Finite element modelling of the thermal outflow of three power plants in Huelva Estuary

A simple explicit, characteristic-based finite element method for the numerical simulation of the dispersion of the thermal outflow in Huelva estuary is considered in this paper. The derivation involves a local Taylor expansion of the convection–diffusion equation. The numerical model used was originally designed to simulate the dispersion of pollutants in the open sea and has now been reconfigured to simulate the dispersion of the thermal outflow of some power plants which may be constructed in Huelva estuary in the near future. Numerical results obtained are presented.