Effect of wave direction on discharged brine dilution

Brine, which has high salinity and density values, is a byproduct of seawater reverse osmosis systems. Disposing brine by marine outfalls has been the most feasible and cheap method. Disposed brine constitutes a dense layer at the sea bottom due to its high density. In this study, horizontal single point discharge of brine in the wave direction and in the opposite wave direction with regular wave propagation was examined experimentally. The comparison of co and opposite directional discharge test results showed that the discharge in the opposite direction to the wave propagation leads to higher dilution values at the sea bottom. Furthermore, lower dilution values were obtained in a quiescent receiving environment for the same measurement points.