2D and 3D numerical study of the Montevideo Bay hydrodynamics and fine sediment dynamics

Water Qualit

Hydrodynamic and fine sediment transport numerical modelling, application to the Río de la Plata and Montevideo Bay

Water Qualit

Fine sediment dynamics in the Río de la Plata

This paper investigates the main characteristics of the fine sediments dynamics in a very complex and extensive inner shelf area located in South America, the Río de la Plata. The results derive from a 5 yr international research program that allowed intensive data acquisition throughout the area, as well as the development of the first numerical model investigating sediment dynamics at a regional scale in the area. The model is based on the MARS3D suite: it computes the regional tide- and wind-induced circulation, as well as sediment mixtures dynamics (erosion, advection and deposition of several sedimentary variables). Erosion due to wave action is taken into account thanks to the use of SWAN. The hydrodynamic and wave models were calibrated against several measurements in different zones of the Río de la Plata. Turbidity data (time series and vertical profiles) were then used in order to calibrate the sediment dynamics model. The model is shown to accurately reproduce the sediment concentration variability during both fair and stormy weather conditions in the intermediate and in the outer Río de la Plata. The paper also shows that the suspended sediment dynamics in the Río de la Plata is mainly driven by water/bottom exchanges

An efficient version of the RMA-11 model

RMA-11 is a numerical model widely used for studing the transport of constituents and water quality in rivers and estuaries. When applied to large water systems like the R´ıo de la Plata, RMA-11 demands long execution times to compute a simulation. This pa- per presents the analysis of the computational efficiency for the RMA-11 applied to a transport model of the R´ıo de la Plata, and introduces a proposal for improving the effi- ciency by using high performance computing techniques. The improved implementation modifies the linear system resolution methodology implemented in the model. A high performance computing strategy was applied to the FRONTALL routine of the RMA-11, by changing their logical structure and using a sparse storage format. The experimental results obtained when solving representative test cases show a significant improvement on the performance, achieving significant gains in computational speed: the execution time of the implemented version decreased up to one third of the time of the original implementation

Numerical Study of the Effect of a Power Plant Cooling Water Discharge in the Montevideo Bay

The numerical simulation of the water temperature in the Río de la Plata River and Montevideo's Bay was done using the numerical model of finite elements RMA-10 in its 2D vertical integrated mode. Parameters involved in the formulations of thermal exchange with the atmosphere were adjusted using measurements of water temperature in several locations of the water body. After calibrating the model, it was used to represent the operation of a power plant located in Montevideo's Bay. This central takes water from the bay in order to cool its generators and also discharges high-temperature water into the bay. The correct representation of temperatures at the water intake and discharge of the plant reflects that the model is able to represent the operation of the central. Several analysis were made to study the thermal plume, the effects of the water discharge on the water intake of the power plant, and the effect on environmental variables of the study area like currents

A coupled wave–current–sediment transport model for an estuarine system: Application to the Río de la Plata and Montevideo Bay

International audienc

Estudio hidrodinámico e hidro-sedimentológico de la Bahía de Montevideo

Convenio entre la Administración Nacional de Puertos (ANP) y la Facultad de Ingeniería-Instituto de Mecánica de los Fluídos e Ingeniería Ambiental (IMFIA) a través de la Fundación Julio Ricaldoni (FJR)En este convenio se abordó el estudio de la hidrodinámica e hidro-sedimentología en la Bahía de Montevideo y recinto portuario. Metodológicamente el estudio incluye tres componentes. Por un lado el desarrollo de un modelo hidrodinámico y sedimentológico tridimensional avanzado para la costa de Montevideo que incluye además el efecto del oleaje (TELEMAC). Por otro lado la aplicación del modelo básico bidimensional hidrodinámico RMA, disponible en el IMFIA, que resuelve el flujo en la Bahía de Montevideo y zona portuaria generado por las mareas (RMA2D) y que se utiliza para el cálculo de los tiempos de residencia del agua en la Bahía. La tercera componente refiere a las mediciones de corriente que se realizaron en la boca de la Bahía de Montevideo con un equipo acústico ADCP fondeado durante varios meses. La implementación de ambos modelos numéricos considera las principales características de la dinámica del Río de la Plata que muestra una variabilidad influenciada por la marea astronómica y los eventos de marea meteorológica u ondas de tormenta. Las primeras con régimen semidiurno con desigualdades diurnas, y las segundas y de frecuencia aproximadamente semanal y de varios días de duración