• Journal of Korean Society of Coastal and Ocean Engineers
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.247-259
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• 2017

Numerical model with LPT (Lagrangian Particle Tracking) module was used to understand the variation of residence time in the outer sea of the Sihwa lake result operating from the Sihwa tidal power plant. Numerical model was composed in order to investigate the spatial distribution characteristics, the average residence time in each area was calculated by dividing the outer sea area of Sihwa lake into 4 areas. The average residence time of the areas appeared to be increase as it entered the areas located in the inner bay (13 days) from the area located in most outer sea (3 days) both before and during operation. Variation of average residence time by areas were increased in the area that was located in the most outer sea of during operation compared to before operation, and decreased in the other area. Artificial discharges from tidal power plant induces particle traps in the formation of vortex in the area located in the most outer seas, entrainment in the remaining areas, which affects variation in residence time. In other words, the jet flow generated during drainage and the change in the residence time due to the vortex and entrainment action indicate the increase horizontal mixing of water in the outer sea and in the inner bay.