Author(s): Morgan Hetherington; Alan Cuthbertson; Sue Dawson
Linked Author(s): Alan J S Cuthbertson
Keywords: Buoyant jet; Momentum jet; Unsteadiness; Turbulence; Scaled experiments
Abstract: Turbulent buoyant jets and plumes are omnipresent in the environment and are derived from both natural and industrial sources. Examples of naturally occurring buoyant jets include hydrothermal vents and volcanic eruptions, while buoyant jets generated by industrial processes include marine wastewater discharges and atmospheric emissions. Whether natural or anthropogenic in origin, buoyant jets have significant impacts on the surrounding environment, including a strong influence on air and water quality. Numerical models commonly used to predict buoyant jet behaviour are typically one-dimensional and assume temporally averaged (steady-state) source conditions. As such, these integral models do not capture temporal variations in jet and plume dynamics resulting from unsteady source conditions. The current experimental study aims to quantify the influence of variable source conditions on the deviation of jet and plume dynamics from the steady-state assumptions embedded in integral models.
Year: 2024