Numerical Modelling Of Suspended Radioactive Sediment Transport In A Stream Using Matlab

Abstract

The use of materials that contain radioactive substances has gained grounds in Ghana due to numerous benefits derived from them. These radioactive materials can be found in the areas of medicine, agriculture and industries such as mining. Though there are strict measures to ensure such material do not find its way into the environment, improper management of the waste poses a threat to the environment. To be able to understand the impact the radioactive material has on the environment, mathematical models play a very relevant role in tracking the level of pollution in any medium. This thesis was concerned with the numerical modelling for the transport of the radioactive solute material that suspends in a stream using Matlab at different velocities as a result of flooding or an accident for research purposes. The modelling was done by using partial differential equations describing relevant physical processes evolution which includes water level, dissolved and suspended substances concentration and velocities. The equation system basis are the mass conservation and momentum laws, state equation and state transport equations. The implicit finite difference scheme was used to evaluate the transport equation, Advection-Dispersion Equation (ADE) with respect to time and space. Solution algorithms for Matlab programming were developed and implemented for generating results for analysis. The results obtained showed that the model was able to simulate accurately the various levels of suspended radioactive sediment concentration changes in the flowing stream longitudinally.