Dimensionless Estuary Number Calculator

Dimensionless Estuary Number Formula:

\[ E = \frac{P \times Fr^2}{Qr \times T} \]

Volume of Tidal Prism (P):

m³

Froude Number (Fr):

Fresh Water River Flow (Qr):

m³/s

Tidal Period (T):

Dimensionless Estuary Number (E):

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1. What is the Dimensionless Estuary Number?

The Dimensionless Estuary Number is used in the study of estuarine circulation, which refers to the residual flow pattern in an estuary induced by the density difference between seawater and river water.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the Dimensionless Estuary Number formula:

\[ E = \frac{P \times Fr^2}{Qr \times T} \]

Where:

\( E \) — Dimensionless Estuary Number
\( P \) — Volume of Tidal Prism (m³)
\( Fr \) — Froude Number
\( Qr \) — Fresh Water River Flow (m³/s)
\( T \) — Tidal Period (s)

Explanation: This formula calculates the dimensionless estuary number which is used to study estuarine circulation patterns and mixing characteristics in estuaries.

3. Importance of Estuary Number Calculation

Details: The estuary number is crucial for understanding the mixing processes, circulation patterns, and stratification characteristics in estuarine environments, which are important for environmental management and coastal engineering.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter volume of tidal prism in cubic meters, Froude number (dimensionless), fresh water river flow in cubic meters per second, and tidal period in seconds. All values must be positive.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What is the typical range of estuary numbers?
A: Estuary numbers typically range from very small values (highly stratified estuaries) to larger values (well-mixed estuaries).

Q2: How does the Froude number affect the estuary number?
A: The Froude number squared appears in the numerator, meaning higher Froude numbers will result in larger estuary numbers, indicating different flow regimes.

Q3: What is the tidal prism volume?
A: The volume of tidal prism is the volume of water between mean high tide and mean low tide in an estuary or inlet.

Q4: Why is this number dimensionless?
A: The units in the numerator and denominator cancel out, resulting in a dimensionless number that characterizes the estuarine system.

Q5: What are the practical applications of this calculation?
A: This calculation is used in coastal engineering, environmental management, sediment transport studies, and understanding salt intrusion in estuaries.