Volume Of Tidal Prism Given Dimensionless Estuary Number Calculator

Formula Used:

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

Estuary Number (E):

Fresh Water River Flow (Qr):

m³/s

Tidal Period (T):

Froude Number (Fr):

Volume of Tidal Prism (P):

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1. What is Volume of Tidal Prism?

Volume of Tidal Prism is the volume of water in an estuary or inlet between mean high tide and mean low tide, or the volume of water leaving an estuary at ebb tide. It's a crucial parameter in coastal engineering and estuarine studies.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the formula:

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

Where:

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

Explanation: This formula relates the tidal prism volume to estuarine circulation parameters, fresh water inflow, tidal characteristics, and flow dynamics through the Froude number.

3. Importance of Tidal Prism Calculation

Details: Accurate calculation of tidal prism volume is essential for understanding sediment transport, water quality, navigation channel maintenance, and ecosystem dynamics in estuarine environments.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter all required parameters with positive values. Estuary number and Froude number are dimensionless. Fresh water flow should be in m³/s and tidal period in seconds.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What is the typical range for Estuary Number?
A: Estuary number typically ranges from 0.1 to 10, with lower values indicating well-mixed estuaries and higher values indicating highly stratified estuaries.

Q2: How does Froude Number affect tidal prism volume?
A: Higher Froude numbers (indicating supercritical flow) result in smaller tidal prism volumes, while lower Froude numbers (subcritical flow) allow for larger tidal exchanges.

Q3: What time period should be used for tidal period?
A: Typically the semi-diurnal tidal period of 44700 seconds (12.42 hours) is used, but actual local tidal periods may vary.

Q4: How accurate is this calculation method?
A: This provides a good first approximation but actual tidal prism volumes can be affected by basin geometry, friction, and other local factors.

Q5: Can this formula be used for all estuary types?
A: The formula works best for well-mixed and partially mixed estuaries. Highly stratified fjords or salt wedge estuaries may require modified approaches.