Author(s): Jose Francisco Sanchez Gonzalez; Manuel Antequera Ramos And Jose Maria Grassa Garrido
Linked Author(s): José Francisco Sánchez González, José María Grassa Garrido
Keywords: Desalination Brine Discharge Dilution Environmental Impact
Abstract: Brine discharges into the sea behave in accordance with their high density, derived from the high concentration of salt. Prolonged exposure to excess salinity can produce lethal or sublethal effects on marine organisms whose danger depends on the salt concentration of the mixing layer on the one hand and on the time they remain affected. The way in which the discharge enters the water will have a strong influence on the salinity and density of the mixing layer that is initially formed in the near field. Depending on the type of discharge, the turbulent phenomena that take place in the first moments of the injection will result in a greater or lesser extent, dilution and dispersion. The most efficient systems are submarine outfalls specially designed with a proper diffuser depth, location and mouths orientation towards the surface to achieve a parabolic trajectory.
Year: 2025