Oxygen Transfer Similitude for a Vented Hydroturbine

Abstract

Currently there is much emphasis placed upon water quality and maintaining water quality parameters in our freshwater hydrosphere. One of the most widely cited parameters is that of dissolved oxygen concentration (DO). DO is often used as an indicator of the quality of water for, use by humans as well as habitat for aquatic flora and fauna, and is maintained by many natural chemical and biochemical processes which either increase or decrease local oxygen concentrations. Respiration by aquatic life serves to reduce DO, as does biodegradation of organic material in the sediments, along with a host of other oxygen consuming chemical reactions. Photosynthesis by aquatic plant life can be a significant source of oxygen to a water body, as can oxygen mass transfer with the atmosphere. In nature these processes result in balanced DO concentrations, allowing for seasonal changes, in surface waters.