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An Innovative Method for Estimating Settling Velocity of Particles in Stormwater Using Absorbance Measurements and Modeling

Haghighatafshar, Salar LU orcid ; Hallinger, Emma ; Espinoza, Daniel LU and Al-Rudainy, Basel LU (2024) In Water Practice and Technology 19(5). p.1810-1821
Abstract
The purpose of the study was to develop a simple and rapid method for measuring the average settling velocity of particles in stormwater ponds. Water samples with suspended particles were collected from the bottom of a stormwater pond in Lund, Sweden. The absorbance in various samples was measured over 24 hours (at 600 nm wavelength) and then translated into total solids concentrations. A one-dimensional model based on the Mason-Weaver equation was coded in Python and solved. The absorbance measurements were used to calibrate the model, thereby quantifying settling velocities and dispersion coefficients for samples from different zones of the stormwater pond. The quantified settling velocities ranged from 40 to 200 mm/h for fast-settling... (More)
The purpose of the study was to develop a simple and rapid method for measuring the average settling velocity of particles in stormwater ponds. Water samples with suspended particles were collected from the bottom of a stormwater pond in Lund, Sweden. The absorbance in various samples was measured over 24 hours (at 600 nm wavelength) and then translated into total solids concentrations. A one-dimensional model based on the Mason-Weaver equation was coded in Python and solved. The absorbance measurements were used to calibrate the model, thereby quantifying settling velocities and dispersion coefficients for samples from different zones of the stormwater pond. The quantified settling velocities ranged from 40 to 200 mm/h for fast-settling particles and from 2 to 8 mm/h for slow-settling particles. The developed methodology provided a mass estimate of the two modeled particle groups (i.e., fast- and slow-settling particles). Based on the model estimates, fast-settling particles dominated all samples, constituting 70–90% of the total solid mass. Due to its simplicity and inexpensiveness, this methodology is a potential alternative to more demanding and complicated methodologies used for measuring particle velocities in sedimentation systems. (Less)
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author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Absorbance, Particle size, Sediment, Settling velocity, Stormwater pond, Stormwater
in
Water Practice and Technology
volume
19
issue
5
pages
12 pages
publisher
IWA Publishing
ISSN
1751-231X
DOI
10.2166/wpt.2024.040
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
d7c5dc48-b682-497e-b1c3-2c93ac0c95bc
date added to LUP
2024-02-14 13:57:37
date last changed
2024-06-11 10:29:59
@article{d7c5dc48-b682-497e-b1c3-2c93ac0c95bc,
  abstract     = {{The purpose of the study was to develop a simple and rapid method for measuring the average settling velocity of particles in stormwater ponds. Water samples with suspended particles were collected from the bottom of a stormwater pond in Lund, Sweden. The absorbance in various samples was measured over 24 hours (at 600 nm wavelength) and then translated into total solids concentrations. A one-dimensional model based on the Mason-Weaver equation was coded in Python and solved. The absorbance measurements were used to calibrate the model, thereby quantifying settling velocities and dispersion coefficients for samples from different zones of the stormwater pond. The quantified settling velocities ranged from 40 to 200 mm/h for fast-settling particles and from 2 to 8 mm/h for slow-settling particles. The developed methodology provided a mass estimate of the two modeled particle groups (i.e., fast- and slow-settling particles). Based on the model estimates, fast-settling particles dominated all samples, constituting 70–90% of the total solid mass. Due to its simplicity and inexpensiveness, this methodology is a potential alternative to more demanding and complicated methodologies used for measuring particle velocities in sedimentation systems.}},
  author       = {{Haghighatafshar, Salar and Hallinger, Emma and Espinoza, Daniel and Al-Rudainy, Basel}},
  issn         = {{1751-231X}},
  keywords     = {{Absorbance; Particle size; Sediment; Settling velocity; Stormwater pond; Stormwater}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{5}},
  pages        = {{1810--1821}},
  publisher    = {{IWA Publishing}},
  series       = {{Water Practice and Technology}},
  title        = {{An Innovative Method for Estimating Settling Velocity of Particles in Stormwater Using Absorbance Measurements and Modeling}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.2166/wpt.2024.040}},
  doi          = {{10.2166/wpt.2024.040}},
  volume       = {{19}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}