Studies on Sediment Concentration Distribution in Vortex Settling Basin Considering Three Dimensional Flow

In present study an attempt has been made to study the distribution of suspended sediment concentration within the vortex settling basin by considering three dimensional velocity distribution. The governing equation for variation of sediment mass concentration is solved numerically by using an unconditionally stable second order accurate Crank-Nicholson type of implicit finite difference scheme. Values of components of velocity appearing in sediment mass equation are measured by three dimensional Programmable Electromagnetic Liquid Velocity Meter (PEMS). Sediment diffusion coefficients used in sediment mass equation are computed by using experimental data of velocity components in r, θ and z-directions collected in the present study. The equivalent finite difference form of governing equation is solved with the Gauss-elimination method by making use of the appropriate boundary conditions. A reasonable agreement is found to exist between the experimental values of sediment concentration and its values computed using the proposed method.