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Advection-dispersion modelling tools: what about numerical dispersion?
R Bouteligier1, G Vaes, J Berlamont
1Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KULeuven), Faculty of Engineering, Department of Civil Engineering, Hydraulics Laboratory, Kasteelpark Arenberg 40, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium. raf.bouteligier@bwk.kuleuven.ac.be
Summary
Urban drainage models like InfoWorks CS and MOUSE require calibration. Tracer experiments reveal that numerical dispersion, not physical processes, is adjusted during model calibration for dissolved substance transport.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Engineering
- Hydraulic Engineering
- Water Resource Management
Background:
- The transport of dissolved substances and fine suspended particles in water systems is typically described by the one-dimensional advection-dispersion equation.
- This equation is fundamental for understanding pollutant transport and water quality in urban drainage networks.
- Commonly used urban drainage modeling tools, including InfoWorks CS and MOUSE, incorporate the advection-dispersion equation for simulations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the application of the advection-dispersion equation within standard urban drainage modeling software (InfoWorks CS and MOUSE).
- To evaluate the effectiveness of tracer experiments as a tool for calibrating these numerical models.
- To determine the source and significance of dispersion generated by the numerical models themselves.
Main Methods:
- Utilized InfoWorks CS and MOUSE, standard urban drainage modeling tools, with their default settings.
- Conducted tracer experiments to simulate the transport of dissolved substances and suspended particles.
- Analyzed modeling results from tracer experiments to assess model calibration requirements and identify sources of dispersion.
Main Results:
- Tracer experiments demonstrated that numerical model parameters require adjustment for accurate simulation of substance transport.
- Both InfoWorks CS and MOUSE generate a significant amount of numerical dispersion during simulations.
- The calibration process primarily adjusts for this internally generated numerical dispersion, rather than solely physical dispersion.
Conclusions:
- Effective modeling of dissolved substance and particle transport in urban drainage systems necessitates careful calibration of numerical models.
- Numerical dispersion inherent in software like InfoWorks CS and MOUSE plays a critical role and must be accounted for during calibration.
- Tracer experiments are a valuable method for identifying and quantifying the numerical dispersion that influences model accuracy.