COASTOX-

NUMERICAL MODEL TO SIMULATE

TWO DIMENSIONAL DISPERSION
OF RADIONUCLIDES
IN WATER BODIES

DECISION SUPPORT FOR NUCLEAR EMERGENCIES

1.1 INTRODUCTION

1.2 COASTOX
The COASTOX model was developed at the Cybernetics Center, Kiev
(Zheleznyak, 1990, Zheleznyak et al., 1991-1996 ) to simulate the transport
and the dispersion of pollutants in the Dnieper reservoirs and in the Pripyat
River. It contains the radionuclide transport submodels similar to those used
in FETRA. The model includes the ediment transport, the transport by the
advection-diffusion, and the radionuclide - sediment interactions. It considers
the dynamics of the bottom depositions and describes the rate of the
sedimentation and the resuspension as a function of the difference between the
actual and equilibrium concentration of the suspended matter depending on
the transport capacity of the flow. The latter is calculated on the basis of the
semi-empirical relationships. The Kd approach has been used for describing
the adsorption/desorption and the diffusion transfer of the radionuclides in the
systems "solution - suspended sediments" and "solution - bottom deposition".
The exchange rates between the solution and the particles are taken into
account to obtain the more realistic simulation of the kinetics of the processes.
The adsorption and desorption rates are assumed to be not equal. The Finite-
differen methods are used to solve the equations. The two main differences
between FETRA and COASTOX are that the latter has the possibility to
calculate non-reversible adsorption processes and that it contains the
hydrodynamic submodel. In contrast, FETRA can be used only coupled with
some other hydrodynamical computer codes. COASTOX was applied and
validated for the Kiev Reservoir, the Pripyat River floodplain, the Kralova
Reservoir, and the Vakh River.

1.2.1.1 Submodel of stream hydraulics

The two-dimensional lateral longitudinal models could be derived from the
primitive 3-D equations by their averaging over the depth. The 2-D variables
f(x,y,t) are linked with the primitive 3-D variables f'(x,y,z,t) by the formula
η
1
f ′( x, y, z , t )
H + η −òH
f ( x, y , t ) = (1)

where η ( x j , t ) + H ( x j ) = h( x j , t ) - the total water depth (see Fig.1)

z z

V
η y
η0
H U

Figure 1: Water body parameters

-2- 24.05.04
The depth-averaged currents in a shallow lake or a water reservoir are
determined by the balance between the wind shear stress τ ω , the bottom shear
stress τ b , the vertically averaged tensor of the horizontal turbulent exchange
Tij , and by the force driven by the surface elevation gradient ∂η ∂ xk . The
corresponding system of the equations for the vertically averaged horizontal
flow velocities U j (j=1 for x direction and j=2 for y directions) and the total
water depth h could be written in the form of the equations of mass and
momentum conservation (O.Philips,1980):
∂η ∂ ( hU k )
+ =0 (2)
∂t ∂ xk

∂ ( hU ) + hU ∂U j ∂η 1 ∂
∂t
j
k
∂ xk
+ gh =
∂ xk ρ ∂ xk
(Tkj ) + ρ1 (τ wj − τ bj ) (3)

where k = 1,2; j = 1,2,

Uj − vertically averaged horizontal flow velocities in the x (j=1) and y (j=2)
directions.
The shear stresses at the free surface and at the bottom are determined by the
quadratic friction laws respectively through the wind velocity Wand stream
velocity U:
uur
τ wj = ρ w cwW j W (4)

r
τ bj = ρ c f U j U (5)

where k = 1,2; j = 1,2, The glossary of the terms used in the models is
presented at the end of the subsection.
The substitution of the equations(2),(4), (5) into the momentum equation (3)
leads to the equation in the form
∂ Uj ∂ Uj ∂ η λ r uur
+ Uk +g = − hb U j U + λhw Wj W (6)
∂ t ∂ xk ∂ xk
The horizontal turbulent diffusion term is omitted in the equation (6) taking
into account that in the numerical solutions of this equation this term as
usually has the lower magnitude then the numerical diffusion of the finite-
difference scheme.
The hyperbolic system of the equations (2), (6) is known as “shallow water
equations”.
The bottom friction parameter λ in river hydraulics is often
b
calculated
through the Chezy’s coefficient Ccz
g
λb = (7)
Ccz

This coefficient could be calculated on the basis of the Manning formula

1 1/ 6
CCz = h (8)
n

-3- 24.05.04
For the empirical “friction factor” n there are a lot of recommendations on the
definition of its value for different water bodies.
For steady flow conditions the efficient numerical methods to calculate flow
velocity distribution could be obtained in “diffusive” approximation of the
∂ Uj
shallow water equations. The advective acceleration term Uk ,could be
∂ xk
omitted in the equation (6) for the water bodies without sharp velocity
gradients. Then the system (2), (6) taking into account formulas (7),
(8),.could be written
∂η gn 2 r r
g = − 4 / 3 Uj U + λwWj W (9)
∂ xj h
∂ (hUk)
=0 (10)
∂ xk
In correspondence with the continuity equations (10) the stream function is
defined as follows
∂Φ ∂Φ
= −U y h; = U x h. (11)
∂x ∂y

The equation (9) without wind stress could be rewritten

∂ é n ( x, y ) A ( Φ ) ∂Φ ù ∂ é n ( x, y ) A ( Φ ) ∂Φ ù
2 2

ê ú + ê ú=0 (12)
∂ x ëê h10 3 ( x, y ) ∂ x ûú ∂ y ëê h10 3 ( x, y ) ∂ y ûú

where
2
æ ∂Φ ö æ ∂Φ ö
2

A(Φ) = ç ÷ +ç ÷ ,
è∂ x ø è∂ yø

The omitted in (12) wind stress terms could not change a lot the procedures
of the numerical solution of this equation.
For the channel flow constrained by the boundaries B1 and B2 the boundary
conditions for the stream function are
B1: Φ = 0 :
B2: Φ = const = Q , (13)
where Q - total water discharge in the flow.
The condition of normal flux though the open boundaries are applied at the
upstream and down-stream end of the considered area:
∂Φ
= 0. , (14)
∂m
where m - the normal to the open boundary.
In the specific case of the straight channel of the permanent shape (the depth
distribution is the same in any crossection) the equation (12) has the analytical
solution. We would consider x-oriented channel in the area 0 ≤ x ≤ Lx , 0 ≤ y ≤ b .
The depth of the flow is assumed to be constant in direction x , therefore
h ( x, y ) = H ( y ) (15)

-4- 24.05.04
 For such a stream, taking into account the boundary conditions (13) at B1=0
and B2=b the equation (12) has the solution
y
Q
Φ ( y) = Ly ò h ( y ) dy
53
(16)
ò h ( y ) dy
53 0

The analytical formulae could be received from (16) for the specific shape of
the channel cross-section. If the water depth is described by the function
ì 2H b
ïï b y, 0 ≤ y ≤ 2
h( y) = í (17)
ï2 H æ 1 − y ö , b ≤ y ≤ b
ïî ç ÷
è bø 2

From (16) we obtain

ì 5 3 æ y ö8 3 b
ï2 Q ç ÷ , 0 ≤ y ≤ ,
ï è ø
b 2
Φ ( y) = í (18)
ïQ æç 1 − 25 3 æ 1 − b ö ö÷ , b ≤ y ≤ b.
83

ï ç ç ÷
è yø ÷ 2
î è ø

This analytical solution was used to verify the numerical methods developed
to solve the equation(13).
The glossary of terms used in the models is presented at the end of the
subsection.
1.2.2 Sediments transport submodel
The suspended sediment transport in the river channels is described by the 2-
D advection -diffusion equation that includes a sink-source term describing
the sedimentation of the suspended sediments and their resuspension from the
erodible bed.
The depth averaged advection-diffusion equation of the suspended sediment
transport is written

∂ hS ∂ ∂ æ ∂ Sö
+ (hSUk)= ç hEik + qres − qsed (19)
∂ t ∂ xk ∂ xk è ∂ xi ÷ø

where S and S* are the vertically averaged suspended sediment concentration

and the equilibrium suspended sediment concentration respectively. The
vertical fluxes of the sediments – the sedimentation rate qsed and the
resuspension rate qres are calculated through the difference of the actual and
equilibrium concentration of the suspended sediments
qres = ββ ER w0 ⋅ F ( S∗ − S )
, (20)
qsed = β w0 ⋅ F ( S − S∗ )

where F(x) is the function defined as

x + x ì x, x > 0
F ( x) = ≡í (21)
2 î 0, x < 0

-5- 24.05.04
 The coefficient of the erodibility β ER characterizes the bottom protection from
erosion due to cohesion and natural armoring of the upper layer of the river
bed, vegetation. This empirical coefficient as usually has values of the
magnitude 0.1-0.01. β - is the ratio of the near-bottom suspended sediment
concentration to the depth averaged concentration;
The Eik - coefficients of the horizontal dispersion for sediments is assumed
the same as for the dispersion of the soluble pollutant.
There are calculated on the basis of the formula (Holly,1985)
E11 = De cos 2 θ + D p sin 2 θ ,

E12 = ( De − D p ) sin θ cos θ

E22 = De sin 2 θ + D p cos 2 θ , (22)

where θ - angle between the local flow direction and the x-axis;. De and Dp
are the dispersion coefficients in the directions parallel and perpendicular,
respectively, to the local velocity vector. These coefficients are determined by
the Elder formula
De = α EU * h,
(23)
D p = α pU * h,

where U* -the bottom shear stress, α E and α p - the empirical parameters of

the longitudinal and transverse diffusion.
The depth averaged equilibrium concentration of the suspended sediments
S* is calculated by the Bijker method (Bijker, 1968), and includes the effects
of the bottom shear stress, generated by waves, on the magnitude of S*.
The thickness of the upper contaminated layer of sediments can be
described by the equation of the bottom deformation:
∂ Z*
ρ s(1-ε ) = qs − qb (24)
∂ t
where the sedimentation and the resuspension rates are calculated through the
difference of the actual and equilibrium concentration of the suspended
sediments (Zheleznyak et al., 1992).
After the simulation of a stream hydrodynamics the numerical solution of the
equations(19), (24)is used for the modelling of 2-D suspended sediment
transport in streams.
1.2.3 Submodel of radinuclide transport
This submodel of COASTOX describes the advection diffusion transport of
the cross-sectionally averaged concentrations of radionuclides in the solution
C, the concentration of radionuclides on the suspended sediments C s and the
concentration C b in the top layer of the bottom depositions. The
adsorption/desorption and the diffusive contamination transport in the systems
"solution - suspended sediments" and "solution - bottom deposition" are
treated via the Kd approach for the equilibrium state, additionally taking into
account the exchange rates ai , j between the solution and the particles for the
more realistic simulation of the kinetics of the processes.
-6- 24.05.04
 The depth averaged equation of the transport of the diluted contamination is
written as:
∂ hC ∂
+ ( hCUk ) =
∂t ∂ xk
(25)
∂ æ ∂Cö
hEik -λ hC-hA1-2S ( K ds C-Cs ) -ρ s (1-ε ) Z* A1-3 ( K db C-C b )
∂ xk çè ∂ xi ÷ø

where:

The transport equation for Cs is defined as follows:

∂ hSCs ∂ ∂ æ ∂ SCs ö
+ (hSC s Uk)= ç hE ik ÷-
∂ t ∂ xk ∂ xk è ∂ xi ø

-λ hSC s +hA 1-2 S(K ds C-C s )+C b qres -C s qsed (26)

The contamination of the upper layer of bottom deposits can be described by

the equation
∂ Z*Cb 1
=Z* A1-3 (K db C-Cb ) - (Cb qres -Cs qsed ) (27)
∂ t ρ s(1-ε )

The coefficients of the exchange rate between the compartment “solute”

(subscript {}1), “suspended sediments” {}2 and “bottom deposition” {}3
describe non-reversible kinetics, i.e.
ìï a1,2 , K ds C > C s
A1− 2 = í (28)
ïî a2,1 , K ds C < C
s

ïì a1,3 , K db C > C
b

A1− 3 = í (29)
ïî a3,1 , K db C < C
b

where a1,2 and a1,3 are adsorption rate coefficients, respectively, for the systems
“suspended sediment”- “water” and “bottom sediment”- “water”; a2,1 and a3,1 -
desorption rate coefficients for the same systems.

Glossary of terms used for COASTOX description

Uj m/sec vertically averaged horizontal flow velocities in the x
(j=1) and y (j=2) directions
W j m/sec Horizontal wind velocities
ρw Kg/ m3 air density
cw air friction coefficient
cf bottom friction coefficient
h M total water depth
η M water surface elevation ( deviation from the
equilibrium water level)
H M water depth measured from the equilibrium water level
r
b M width of a stream

-7- 24.05.04
Q m3/sec water discharge through crossection

Φ m3/sec stream function

2
CCz m/sec Chezy coefficient

n m5/6sec Manning friction factor

2

τ wj kg/(m shear stress driven by wind at water surface

sec2)
τ bj kg/(m bottom shear stress driven by currents
sec2)
S Kg/m3 concentration of suspended sediments averaged over
a depth
3
S∗ Kg/m equilibrium concentration of suspended sediments
averaged over a depth
qres Kg/m2·s resuspension (erosion) rate per unit area of the
ec bottom (upward directed flux)
qsed Kg/m2·s sedimentation rate per unit area of the bottom
ec (dawnward directed flux)
β ratio of the near-bottom suspended sediment
concentration to1e depth averaged concentration;;
β ER coefficient of erodibility of bottom.
2
w0 M /sec Sediment fall velocity
2
Eik M /sec Components of dispersion coefficient
(i=1,2;k=1,2) in 2-D flow
De M2/sec Dispersion coefficients in the direction parallel to
the local velocity vector
Dp M2/sec Dispersion coefficients in the direction
perpendicular to the local velocity vector
αE empirical parameters of longitudinal diffusion
αp Empirical parameters of transverse diffusion.
U* M/sec bottom shear stress velocity
Z* M thickness of the bottom sediment upper layer
ρS Kg/m 3
density of the suspended sediments ( default value
2600 )
ρw Kg/m3 water density ( default value 1000 )
ε porosity of the bottom sediments
3
C Bq/m Radionuclide concentration in the solution
CS Bq/kg Radionuclide concentration on the suspended
sediments
Cb Bq/kg Radionuclide concentration in the bottom depositions
Cl Bq/m3 radionuclide concentration in the solution of the lateral
inflow
ClS Bq/kg radionuclide concentration on the suspended
sediments in the lateral inflow
2
EC m /sec Radionuclide longitudinal dispersion coefficient
λ sec-1 Decay coefficient
-1
a1,2 sec Coefficient of the adsorption rate for “water-
d d di t” t
-8- 24.05.04
 suspended sediments” system
-1
a2,1 sec coefficient of the desorption rate for “water-suspended
sediments” system
a1,3 sec-1 coefficient of the adsorption rate for “water-bottom
sediment” system
a3,1 sec-1 coefficient of the desorption rate of “water-bottom
sediment ” system
K dS m3/kg distribution coefficient in “water-suspended
sediments” system
K db m3/kg distribution coefficient in “water-bottom deposition”
system

COASTOX input data

COASTOX consists essentially of two main computing modules. The
calculations of velocity fields are performed in the module HYD_2D. The
calculations contamination fields are performed in the module TOX_2D.
HYD_2D input data files:
• file of bathymetry;
• files of geometry;
• files of parameters;
• files of hydrological scenario.
TOX_2D input data files:
• file of names of files of initial, boundary and other conditions;
• files of inflow and outflow geometry ;
• files of model parameters and parameters of simulated radionuclides;
• files of initial conditions for sediments concentration, concentration
for each of radionuclides simulated in solute , on suspended sediments,
in the bottom depositions and on a surface of water;
• files of boundary conditions for sediments concentration,
concentration for each of radionuclides simulated in solute and on
suspended sediments
COASTOX implementation and testing
The Kralova Reservoir, Vakh River is the first reservoir downstream
Bohunice NPP that could be contaminated after accidental releases from the
plant. The accidental release of 1989 (Slavik et.al 1997) was used to validate
the COASTOX model in close cooperation with the Research Institute of
Nuclear Power Plants (VUJE), Trnava, Slovakia. The detailed description of
the case study is presented in the relevant RODOS WG4 report. Here is
presented only the brief overview of the main results of this validation study.
The COASTOX was adopted for the Kralova Reservoir with the following
set of parameter values: Kds = 14 m3 /kg, a1,2 =30 day -1, Kd = 2 m3 /kg,
a1,3 =0.025 day -1, a3,1 =0.015, Z* =5 cm.

-9- 24.05.04
 The model was coupled with the HDM-RODOS model RIVTOX that
provides the simulation of the radionuclide transport from the Bohunice NPP
to inflow crossection to the Kralova Reservoir (Slavek et al., 1999).
The simulation of 137Cs dispersion in the Kralova Reservoir demonstrates
that the dominant process in contamination of the reservoir bottom isasettling
of the contaminated sediments. The simulations of dispersion of June 1989
release reveal that the highest concentration of 137Cs should be in the
central part of the reservoir, in the place where the intensive sedimentation
downstream the steep bottom slope takes place (Fig.3). Such preliminary
prediction that has been done in 1994 was confirmed later by the field
monitoring exercise that was carried out by common effort of the VUJE and
Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Institute, Kiev, in 1995. During the
137
monitoring exercises the maximum Cs concentrations in the reservoir -
about 35-45 Bq/kg in the top sediment layer and about 60 - 80 Bq/kg in the
deeper sediment layer were found in the same location of the contaminated
spot that has been predicted during the simulation.(Fig.2), at the isoline 76
Bq/kg).
The HDM-COASTOX is implemented for the Kralova Reservoir and relevant
data set of input information is presented with this software (Fig.3).

4000

3000

2000

1000

0
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000

137
Figure 2: Simulated Cs concentration (Bq/kg) in upper bottom layer of Kralova Reservoir - 40
days after the accidental release.

- 10 - 24.05.04
Figure3: Implementation of HDM COASTOX interface for Kralova Reservoir

COASTOX was applied to describe the lake IJsselmeer which is a part of

the Rhine River Basin. A release of radionuclide from a Nuclear Power
Plant located at the River Ijssel, the tributary of the River Rhine (q=100
m3/s, c=200 Bq/ m3 =const.) was assumed. The COASTOX was widely
used to simulate radionuclide washing out from the Pripyat River
floodplain at Chernobyl NPP and in several other case studies
(Zheleznyak et al. 1993-1999).

- 11 - 24.05.04