Numerical simulation of prevention of saltwater intrusion in panama channel by using of bubble curtain system

A bubble curtain is a system that produces bubbles in a deliberate arrangement in water. The technique is based on bubbles of air (gas) being let out under the water surface, commonly on the bottom. When the bubbles rise they act as a barrier, a curtain for prevention of the spreading of particles and other contaminants. In this paper is paid to applications of bubble curtain in protection of environment of offshore. Due to the salt water intrusion in Panama navigable channel is causing environmental damage. Construction of bubble curtains along the channel can be studied as a playbook. In this study, two-phase flow is simulated with simulation software Fluent6.3 for freshwater input from the left, saltwater input from the right, air from several vertical bubbles and water injection. The model is solved by using of two-phase Mixture pattern. For problem solving is used the k-𝜺 turbulence model. The air inlet velocity is considered 0.6 meters per second and again 0.2 meters per second. By using air curtains (bubbles) can be prevented salt water intrusion and the density also be reduced. In this paper the multiphase flow is simulated by computational fluid dynamics method in Panama channel.