Estudo numérico da dispersão da pluma salina da planta de dessalinização de Fortaleza

Abstract

This work focus on the study of the wastewater dispersion issued by the future desalination plant of Fortaleza. A modeling study was developed to investigate the plume dispersion. To perform this work, a three-dimensional tidal and wind forced hydrodynamic simulation was developed using the Delft3D software. The quality of the modeled data was evaluated against the versions of the data model collected in situ in the region. In this comparison, qualitative and quantitative parameters were selected: mean square error (RMSE); associated absolute mean error (RMAE) and agreement index (skill). Two conditions were tested to determine the dispersion behavior of the saline plume: a scenario with high wind intensity, represented by one data in the second semestre, 13/08/2011, and another with low wind intensity, represented by one data in the first semestre, 08/04/2012. The results show that there was a difference between the dispersion plume pattern at both moments and, with a higher wind intensity, the wastewater plume can spread across the Fortaleza coast in surface and bottom, with a small difference in salinity +0.1 % relative to the environmental. It was also observed that the amount of salt reached the surface in the second semester. It was also reported that a Cocó river plume can arrive at low concentrations on the surface of the region where water catchment equipment will be installed.