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Technical feasibility analysis of submarine pipelines for intake of sea water

with high total suspended sediment loads

Article  in  ISH Journal of Hydraulic Engineering · June 2012

DOI: 10.1080/09715010.2011.10515049

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Vol. 17 No. 2 (100)

THE INDIAN SOCIETY FOR HYDRAULICS

JOURNAL OF HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING

TECHNICAL FEASIBILITY ANALYSIS OF SUBMARINE PIPELINES FOR INTAKE OF

SEA WATER WITH HIGH TOTAL SUSPENDED SEDIMENT LOADS
by
S. Neelamani1 and Al-Hulail, F.2
Abstract
Submarine pipeline is used as a seawater intake system since it is cost effective compared to canal and
jetty type intake structures. Open channel type intakes attract large deposition of sediments and hence
periodic maintenance dredging is essential. Jetty type seawater intake is generally expensive. Much coastal
water around the world hold high concentration of Total Suspended Sediments (TSS) like the coastal waters
of Sabiya area, Kuwait in the north western part of Arabian Gulf. The existing seawater intake channel of a
power plant is attracting significant settlement of TSS. Maintenance dredging of about 400,000 m3/year is
carried out. It is proposed to increase the seawater intake for a proposed 2050 MW additional power plant
and hence further increase in the TSS settlement is anticipated, if the present sea water intake system is used.
Alternative type of seawater intake system, which can reduce the TSS is explored. Feasibility study is
carried out to reduce the sediment entry into the power plant utility. The TSS levels were assessed, and its
variations with respect to tidal phase, water depth and elevation along the depth are assessed. The settling
velocity of the sediments is assessed. A sea water intake system is designed and the modality of taking water
from the inlet and the configurations of the settling tanks are provided. It is advisable to draw water closer to
the free water surface using a vertically moving intake well. It is found that the TSS level reduces 40% to
60% when the ambient flow velocity of sea water is minimum. Hence it is beneficial to avoid taking seawater
when the sediment carrying capacity of the seawater is high during high currents. This study will be useful
for feasibility design of submarine pipeline type intake for similar locations around the world.
Key Words: Tide induced current, Silt and clay, Submarine pipeline type seawater intake, Maintenance
dredging, Power plant cooling system.
INTRODUCTION
Thousands of seawater intake systems work around the coastal waters of the world. Many of them suffer
due to entry of Total Suspended Sediments (TSS). This problem is significant for power plants located in the
vicinity of river mouth, where the river brings a significant amount of clay and silt along with the fresh water.
Kuwait is located in the North-western part of Arabian Gulf and the river mouth of Tigris and Euphrates
River (called Shatt Al-Arab) is about 57 km from the Sabiya power plant, where the accumulation of TSS
into the seawater intake is a perennial problem (Fig.1).
The seawater intake channel in Sabiya power plant (Fig.2), Kuwait is suffering with significant settlement
of (TSS). About 400,000 m3/year of silt and clay is dredged from this channel with a total annual maintenance
cost of about 5 million US dollar. There is a proposal to increase the seawater intake for a 2050 MW additional
power plant and hence further increase in the TSS settlement is anticipated, if the present sea water intake
system is used. Alternative type of seawater intake system, which can reduce the TSS load, is explored.
Necessary field investigations were carried out to understand the spatial and temporal variation of TSS. The
result of this investigation is used to assess the modality and arrangement of seawater intake well and for
starting and stopping sea water pumping during tidal fluctuations. Lab investigations were carried out to

1. Senior Research Scientist and Program Manager, Coastal Management Program, Environmental and Urban
Development Division, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, P.O. Box: 24885, 13109 SAFAT, KUWAIT,
Email: nsubram@kisr.edu.kw
2. Associate Research Scientist, Coastal Management Program., Environmental and Urban Development Division,
Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, P.O. Box: 24885, 13109 SAFAT, KUWAIT, Email: fhulail@kisr.edu.kw

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Vol. 17 No. 2 TECHNICAL FEASIBILITY ANALYSIS OF SUBMARINE PIPELINES FOR INTAKE OF (101)
SEA WATER WITH HIGH TOTAL SUSPENDED SEDIMENT LOADS

Arabian Gulf
Kuwait Bay

Problem site

FIG. 1 PROBLEM SITE AND THE FLOW OF WATER AND SEDIMENTS FROM TIGRIS AND
EUPHRATES RIVER THROUGH SHATT AL-ARAB.

assess the settling velocity of the sediments in order to design a settling tank. These information are used to
design a submarine pipeline type seawater intake system. Submarine pipeline design is a tricky issue (Brown
(1975), Grace (1978), Herbich (1981), Mare (1985), DNV Code (1981), Whitehouse (1998) and Wood (1993).
ASSESSMENT OF TSS AND ITS TEMPORAL AND SPATIAL VARIATION
It is expected that the TSS is a function of water depths, tidal phases and elevations. Al-Yamani et al.
(2004) sattes that the TSS value in this area varied from 5 to 510 mg/l. Seawater samples at two different
locations (one in a shallow water of 1.37 m and another in a deeper water of 5.67 m with respect to Kuwait
Land Chart Datum (KLCD) as shown in Fig.2) is selected. At each locations, 24 water samples were collected,
at three different elevations (one at the surface, one at mid-depth and one closer to the sea bed) and for 8
different tidal phases, covering the low tide and high tide. The tidal variation during the field investigation
is as shown in Fig. 3. The TSS is estimated for all the samples and its variation at two locations, three
different elevations of water column and for different tidal phase is assessed and is presented in Fig.4 and 5.
The following outcomes of this field work are important for the design of submarine pipeline:
 The TSS value was high for samples collected closer to seabed in both the locations.
 The TSS value was smaller during low tide level, when the sea water was relatively stationary.
 The TSS value was high when the tide was at mean water level, when the tide induced current was
high.
 In deep water, the TSS value at surface level was almost half of the value of TSS at seabed level.

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SEA WATER WITH HIGH TOTAL SUSPENDED SEDIMENT LOADS

FIG. 2. THE EXISTING SEAWATER INTAKE CHANNEL IN SABIYA, KUWAIT AND

THE LOCATION FOR THE SEAWATER SAMPLE COLLECTION FOR TSS ANALYSIS

FIG. 3 THE TIDAL VARIATION IN SABIYA, NORTH WEST ARABIAN GULF DURING THE FIELD WORK

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FIG. 4. THE EFFECT OF TIME AND LEVEL ON TSS IN LOCATION 1

FIG. 5. THE EFFECT OF TIME AND LEVEL ON TSS IN LOCATION 2

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 In shallow water, the difference in TSS between the three different levels were not predominent.
However, at any level, the TSS value increased from 150 mg/l to 450 mg/l within 3 h, when the tide
was varying from low water level to mean water level.
The details of field investigations are reported in Al-Hulail and Neelamani (2010). From these observations,
it is advisable to draw water from closer to the free surface. It is also recommended to draw the water during
low tide and high tide level when the water is relatively stationay. This will reduce the TSS load entering
into the settlement tank.
ASSESSMENT OF SETTLING VELOCITY OF SEDIMENTS
From the assessment of TSS, even if the sea water is allowed to enter into the pipe during high water level
or low water level, still sediments with TSS value of 150 mg/l is expected to enter and hence warrants a
suitable settling tank. In order to design the size of settling tank, the settlement velocity of the sediments is
required. Ten number of fall velocity assessment were carried out. The average fall velocity is obtained as
0.091 mm/sec.
SUBMARINE PIPELINES AND SEAWATER INTAKE MECHANISM
Since the site has a tidal variation of 3.5 to 4.0 m during spring tide, the current velocity is also significant
as shown in Fig.6.

FIG. 6. MEASURED CURRENT VELOCITY IN KHOR SABIYA DURING 4.6.2007 TO 23.6.2007

The sea bed profile is as shown in Fig.7.

FIG.7 SEABED PROFILE AT SABIYA POWER PLANT SITE

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SEA WATER WITH HIGH TOTAL SUSPENDED SEDIMENT LOADS

It is possible to design the submarine pipelines resting on the seabed with needed stabilization technique.
However, since the surface sediments are having insignificant bearing capacity (Please see Fig. 8), it is not
advisable to lay the pipeline on the sea bed surface.

FIG.8 VIEW OF THE SURFACE SEDIMENTS NEAR THE EXISTING SEA WATER INTAKE STRUCTURE

The seawater required for the additional power plant capacity of 2050 MW is 145,000 m3 /h.
Two options were used in order to obtain the number of pipes and diameter of each pipe as follows.
 Gravity flow option
 Pumping option
No. of Submarine Pipes for Gravity Flow Option
The input data considered for the design are as follows:

The minimum head difference between the water level in the settling tank and the sea water level,  h:
2.5 m
Minimum water depth at the sea water intake point, d: 4.5 m
The length of the pipe, l: 2250 m
The internal diameter of the pipe, D: 2.0 m and 3.0 m
Consider concrete pipe with 1 cm barnacle growth (  ) inside the pipe; hence, the relative roughness  /
D = 0.005 and the resulting friction coefficient, f=0.03.
Table 1 provides the number of pipes of 2.0 m and 3.0 m dia, needed for the withdrawal of 145,000 m3/h.

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TABLE-1
NO. OF SUBMARINE PIPELINES REQUIRED FOR DIFFERENT
HYDRAULIC CONDITIONS FOR DISCHARGE OF 145,000 M3/H

S. No. Pipe ID (m)  h (m) l (m) V (m/sec) No. of Pipes No. of Pipes
Required with a
Standby of 25% more
1 2 2.5 2250 1.20 11 14
2 2 3.5 2250 1.42 10 13
3 3 2.5 2250 1.47 5 7
4 3 3.5 2250 1.74 4 5
No. of Submarine Pipes for Pumping Option
In this option, the capacity of the pump needed to be selected is based on the allowable flow velocity in
the pipe. For flow velocity of 3.25 m/s in a pipe of 3.0-m ID, the discharge in a single pipe is about 82,702 m3/
h. Hence, a total of 2 pipes will be sufficient. With 25% standby, 3 pipes are recommended.
From the field work, with an average TSS of 345 mg/l, the total volume of sediment entering into a
settling tank everyday due to withdrawal of 145,000 m3/h of water flow is worked out as 1200 tons or about
600 m3 of sediments. The nature’s force and phenomena need to be used to reduce the concentration of
sediment loads entering into the submarine pipeline systems. These are 3 possibilities which can reduce the
sediment concentration at the entry point of the seawater intake at the seaward end as follows:-
 Drawing water always from free water surface. The intake well should be designed, such that it moves
up and down along with the tide. Drawing water closer to the free water surface will reduce the
sediment load by about 30%, compared to drawing water from mid depth.
 Since gravity always forces the sediments to move downward towards the seafloor, it is advisable to
draw the water into the intake well in the upward direction (Fig.9). It is also essential to apply active
chlorine dosing for each intake wells in order to protect the marine growth around the mouth of the
intake well.
 Usage of suitable mechanical filters at the intake well entry point. It is worth noting that a mechanical
filter for silt and clay will be having very fine mesh size and it will offer significant flow losses.
Hence, the number of pipe will increase for keeping the design discharge. In order to prevent blockage
of the mechanical filter, periodic maintenance is needed.

Sea Water level

Intake
well

Sea Bed

FIG. 9. PROPOSED SCHEMATIC WATER WITHDRAWAL CONFIGURATION

AT THE INTAKE WELL (NOT TO SCALE).

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SEA WATER WITH HIGH TOTAL SUSPENDED SEDIMENT LOADS

SETTLING TANK FOR SUSPENDED SEDIMENTS

The inputs used for the design of settling tank are as follows:
Fall velocity of the sediment = 0.091 mm/sec
The width of the settling tank = 220 m (This much space is easily available in the site. It is also better to
select large width in order to reduce the flow velocity inside the settling tank).
Pipeline internal diameter = 3.0 m
The water depth at the seawater intake point at low water level (LWL) = 5.0 m (See Fig.10)
Pipeline clear burial depth = 2.0 m (This is the distance between the seabed soil and top of the pipe)
The head difference between the Low Water Level (LWL) and the water level inside the tank = 3.5 m.
(This head difference will drive the water from the sea into the tank. This head difference will increase
during flood tide).
The water depth in the tank = 6.5 m
Flow area inside the tank = 220 x 6.5 = 1430 m2
Therefore, flow velocity inside the tank = 145,000/1430 = 101.4 m/h = 28.2 mm/s
Introduce a curtain wall of 6-m deep along the width of the tank so that water flows over this wall into
another water tank for further pumping of water into the power plant. The settling sediments need to be
dredged periodically using appropriate pumps.
For 0.5 m fall of sediments, it takes about 500/0.091 = 5495 sec
The horizontal distance moved by the water by this time inside the tank = 5495 x 28.2 = 154987 mm =
154.987 m. Hence, a minimum of this distance is needed after which the curtain wall can be built in order to
retain the sediments within the settling tank. A 200-m length of the settling tank can be selected (This extra
50 m will help in further settlement of sediments and better quality seawater to the overflowing tank). The
water free from TSS flows over this curtain wall into another tank from where the seawater can be pumped
for power plant use.
It is recommended to provide a sloping floor with at least 1:100 slopes in the main settling tank, so that
the settling sediments will creep and fall into a pit of say 2-m deep and 10-m wide. Periodically, the settled
sediments in this pit need to be cleared by a series of pumps. A line sketch of the proposed settling tank and
the associated levels and dimensions are shown in Fig.10. The ground level will be about 6 m from the LWL.

Seawater Pump Pump for removing the sediment Vertically up and

down moving
Profile of intake well head
sediment
3.5 m LWL

5.0 m
0.5 m
Seabed
6.5 m
6.0 m
high
wall 2.0 m
1:100

2.0 m Pipe, 3 m dia

FIG. 10. SCHEMATIC CROSS SECTION VIEW OF THE SEDIMENT SETTLEMENT

AND SEAWATER TANK SYSTEM (NOT TO SCALE)

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SEA WATER WITH HIGH TOTAL SUSPENDED SEDIMENT LOADS

The schematic plan view of the settling tank is as shown in Fig.11.

FIG.11. SCHEMATIC PLAN VIEW OF THE SEDIMENT SETTLEMENT

AND SEAWATER TANK SYSTEM (NOT TO SCALE)

(Note: The No. of pipes will vary according to the selection of different inputs).
It is also advisable to build the settling tank in the tidal flat itself, so that the pipeline length can be
reduced from 2250 m to less than 1000 m. By referring the seabed profiles of the site, the settling tank can be
easily shifted to about 1250 m seaward. The pipeline length can be reduced and hence, significant cost
saving is possible on the submarine pipelines. Reduced pipeline length results in higher flow velocity due to
lesser energy loss, and hence, the number of pipes can be reduced. For example, if the pipeline length is
1000 m, instead of 2250 m, then the flow velocity will increase by (2250/1000)1/2 = 1.5; and hence, the
number of pipes will reduce by 1.5 times; times. Hence, instead of 5 pipes of 3 m dia, it is enough to use 3
pipes in gravity mode. The tank size can be changed from 220-m wide x 400-m long to 125-m wide and 600-
m long with settling tank portion of 125 m x 400 m and clear water portion of 125 m x 200 m. The curtain
wall will be kept at a distance of 400 m. The elevation details of the settling tank can be kept as shown in
Fig.10.
CONSOLIDATED DESIGN INFORMATION
Table 2 provides the consolidated design information covering the following two important aspects as
follows:
 Sea water withdrawal using gravity mode as well as pumping mode
 Sediment settling tank inside the fencing area as well as in the tidal flat area.

TABLE-2
THE CONSOLIDATED DESIGN INFORMATION
Item Settling Tank Settling Tank
Inside the in the
Fencing Area Bay Area
Pipe internal diameter (m) 3.0 3.0
Length of each Pipe (m) 2250 1000
No. of pipes needed in gravity mode
(With 3.5 m minimum head for driving the water and
25% standby pipes) 5 4

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SEA WATER WITH HIGH TOTAL SUSPENDED SEDIMENT LOADS

Item Settling Tank Settling Tank

Inside the in the
Fencing Area Bay Area
Gravity induced flow velocity in the pipe (m/sec) 1.74 2.61
No. of pipes needed in pumping mode with flow velocity of
3.25 m/s (With 25% standby) 2.5 (e.g., 3) 2.5 (e.g., 3)
Total plan area of the tank (width in m x length in m) 220 x 400 125 x 600
Size of settling tank (width in m x length in m) 220 x 200 125 x 400
Size of clear water tank (width in m x length in m) 220 x 200 125 x 200
Average quantity of sediment entering into the settlement tank (m3/d) 600 600
3
Average quantity of sediment entering into the settlement tank (m /d),
if water is drawn from closer to free surface 432 432
3
Average quantity of sediment entering into the settlement tank (m /d),
if water is drawn from closer to seabed level 752 752

CONCLUSIONS
Total Suspended Sediment (TSS) deposition in open channel type seawater intake system is one of the
serious problem. Industry spend millions of Dollar every year to dredge these deposited sediments in order to
sustain the seawater availability for power plant cooling and desalination. This practical problem is studied
based on field investigation measuring the TSS level at shallow and deeper water, at different elevation and
at different current velocity. From this study the following are the recommendations to reduce the TSS
entering into the power plant:-
 Draw the water always from free water surface. The intake well can be designed, such that it moves
up and down along with the tide. Drawing water closer to the free water surface can reduce the TSS
to an extent of up to 30%, compared to drawing water from top to bottom using an open channel type.
 Since gravity always forces the sediments to move downward towards the seafloor, it is advisable to
draw the water into the intake well in the upward direction.
 It is beneficial to draw the water when the tide induced current velocity is smaller (say less than 10 to
20 cm/s). This also reduces the sediment load entering into the submarine pipeline system.
The design details of submarine pipeline and the settling tank with baffling wall systems are provided as
guideline to be used by those involved in the design of settling tank in a sea water intake system. The
practical knowledge presented in this paper can be used to reduce annual maintenance charge due to dredging
of hundreds of thousands of accumulating sediments in an open channel seawater intake systems elsewhere
in the world.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors thank Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research for the facilities to carry out the work.
REFERENCES
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