WSEAS Transactions on Environment and Development


Print ISSN: 1790-5079
E-ISSN: 2224-3496

Volume 13, 2017

Notice: As of 2014 and for the forthcoming years, the publication frequency/periodicity of WSEAS Journals is adapted to the 'continuously updated' model. What this means is that instead of being separated into issues, new papers will be added on a continuous basis, allowing a more regular flow and shorter publication times. The papers will appear in reverse order, therefore the most recent one will be on top.


Volume 13, 2017



Performance Evaluation of Equipment Used for Volumetric Water Content Measurements

AUTHORS: Abdelkabir Maqsoud, Philippe Gervais, Bruno Bussière, Vincent Le Borgne

Download as PDF

ABSTRACT: Various methods can be used to evaluate in situ volumetric water content; however, when continuous measurements are required, only dielectric methods can be used. For equipment based on these methods, in the mining environment and particularly in environments having high sulfide contents (or acid-generating minerals), the accuracy of measurements can be affected by the chemistry of the solid and liquid phases. To evaluate the real impact of water chemistry and mineralization on volumetric water content measurement, three instruments were tested on five materials with varying sulphur contents and two types of water mineralization. The results of these investigations show that: i) increasing sulfur content of mine tailings increases the response output of the tested probes; ii) the obtained volumetric water contents are systematically higher than the real volumetric water contents obtained gravimetrically; iii), time-domain reflectometry probes are able to provide measurements in materials with high sulphur contents; and iv) 5TM and GS3 probes are not suitable for use in reactive materials with higher sulphur contents.

KEYWORDS: volumetric water content, sulphur content, dielectric method

REFERENCES:

[1] M. Aubertin, B. Bussière, L. Bernier, Environnement et gestion des résidus miniers, CD-ROM, Les Presses internationales Polytechnique, 2002, Montréal

[2] GM. Ritcey, Tailings Management, Problems and Solutions in the Mining Industry, 1989, Amsterdam: ELSEVIER.

[3] Steffen, Robertson and Kirsten Inc. (SRK) Draft acid rock drainage technical guide, Volume I. Report prepared for British Columbia Acid Mine Drainage Task Force, 1989, Bi-Tech Publishers Ltd., Vancouver, B.C.

[4] A. Maqsoud, B. Bussière, M. Mbonimpa, M. Aubertin, WG. Wilson, Instrumentation and monitoring of covers used to control Acid Mine drainage. Proceeding of the Mining Industry Conference, 2007, CIM, Montréal CD-rom.

[5] M. Aubertin, T. Pabst, B. Bussière, M. James, M. Mbonimpa, M. Benzaazoua, A. Maqsoud, A critical review of reclamation techniques for mine wastes disposal sites producing acidic effluents, Compte rendu de symposium, 2015, Rouyn-Noranda, Canada.

[6] Muñoz-Carpena R (2015). University Florida http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download? doi=10.1.1.514.6862&rep=rep1&type=pdf.

[7] WH. Gardner, Water content, In: Klute, A. (Ed.), Methods of Soil Analysis, Part 1, 2nd Edition, 1986, ASA and SSSA, Madison, WI, pp. 494–544

[8] SR. Evett, L K Heng P, Moutonnet, M.L. Nguyen, In: S.R. Evett, L.K. Heng, P. Moutonnet, and M.L. Nguyen (eds.). Field estimation of soil water content: A practical guide to methods, instrumentation, and sensor technology, IAEA-TCS-30. Intl. Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, Austria, 2008, 123– 129.

[9] AL. Ward, R. Witman, http://www.pnl.gov/main/publications/external/ technical_reports/PNNL, 2009, -18539.pdf

[10] G C. Topp, JL. Davis, AP. Annan,. Electromagneticd etermination of soil water content: Measurements in coaxial transmission lines, Water Resour. Res., 6(3), 1980, 574-582.

[11] DA. Robinson, JP. Bell, C.H Batchelor, The influence of iron minerals on the determination of soil water content using dielectric techniques. J. Hydrol (Amsterdam) 161, 1994, 169–180.

[12] OH. Jacobsen, P. Schjonning, A laboratory calibration of time domain reflectometry for soil water measurement including effects of bulk density and texture, Journal of Hydrology 151, 1993, 147-157.

[13] C. Dirksen, S. Dasberg 1993. Improved calibration of time domain reflectometry soil water content measurements, Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J,57, 1993, 660- 667.

[14] RL. Van Dam, W. Schlager, MJ. Dekkers, A. Huisman, Iron oxides as a cause of GPR reflections, Geophysics 67, 2002, 536–545.

[15] S.P Friedman, Soil properties influencing apparent electrical conductivity: a review. Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, 46, 2005, 45–70

[16] RL, Baumhardt, RJ. Lascano, SR Evett, Soil material temperature and salinity effects on calibration of multisensor capacitance probes, Soil Sci. Soc. Amer. J. 64, 2000, 1940-1946

[17] B. McMichael, RJ. Lascano, Laboratory evaluation of a commercial dielectric soil water sensor, Vadose Zone J, 2, 2003, 650–654.

[18] HR. Bogena, J.A. Huisman, C. Oberdörster, H. Vereecken, Evaluation of a low-cost soil water content sensor, J. Hydrol, 2007, 344:32–42.

[19] F. Kizito, CS. Cambell, GS. Cambell, DR Cobos, BL. Teare, B. Carter, JW. Hopmans, Frequency, electrical conductivity and temperature analysis of low-cost moisture sensor. J. Hydrology, 352, 2008, 367-378.

[20] A. Fares, M. Saffeq, DM. Jenkin, Adjusting Temperature and Salinity Effects on Single Capacitance Sensors, Pedosphere 19, 2009, 588–596.

[21] U. Rosenbaum, JA. Huisman, A. Weuthen, H. Vereecken, HR Bogena, Sensor-to-sensor variability of the ECH2O EC-5, TE, and 5TE sensors in dielectric liquids. Vadose Zone Journal, 9, 2010, 181–186.

[22] W. Qu, HR. Bogena, JA. Huisman, H. Vereecken, 2013. Calibration of a novel lowcost soil water content sensor based on a ring oscillator, Vadose Zone J., 12, 2013.

WSEAS Transactions on Environment and Development, ISSN / E-ISSN: 1790-5079 / 2224-3496, Volume 13, 2017, Art. #4, pp. 27-32


Copyright © 2017 Author(s) retain the copyright of this article. This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0

Bulletin Board

Currently:

The editorial board is accepting papers.


WSEAS Main Site