispersion studies indicate that the oxygenated water will still reach the center of the river within a reasonable distance. The cost of adding one unit of dissolved oxygen by aeration devices appears to be just about one‐fourth that of adding it by officially approved waste treatment only. There are possibilities of lowering costs further by using oxygen diffusers. Institutional barriers that make it difficult to plan and develop pollution control alternatives such as river aerators are discussed.