Case Study
Bubbles prevent aggregate pollution
Construction, Infrastructure & DevelopmentClient
Coffey Group for Severn Trent
Location
Derwent Reservoir, Peak District
Objective
Repairing one of the river outlets at the reservoir
Challenge
Pollution risks to large reservoir and SSSI site
The challenge
We worked with water infrastructure and civil engineering specialists, Coffey, to create a solution to prevent pollution on a site on behalf of Severn Trent. It was essential to ensure pollution did not enter the Derwent Reservoir which they were working on.
Derwent Reservoir is entirely manmade; however, it benefits from being in a wider national park which is an area designated as of special scientific interest due to its range of flora and fauna. On the shore to the west, you will find a nature reserve home to Cuckoos, Redstarts, and Golden Plovers.
Coffey had been working on repairing one of the river outlets at the reservoir in the Peak District. There was a real risk of aggregate runoff into the reservoir as they needed to fill a scour hole that had formed.
The hole was about 4-5 meters deep and required around 450 tonnes of aggregate to fill it in along with a mixture of other materials to remediate the problem.
Aggregates can have a particularly deleterious effect on water and aquatic wildlife as they often contain contaminants.
The solution
Coffey invested in a Bubble Curtain that provided a boundary across the entry of the reservoir.
This meant that any polluted run-off was prevented from entering the reservoir. It’s essential to minimise pollution, as the water is a crucial part of the water supply network in northeast England.
Bubble Curtains are completely safe to use. They function well in extremely sensitive water courses as lines of micro-bubbles form an effective curtain that controls pollution and boosts oxygen levels. These fine bubbles will retain debris and silt from work within an area or channel. The fine curtains make it a very safe and effective solution for this type of project.
Full encapsulation
The construction zone was enclosed within a protective bubble screen, mitigating silt dispersal.
Sustainability
The technology is reusable for future marine projects, reducing environmental impact and costs.
The results
Silt stopped in its tracks
The environment was protected and silt pollution risks were contained.
Exemplary aeration
During temporary works, underwater oxygen levels are often depleted. The bubble curtain maintained healthy water quality.
Award-winning innovation
Bubble Curtains are an industry-leading solution for marine and freshwater construction projects.
They (Frog Environmental) were efficient in providing advice and the most appropriate product for our project. The team responded promptly to ensure the Bubble Curtain was delivered to the site on schedule.
It has worked well and has been great on site. We are demobilising this week, and the bubble curtain is already in store at our next site for reuse!
Hayley Jackson, Site Agent
Coffey Group
The products
Silt & Debris Bubble Barriers
- Controls sediment plumes, preventing silt and debris spreading in water
- Protects habitats by shielding sensitive aquatic life and ecosystems
- Creates a flexible silt control barrier that is designed to adapt to varying water depths
- Quick to deploy and remove without inhibiting navigation
Aeration Bubble Curtains
- Lightweight, modular design allows quick setup in urgent situations
- Fine microbubbles restore dissolved oxygen levels fast, stabilising water quality
- No submerged moving parts means low risk of mechanical failure and minimal maintenance under pressure
- Bubble aeration systems can be adapted to various water bodies or emergency site conditions
Case Studies
Real solutions, proven results
Knowledge Hub
Sharing good practice
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Micro bubble curtains study: impact on sediment dispersal
This study outlines findings of using Bubble Curtains for effective sediment control.
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Influencing river morphodynamics with bubble screens
The reported laboratory experiments demonstrate the potential of the bubble-screen technique to modify the morphology in a variety of applications in shallow rivers and open channels.
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Influencing bend morphodynamics with an air bubble screen
These preliminary experiments show the potential of a bubble screen to influence and modify the bed morphology.
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Reduction of bend scour with an air-bubble screen
These preliminary experiments show the potential of a bubble screen to influence and modify the bed morphology.
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Influencing flow patterns and bed morphology with an air bubble screen
The ability of a bubble screen to redistribute the flow field and bed morphology in shallow rivers and open channels has been investigated in laboratory experiments.
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Mitigating underwater explosion effects with bubble curtains
Mitigation of shocks and noises is made possible by the use of a bubble curtain set around the explosive charge.
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Developing an underwater shock suppression system to mitigate underwater blast effects on marine life
Research findings evaluating the performance of the bubble screens at Roach Cove, an underwater demolition training area.
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Noise reduction by an air bubble curtain in offshore pile driving
In this paper, a model is proposed for the investigation of the sound reduction during marine piling when an air-bubble curtain is placed around the pile.
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Bubble Curtains can be used to inhibit carp
This research covers findings of field testing of a bubble curtain deterrent system for common carp.
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