The propagation of gravity currents in a circular cross-section channel: experiments and theory

2015 ◽  
Vol 764 ◽  
pp. 513-537 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Longo ◽  
M. Ungarish ◽  
V. Di Federico ◽  
L. Chiapponi ◽  
A. Maranzoni
Keyword(s):  
Reynolds Number ◽  
Salt Water ◽  
Circular Cross Section ◽  
Gravity Currents ◽  
Boussinesq System ◽  
Flat Bottom ◽  
Rapid Removal ◽  
Side Walls ◽  
Speed Of Propagation ◽  
High Reynolds

AbstractHigh-Reynolds number gravity currents (GC) in a horizontal channel with circular/semicircular side walls are investigated by comparing experimental data and shallow-water (SW) theoretical results. We focus attention on a Boussinesq system (salt water in fresh water): the denser fluid, occupying part of the depth or the full depth of the ambient fluid which fills the remaining part of the channel, is initially at rest in a lock separated by a gate from the downstream channel. Upon the rapid removal of the gate (‘dam break’), the denser ‘current’ begins propagating into the downstream channel, while a significant adjustment motion propagates upstream in the lock as a bore or rarefaction wave. Using an experimental channel provided by a tube of 19 cm diameter and up to 615 cm length, which could be filled to various levels, we investigated both full-depth and part-depth releases, considered the various stages of inertial-buoyancy propagation (in particular, the initial ‘slumping’ with constant speed, and the transition to the late self-similar propagation with time to the power $3/4$), and detected the transition to the viscous-buoyancy regime. A first series of tests is focused on the motion in the lock while a second series of tests is focused on the evolution of the downstream current. The speed of propagation of the current in the slumping stage is overpredicted by the theory, by about the same amount (typically 15 %) as observed in the classical flat bottom case. The length of transition to viscous regime turns out to be ${\sim}[\mathit{Re}_{0}(h_{0}/x_{0})]^{{\it\alpha}}$ ($\mathit{Re}_{0}=(g^{\prime }h_{0})^{1/2}h_{0}/{\it\nu}_{c}$ is the initial Reynolds number, $g^{\prime }$ is the reduced gravity, ${\it\nu}_{c}$ is the kinematic viscosity of the denser fluid, $h_{0}$ and $x_{0}$ are the height of the denser current and the length of the lock, respectively), with the theoretical ${\it\alpha}=3/8$ and experimental ${\it\alpha}\approx 0.27$.

The propagation of gravity currents in a V-shaped triangular cross-section channel: experiments and theory

2014 ◽  
Vol 754 ◽  
pp. 232-249 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marius Ungarish ◽  
Catherine A. Mériaux ◽  
Cathy B. Kurz-Besson
Keyword(s):  
Reynolds Number ◽  
Cross Section ◽  
Viscosity Coefficient ◽  
Gravity Currents ◽  
Quantitative Agreement ◽  
Flat Bottom ◽  
Special Configuration ◽  
Theoretical Predictions ◽  
Speed Of Propagation ◽  
High Reynolds

AbstractWe investigate the motion of high-Reynolds-number gravity currents (GCs) in a horizontal channel of V-shaped cross-section combining lock-exchange experiments and a theoretical model. While all previously published experiments in V-shaped channels were performed with the special configuration of the full-depth lock, we present the first part-depth experiment results. A fixed volume of saline, that was initially of length $\def \xmlpi #1{}\def \mathsfbi #1{\boldsymbol {\mathsf {#1}}}\let \le =\leqslant \let \leq =\leqslant \let \ge =\geqslant \let \geq =\geqslant \def \Pr {\mathit {Pr}}\def \Fr {\mathit {Fr}}\def \Rey {\mathit {Re}}x_0$ and height $h_0$ in a lock and embedded in water of height $H_0$ in a long tank, was released from rest and the propagation was recorded over a distance of typically $ 30 x_0$. In all of the tested cases the current displays a slumping stage of constant speed $u_N$ over a significant distance $x_S$, followed by a self-similar stage up to the distance $x_V$, where transition to the viscous regime occurs. The new data and insights of this study elucidate the influence of the height ratio $H = H_0/h_0$ and of the initial Reynolds number ${\mathit{Re}}_0 = (g^{\prime }h_0)^{{{1/2}}} h_0/ \nu $, on the motion of the triangular GC; $g^{\prime }$ and $\nu $ are the reduced gravity and kinematic viscosity coefficient, respectively. We demonstrate that the speed of propagation $u_N$ scaled with $(g^{\prime } h_0)^{{{1/2}}}$ increases with $H$, while $x_S$ decreases with $H$, and $x_V \sim [{\mathit{Re}}_0(h_0/x_0)]^{{4/9}}$. The initial propagation in the triangle is 50 % more rapid than in a standard flat-bottom channel under similar conditions. Comparisons with theoretical predictions show good qualitative agreements and fair quantitative agreement; the major discrepancy is an overpredicted $u_N$, similar to that observed in the standard flat bottom case.

Gravity currents and related phenomena

1968 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 209-248 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Brooke Benjamin
Keyword(s):  
Salt Water ◽  
Gravity Current ◽  
Circular Cross Section ◽  
Gravity Currents ◽  
Head Wave ◽  
Physical Problems ◽  
Energy Conserving ◽  
Fluid Theory ◽  
Hydrodynamical Problem ◽  
Upper Boundary

This paper presents a broad investigation into the properties of steady gravity currents, in so far as they can be represented by perfect-fluid theory and simple extensions of it (like the classical theory of hydraulic jumps) that give a rudimentary account of dissipation. As usually understood, a gravity current consists of a wedge of heavy fluid (e.g. salt water, cold air) intruding into an expanse of lighter fluid (fresh water, warm air); but it is pointed out in § 1 that, if the effects of viscosity and mixing of the fluids at the interface are ignored, the hydrodynamical problem is formally the same as that for an empty cavity advancing along the upper boundary of a liquid. Being simplest in detail, the latter problem is treated as a prototype for the class of physical problems under study: most of the analysis is related to it specifically, but the results thus obtained are immediately applicable to gravity currents by scaling the gravitational constant according to a simple rule.In § 2 the possible states of steady flow in the present category between fixed horizontal boundaries are examined on the assumption that the interface becomes horizontal far downstream. A certain range of flows appears to be possible when energy is dissipated; but in the absence of dissipation only one flow is possible, in which the asymptotic level of the interface is midway between the plane boundaries. The corresponding flow in a tube of circular cross-section is found in § 3, and the theory is shown to be in excellent agreement with the results of recent experiments by Zukoski. A discussion of the effects of surface tension is included in § 3. The two-dimensional energy-conserving flow is investigated further in § 4, and finally a close approximation to the shape of the interface is obtained. In § 5 the discussion turns to the question whether flows characterized by periodic wavetrains are realizable, and it appears that none is possible without a large loss of energy occurring. In § 6 the case of infinite total depth is considered, relating to deeply submerged gravity currents. It is shown that the flow must always feature a breaking ‘head wave’, and various properties of the resulting wake are demonstrated. Reasonable agreement is established with experimental results obtained by Keulegan and others.

Axisymmetric, constantly supplied gravity currents at high Reynolds number

2011 ◽  
Vol 675 ◽  
pp. 540-551 ◽  
Author(s):  
ANJA C. SLIM ◽  
HERBERT E. HUPPERT
Keyword(s):  
Reynolds Number ◽  
High Reynolds Number ◽  
Threshold Value ◽  
Gravity Currents ◽  
Water Model ◽  
Closure Condition ◽  
Area Source ◽  
Radial Extent ◽  
Long Time ◽  
High Reynolds

We consider theoretically the long-time evolution of axisymmetric, high Reynolds number, Boussinesq gravity currents supplied by a constant, small-area source of mass and radial momentum in a deep, quiescent ambient. We describe the gravity currents using a shallow-water model with a Froude number closure condition to incorporate ambient form drag at the front and present numerical and asymptotic solutions. The predicted profile consists of an expanding, radially decaying, steady interior that connects via a shock to a deeper, self-similar frontal boundary layer. Controlled by the balance of interior momentum flux and frontal buoyancy across the shock, the front advances as (g′sQ/r1/4s)4/154/5, where g′s is the reduced gravity of the source fluid, Q is the total volume flux, rs is the source radius and is time. A radial momentum source has no effect on this solution below a non-zero threshold value. Above this value, the (virtual) radius over which the flow becomes critical can be used to collapse the solution onto the subthreshold one. We also use a simple parameterization to incorporate the effect of interfacial entrainment, and show that the profile can be substantially modified, although the buoyancy profile and radial extent are less significantly impacted. Our predicted profiles and extents are in reasonable agreement with existing experiments.

High Reynolds number gravity currents along V-shaped valleys

2009 ◽  
Vol 28 (5) ◽  
pp. 651-659 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.J. Monaghan ◽  
C.A. Mériaux ◽  
H.E. Huppert ◽  
J.M. Monaghan
Keyword(s):  
Reynolds Number ◽  
High Reynolds Number ◽  
Gravity Currents ◽  
High Reynolds

Gravity currents propagating into shear

2015 ◽  
Vol 778 ◽  
pp. 552-585 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. M. Nasr-Azadani ◽  
E. Meiburg
Keyword(s):  
Numerical Simulation ◽  
Reynolds Number ◽  
Steady State ◽  
High Reynolds Number ◽  
Gravity Current ◽  
Gravity Currents ◽  
Maximum Energy ◽  
Channel Height ◽  
High Reynolds ◽  
The Given

An analytical vorticity-based model is introduced for steady-state inviscid Boussinesq gravity currents in sheared ambients. The model enforces the conservation of mass and horizontal and vertical momentum, and it does not require any empirical closure assumptions. As a function of the given gravity current height, upstream ambient shear and upstream ambient layer thicknesses, the model predicts the current velocity as well as the downstream ambient layer thicknesses and velocities. In particular, it predicts the existence of gravity currents with a thickness greater than half the channel height, which is confirmed by direct numerical simulation (DNS) results and by an analysis of the energy loss in the flow. For high-Reynolds-number gravity currents exhibiting Kelvin–Helmholtz instabilities along the current/ambient interface, the DNS simulations suggest that for a given shear magnitude, the current height adjusts itself such as to allow for maximum energy dissipation.

On inwardly propagating high-Reynolds-number axisymmetric gravity currents

2003 ◽  
Vol 494 ◽  
pp. 255-274 ◽  
Author(s):  
MARK HALLWORTH ◽  
HERBERT E. HUPPERT ◽  
MARIUS UNGARISH
Keyword(s):  
Reynolds Number ◽  
High Reynolds Number ◽  
Gravity Currents ◽  
High Reynolds

scholarly journals Mixing efficiency in run-down gravity currents

2016 ◽  
Vol 809 ◽  
pp. 691-704 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. O. Hughes ◽  
P. F. Linden
Keyword(s):  
Reynolds Number ◽  
Reynolds Numbers ◽  
Gravity Currents ◽  
Mixing Efficiency ◽  
The Novel ◽  
High Reynolds Numbers ◽  
High Reynolds ◽  
Good Agreement

This paper presents measurements of mixing efficiency of the two counter-flowing gravity currents created by symmetric lock exchange in a channel. The novel feature of this work is that the buoyancy Reynolds number of the currents is higher than in previous experiments, so that the mixing is not significantly affected by viscosity. We find that the mixing efficiency asymptotes to 0.08 at high Reynolds numbers. We present a model of the mixing based on the evolution of idealized mean profiles of velocity and density at the interface between the two currents, the results of which are in good agreement with the measurements of mixing efficiency.

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