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The rise heights of low- and high-Froude-number turbulent axisymmetric fountains

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 December 2011

H. C. Burridge
Affiliation:
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Imperial College London, Imperial College Road, London SW7 2AZ, UK
G. R. Hunt*
Affiliation:
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Imperial College London, Imperial College Road, London SW7 2AZ, UK
*
Email address for correspondence: [email protected]

Abstract

We present the results of an experimental investigation across a broad range of source Froude numbers, , into the dynamics, morphology and rise heights of Boussinesq turbulent axisymmetric fountains in quiescent uniform environments. Typically, these fountains are thought to rise to an initial height, , before settling back and fluctuating about a lesser (quasi-) steady height, . Our measurements show that this is not always the case and the ratio of the fountain’s initial rise height to steady rise height, , varies widely, , across the range of investigated. As a result of near-ideal start-up conditions provided by the experimental set-up we were consistently able to form a vortex at the fountain’s front. This enabled new insights into two features of the initial rise of turbulent fountains. Firstly, for the initial rise height is less than the steady rise height. Secondly, for , the vortex formed at the fountain’s front pinches off, separates from the main body and rises high above the fountain; there is thus a third rise height to consider, namely, the maximum vortex rise height, . From our observations we propose classifying turbulent axisymmetric fountains into five regimes (as opposed to the current three regimes) and present detailed descriptions of the flow in each. Finally, based on an analysis of the rise height fluctuations and the width of fountains in (quasi-) steady state we provide further insight into the physical cause of height fluctuations.

Type
Papers
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011

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