Gravity currents from a line source in an ambient flow

2008 ◽  
Vol 606 ◽  
pp. 1-26 ◽  
Author(s):  
ANJA C. SLIM ◽  
HERBERT E. HUPPERT
Keyword(s):  
Line Source ◽  
Source Region ◽  
Gravity Currents ◽  
Similarity Solutions ◽  
Flow Speed ◽  
Moving Frame ◽  
Ambient Flow ◽  
Constant Rate ◽  
Long Time ◽  
High Reynolds

We present a mainly theoretical study of high-Reynolds-number planar gravity currents in a uniformly flowing deep ambient. The gravity currents are generated by a constant line source of fluid, and may also be supplied with a source of horizontal momentum and a source of particles. We model the motion using a shallow-water approximation and represent the effects of the ambient flow by imposing a Froude-number condition in a moving frame. We present analytic and numerical expressions for the threshold ambient flow speed above which no upstream propagation can occur at long times. For homogeneous gravity currents in an ambient flow below threshold, we find similarity solutions in which the up- and downstream fronts spread at a constant rate and the current propagates indefinitely in both directions. For gravity currents consisting of both interstitial fluid of a different density to the ambient and a sedimenting particle load, we find long-time asymptotic solutions for ambient flow strengths below threshold. These consist of a steady particle-rich near-source region, in which settling and advection of particles balance, and an effectively particle-free frontal region. The homogeneous behaviour of the fronts ensures that they also spread at a constant rate and therefore can propagate upstream indefinitely. For gravity currents driven solely by a sedimenting particle load, we find numerically that a single regime exists for ambient flow strengths below threshold. In these solutions, settling balances advection near the source leading to a steady region, which joins on to a complex frontal boundary layer. The upstream front progressively decelerates. Our solutions for homogeneous and particle-driven gravity currents compare well with published experimental results.

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.

Entraining gravity currents

2013 ◽  
Vol 731 ◽  
pp. 477-508 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher G. Johnson ◽  
Andrew J. Hogg
Keyword(s):  
Richardson Number ◽  
Solution Structure ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Gravity Current ◽  
Gravity Currents ◽  
Similarity Solutions ◽  
Water Model ◽  
Experimental Measurements ◽  
Entrainment Rate ◽  
Long Time

AbstractEntrainment of ambient fluid into a gravity current, while often negligible in laboratory-scale flows, may become increasingly significant in large-scale natural flows. We present a theoretical study of the effect of this entrainment by augmenting a shallow water model for gravity currents under a deep ambient with a simple empirical model for entrainment, based on experimental measurements of the fluid entrainment rate as a function of the bulk Richardson number. By analysing long-time similarity solutions of the model, we find that the decrease in entrainment coefficient at large Richardson number, due to the suppression of turbulent mixing by stable stratification, qualitatively affects the structure and growth rate of the solutions, compared to currents in which the entrainment is taken to be constant or negligible. In particular, mixing is most significant close to the front of the currents, leading to flows that are more dilute, deeper and slower than their non-entraining counterparts. The long-time solution of an inviscid entraining gravity current generated by a lock-release of dense fluid is a similarity solution of the second kind, in which the current grows as a power of time that is dependent on the form of the entrainment law. With an entrainment law that fits the experimental measurements well, the length of currents in this entraining inviscid regime grows with time approximately as ${t}^{0. 447} $. For currents instigated by a constant buoyancy flux, a different solution structure exists in which the current length grows as ${t}^{4/ 5} $. In both cases, entrainment is most significant close to the current front.

Transient Flow in Elliptical Systems

1979 ◽  
Vol 19 (06) ◽  
pp. 401-410 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fikri Kucuk ◽  
William E. Brigham
Keyword(s):  
Porous Medium ◽  
Line Source ◽  
Vertical Fracture ◽  
Constant Rate ◽  
Flow Geometry ◽  
Elliptical Flow ◽  
Long Time ◽  
Infinite Conductivity ◽  
Fractured Well ◽  
Anisotropic Reservoirs

Abstract This study presents analytical solutions to elliptical flow problems that are applicable to infinite-conductivity vertically fractured wells, elliptically shaped reservoirs, and anisotropic reservoirs producing at a constant rate or pressure. Type curves and tables are presented for the dimensionless flow rate and the dimensionless wellbore pressure for various inner boundary conditions ranging from K = 1 1, which corresponds to a circle, to K =, which corresponds to a vertical fracture. For elliptical reservoirs, K is the ratio of the major to minor axes of the inner boundary ellipse; for anisotropic reservoirs, it is the square root of the ratio of maximum to minimum permeabilities. Introduction Flow in a homogeneous and isotropic porous medium usually will be radial or linear, depending on the shape of the boundary. But in the area surrounding a vertical fracture, an anisotropic formation, or an aquifer with an elliptical inner boundary, flow will be elliptical.The study of elliptical flow in porous media is more recent than the usual radial and linear flow studies, but even elliptical flow studies date back at least several decades. The earliest discussion of steady-state elliptical flow usually is attributed to Muskat. He presented a steady-state analytical solution for the now from a finite-length line source into an infinitely large reservoir.One of the classic papers on elliptic flow by Prats et al. considered flow of compressible fluids from a vertically fractured well in a closed elliptical reservoir producing at a constant pressure. Prats et al. also producing at a constant pressure. Prats et al. also presented a solution for long times for the presented a solution for long times for the constant-rate case.Gringarten et al. found that older studies by Russell and Truitt (where flow is to a vertically fractured well) are unsuitable for short-time analysis. Gringarten et al. presented analytical solutions for fractures with infinite conductivity and with uniform flux. These solutions were for both closed squares and infinite reservoirs produced at a constant rate.In the last few years considerable work has been done on fracture systems, including numerical solutions and a semianalytical solutions for both finite and infinite fracture conductivities. Most of these studies, however, have not used the concept that the fracture is an elliptical flow system. Nevertheless, the results they obtain are important for well testing.Another problem related to elliptical flow is flow through an anisotropic porous medium. For this problem, a line source solution and a long-time problem, a line source solution and a long-time approximation presented by Earlougher are available for the constant-rate case.The purpose of this paper is to study elliptical flow in a broad sense with regard to reservoir engineering problems and to see whether these problems can be problems and to see whether these problems can be solved and whether elliptical problems can be handled in a unified, consistent manner. Development of Elliptical Flow Models The flow from an isotropic and homogeneous medium to a map usually will be radial, but lack of homogeneity will distort the radial flow geometry. In particular, flow will be elliptical through a porous particular, flow will be elliptical through a porous medium with directional permeability distribution (simple anisotropy). The inner geometry of a well also can distort radial flow geometry. For example, the flow will be elliptical if the well has an infinite-conductivity vertical fracture. Elliptical flow also will be encountered in flow from an aquifer to a reservoir that has an elliptical boundary at the oil/water contact. SPEJ P. 401

Viscous flows down an inclined plane from point and line sources

1992 ◽  
Vol 242 ◽  
pp. 631-653 ◽  
Author(s):  
John R. Lister
Keyword(s):  
Point Source ◽  
Contact Line ◽  
Line Source ◽  
Layer Structure ◽  
Nonlinear Partial Differential Equations ◽  
Mathematical Structure ◽  
Similarity Solutions ◽  
Inclined Plane ◽  
Constant Flux ◽  
Long Time

The flow of a viscous fluid from a point or line source on an inclined plane is analysed using the equations of lubrication theory in which surface tension is neglected. At short times, when the gradient of the interfacial thickness is much greater than that of the plane, the fluid is shown to spread symmetrically from the source, as on a horizontal plane. At long times, the flow is predominantly downslope, with some cross-slope spreading for the case of a point source. Similarity solutions for the long-time behaviour of the governing nonlinear partial differential equations are found for the case in which the volume of fluid increases with time like tα, where α is a constant. The two-dimensional equations appropriate to a line source are hyperbolic in the self-similar regime and the similarity profile is found analytically to end abruptly at a downslope position which increases like t(2α+1)/3. Inclusion of higher-order terms in the analysis resolves this frontal shock into a boundary-layer structure of width comparable to the thickness of the current. Owing to the term representing cross-slope spreading, the mathematical structure of the equations is considerably more complex for flow from a point source and the similarity form is found numerically in this case. Though the downslope and cross-slope extents of the current again increase with time according to a power-law if α > 0, they also depend on a power of In t if α = 0. The leading-order near-source structure is shown to be that of steady flow from a constant-flux source of strength given by the instantaneous flow rate. For sources with α > 1, the contact line advances at all points on the perimeter of the flow and the entire plane is eventually covered by the flow; for sources with 0 < α < 1, only a portion of the contact line is advancing at any time and only that part of the plane with |y| [les ] cx3α/(4α+3) is eventually covered, where x and y are the downslope and cross-slope coordinates and c is a constant. The theoretical spreading relationships and planforms are found to be in good agreement with experimental measurements of constant-volume and constant-flux flows of viscous fluids from a point source on a plane. At very long times, however, the experimental flows are observed to be unstable to the formation of a capillary rivulet at the nose of the current.

The effects of drag on turbulent gravity currents

2000 ◽  
Vol 416 ◽  
pp. 297-314 ◽  
Author(s):  
LYNNE HATCHER ◽  
ANDREW J. HOGG ◽  
ANDREW W. WOODS
Keyword(s):  
Analytical Solution ◽  
Laboratory Experiments ◽  
Gravity Current ◽  
Gravity Currents ◽  
Similarity Solutions ◽  
Flow Speed ◽  
Series Solutions ◽  
Accurate Approximation ◽  
New Class ◽  
Power Series Solutions

We model the propagation of turbulent gravity currents through an array of obstacles which exert a drag force on the flow proportional to the square of the flow speed. A new class of similarity solutions is constructed to describe the flows that develop from a source of strength q0tγ. An analytical solution exists for a finite release, γ = 0, while power series solutions are developed for sources with γ > 0. These are shown to provide an accurate approximation to the numerically calculated similarity solutions. The model is successfully tested against a series of new laboratory experiments which investigate the motion of a turbulent gravity current through a large flume containing an array of obstacles. The model is extended to account for the effects of a sloping boundary. Finally, a series of geophysical and environmental applications of the model are discussed.

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.

Controlled Release of Active Substance from Biodegradable Copolymer Matrix

2006 ◽  
Vol 510-511 ◽  
pp. 798-801
Author(s):  
Hyung Suk So ◽  
Hyun Chul Shin ◽  
Beom Suk Kim ◽  
Yeong Seok Yoo
Keyword(s):  
Methylene Blue ◽  
Active Substance ◽  
Phosphate Buffer Solution ◽  
Ultra Violet ◽  
Hydroxyl Groups ◽  
Buffer Solution ◽  
Solution Ph ◽  
Effective Discharge ◽  
Constant Rate ◽  
Long Time

The purpose of this study is to develop a new system to control effective discharge of active substances such as agricultural chemicals. To synthesize a naturally dissolvable polymer; ε-caprolactone and diglycolide were copolymerized with ethylene glycol as an initiator to produce macrodiol. As macrodiol has hydroxyl groups in both ends, they are modified with methacryloyl chloride for photochemical networking. After standard macromonomer produced by this procedure was physically mixed with methylene blue, it was networked with ultra-violet rays to be filmed. This film is naturally dissolvable and hydrolytic. As a result of hydrolytic test with a crosslinked structure of 10 % methylene blue, it decreased by 9 % for seven weeks in 37 °C phosphate buffer solution (pH = 7). Thus, we verified that active substance can be discharged from a crosslinked structure for a long time at a constant rate under room temperature.

scholarly journals Existence and features of similarity solutions for non-Boussinesq gravity currents

2007 ◽  
Vol 226 (1) ◽  
pp. 32-54 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Ancey ◽  
S. Cochard ◽  
M. Rentschler ◽  
S. Wiederseiner
Keyword(s):  
Gravity Currents ◽  
Similarity Solutions
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