A Framework to Simulate Small Shallow Inland Water Bodies in Semi-arid Regions

A Framework to Simulate Small Shallow Inland Water Bodies in Semi-arid Regions

Abbasi, A. (TU Delft Water Resources; Ferdowsi University of Mashhad)
Annor, F.O. (TU Delft Water Resources; Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology)
van de Giesen, N.C. (TU Delft Water Resources)

2017-12

In this study, a framework for simulating the flow field and heat transfer processes in small shallow inland water bodies has been developed. As the dynamics and thermal structure of these water bodies are crucial in studying the quality of stored water , and in assessing the heat fluxes from their surfaces as well, the heat transfer and temperature simulations were modeled. The proposed model is able to simulate the full 3-D water flow and heat transfer in the water body by applying complex and time varying boundary conditions. In this model, the continuity, momentum and temperature equations together with the turbulence equations, which comprise the buoyancy effect, have been solved. This model is built on the Reynolds Averaged Navier Stokes (RANS) equations with the widely used Boussinesq approach to solve the turbulence issues of the flow field. Micrometeorological data were obtained from an Automatic Weather Station (AWS) installed on the site and combined with field bathymetric measurements for the model. In the framework developed, a simple, applicable and generalizable approach is proposed for preparing the geometry of small shallow water bodies using coarsely measured bathymetry. All parts of the framework are based on open-source tools, which is essential for developing countries.

Shallow water bodies
Semi-arid regions
Complex bathymetry
OpenFOAM
Lake heat storage

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:8ebab63f-096d-4ee4-a73d-9271c67c42f3

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.advwatres.2017.09.023

0309-1708

Advances in Water Resources, 110, 77-96

Institutional Repository

journal article

© 2017 A. Abbasi, F.O. Annor, N.C. van de Giesen