TY - JOUR
T1 - Characterization of water discharges from two thermal power/desalination plants in Oman
AU - Abdul-Wahab, Sabah A.
PY - 2007
Y1 - 2007
N2 - The largest impact of the desalination process on the environment occurs at the desalination plant's outfalls. This study is a field survey, with the focus being to measure the physical properties of the seawater in the vicinity of the two thermal power/desalination plants in Oman: namely: (1) Al-Ghubrah Power/Desalination Plant (GPDP), and (2) Barka Power/Desalination Plant (BPDP). The impacts of water discharged from the two plants on the surrounding areas receiving seawater, were measured in order to compare and assess present conditions. BPDP has adopted some disposal techniques in the design of their outfalls in order to reduce the impacts of discharged concentrated brine on the surrounding environment. In the vicinity of the two plants at GPDP and BPDP, measurements were taken at different stations, and at different distances from their outfalls. Some of the stations were located near intakes of the two plants, while others were located at various distances and directions from the vicinity of the outfalls. At each station, the general physical properties were measured simultaneously in the water at various depths. These parameters include the components of the seawater, namely temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, turbidity and chlorophyll a. The 'results indicated that the excellent design of the outfalls at BPDP allows the water discharged into the water body to be spread over the surface and thus reduces the effect on the property changes at the outfalls. The findings can be used as a baseline for the future monitoring of the impacts, and environmental management programs.
AB - The largest impact of the desalination process on the environment occurs at the desalination plant's outfalls. This study is a field survey, with the focus being to measure the physical properties of the seawater in the vicinity of the two thermal power/desalination plants in Oman: namely: (1) Al-Ghubrah Power/Desalination Plant (GPDP), and (2) Barka Power/Desalination Plant (BPDP). The impacts of water discharged from the two plants on the surrounding areas receiving seawater, were measured in order to compare and assess present conditions. BPDP has adopted some disposal techniques in the design of their outfalls in order to reduce the impacts of discharged concentrated brine on the surrounding environment. In the vicinity of the two plants at GPDP and BPDP, measurements were taken at different stations, and at different distances from their outfalls. Some of the stations were located near intakes of the two plants, while others were located at various distances and directions from the vicinity of the outfalls. At each station, the general physical properties were measured simultaneously in the water at various depths. These parameters include the components of the seawater, namely temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, turbidity and chlorophyll a. The 'results indicated that the excellent design of the outfalls at BPDP allows the water discharged into the water body to be spread over the surface and thus reduces the effect on the property changes at the outfalls. The findings can be used as a baseline for the future monitoring of the impacts, and environmental management programs.
KW - Chlorophyll a
KW - Conductivity
KW - Discharges
KW - Dissolved oxygen
KW - Power/desalination plants
KW - Salinity
KW - Seawater temperature
KW - Turbidity
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U2 - 10.1089/ees.2005.0126
DO - 10.1089/ees.2005.0126
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:33947163265
SN - 1092-8758
VL - 24
SP - 321
EP - 337
JO - Environmental Engineering Science
JF - Environmental Engineering Science
IS - 3
ER -