Wind action on water standing in a laboratory channel

1966 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 651-687 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. M. Hidy ◽  
E. J. Plate

The development of waves and currents resulting from the action of a steady wind on initially standing water has been investigated in a wind–water tunnel. The mean air flow near the water surface, the properties of wind waves, and the drift currents were measured as they evolved with increasing fetch, depth and mean wind speed. The results suggest how the stress on the water surface changes with an increasingly wavy surface, and, from a different viewpoint, how the drift current and the waves develop in relation to the friction velocity of the air. The amplitude spectra calculated for the wavy surface reflected certain features characteristic of an equilibrium configuration, especially in the higher frequencies. The observed equilibrium range in the high frequencies of the spectra fits the f−5 rule satisfactorily up to frequencies f of about 15 c/s. The wave spectra also revealed how the waves grow in the channel, both with time at a fixed point, and with distance from the leading edge of the water. These results are discussed in the light of recent theories for wave generation resulting from the action of pressure fluctuations in the air, and from shearing flow instabilities near the wavy surface. The experimental observations agree reasonably well with the predictions of the recent theory proposed by Miles, using growth rates calculated for the mechanism suggesting energy transfer to the water through the viscous layer in the air near the water surface.

2011 ◽  
Vol 681 ◽  
pp. 462-498 ◽  
Author(s):  
DAN LIBERZON ◽  
LEV SHEMER

Despite a significant progress and numerous publications over the last few decades a comprehensive understanding of the process of waves' excitation by wind still has not been achieved. The main goal of the present work was to provide as comprehensive as possible set of experimental data that can be quantitatively compared with theoretical models. Measurements at various air flow rates and at numerous fetches were carried out in a small scale, closed-loop, 5 m long wind wave flume. Mean airflow velocity and fluctuations of the static pressure were measured at 38 vertical locations above the mean water surface simultaneously with determination of instantaneous water surface elevations by wave gauges. Instantaneous fluctuations of two velocity components were recorded for all vertical locations at a single fetch. The water surface drift velocity was determined by the particle tracking velocimetry (PTV) method. Evaluation of spatial growth rates of waves at various frequencies was performed using wave gauge records at various fetches. Phase relations between various signals were established by cross-spectral analysis. Waves' celerities and pressure fluctuation phase lags relative to the surface elevation were determined. Pressure values at the water surface were determined by extrapolating the measured vertical profile of pressure fluctuations to the mean water level and used to calculate the form drag and consequently the energy transfer rates from wind to waves. Directly obtained spatial growth rates were compared with those obtained from energy transfer calculations, as well as with previously available data.


2011 ◽  
Vol 1 (8) ◽  
pp. 29
Author(s):  
John A. Williams ◽  
R.L. Wiegel

Waves generated in a tank by air blowing over the water surface were subjected to a horizontal current of water created by horizontal water jets issuing from a manifold at the water surface (hydraulic breakwater). The energy spectra of the waves were computed for conditions before and after the hydraulic breakwater was turned on. It was found that the shorter, steeper wave components were attenuated to a much greater extent than were the longer wave components. Thus, although a large portion of the wave energy could get past such a breakwater, the waves in the lee of the breakwater looked considerably lower to the observer.


1972 ◽  
Vol 54 (3) ◽  
pp. 427-448 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. A. Elliott

Measurements of static pressure and wave height are used to describe the waveinduced pressure field above generating sea waves. A large hump in the pressure spectra is observed at the wave frequencies. The amplitude of this hump increases and the rate of its vertical decay decreases as the mean wind speed increases. The phase difference between the pressure and the waves during active generation is about 135°, pressure lagging the waves, and does not change vertically for measurements at heights greater than the wave crests. In the present data, active wave generation appears to occur only when the wind at a height of 5 metres is greater than or about equal to twice the phase speed of the waves.


2011 ◽  
Vol 1 (7) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. L. Wiegel

Winds blowing over the water surface generate waves. In general the higher the wind velocity, the larger the fetch over which it blows, and the longer it blows the higher and longer will be the average waves . Waves still under the action of the winds that created them are called wind waves, or a sea. They are forced waves rather than free waves. They are variable in their direction of advance (Arthur, 1949). They are irregular in the direction of propagation. The flow is rotational due to the shear stress of the wind on the water surface and it is quite turbulent as observations of dye in the water indicates. After the waves leave the generating area their characteristics become somewhat different, principally they are smoother, losing the rough appearance due to the disappearance of the multitude of smaller waves on top of the bigger ones and the whitecaps and spray. When running free of the storm the waves are known as swell. In Fig. 1 are shown some photographs taken in the laboratory of waves still rising under the action of wind and this same wave system after it has left the windy section of the wind-wave tunnel. It can be seen thati-the freely running swell has a smoother appearance than the waves in the windy section. The motion of the swell is nearly irrotational and nonturbulent, unless the swell runs into other regions where the water is in turbulent motion. Turbulence is a property of the fluid rather than of the wave motion. After the waves have travelled a distance from the generating area they have lost some energy due to air resistance, internal friction, and by large scale turbulent scattering if they run into other storm areas, and the rest of the energy has become spread over a larger area due to the dispersive and angular spreading characteristics of water gravity waves. All of these mechanisms lead to a decrease in energy density. Thus, the waves become lower in height. In addition, due to their dispersive characteristic the component wave periods tend to segregate in such a way that the longest waves lead the main body of waves and the shortest waves form the tail of the main body of waves. Finally, the swell may travel through areas where winds are present, adding new wind waves to old swell, and perhaps directly increasing or decreasing the size of the old swell.


2007 ◽  
Vol 2007 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shijie Guo

This paper demonstrates the investigations on the blade vibration of a radial inflow micro gas turbine wheel. Firstly, the dependence of Young's modulus on temperature was measured since it is a major concern in structure analysis. It is demonstrated that Young's modulus depends on temperature greatly and the dependence should be considered in vibration analysis, but the temperature gradient from the leading edge to the trailing edge of a blade can be ignored by applying the mean temperature. Secondly, turbine blades suffer many excitations during operation, such as pressure fluctuations (unsteady aerodynamic forces), torque fluctuations, and so forth. Meanwhile, they have many kinds of vibration modes, typical ones being blade-hub (disk) coupled modes and blade-shaft (torsional, longitudinal) coupled modes. Model experiments and FEM analysis were conducted to study the coupled vibrations and to identify the modes which are more likely to be excited. The results show that torque fluctuations and uniform pressure fluctuations are more likely to excite resonance of blade-shaft (torsional, longitudinal) coupled modes. Impact excitations and propagating pressure fluctuations are more likely to excite blade-hub (disk) coupled modes.


2014 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 104-127 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Schwendeman ◽  
Jim Thomson ◽  
Johannes R. Gemmrich

Abstract Coupled in situ and remote sensing measurements of young, strongly forced wind waves are applied to assess the role of breaking in an evolving wave field. In situ measurements of turbulent energy dissipation from wave-following Surface Wave Instrument Float with Tracking (SWIFT) drifters and a tethered acoustic Doppler sonar system are consistent with wave evolution and wind input (as estimated using the radiative transfer equation). The Phillips breaking crest distribution Λ(c) is calculated using stabilized shipboard video recordings and the Fourier-based method of Thomson and Jessup, with minor modifications. The resulting Λ(c) are unimodal distributions centered around half of the phase speed of the dominant waves, consistent with several recent studies. Breaking rates from Λ(c) increase with slope, similar to in situ dissipation. However, comparison of the breaking rate estimates from the shipboard video recordings with the SWIFT video recordings show that the breaking rate is likely underestimated in the shipboard video when wave conditions are calmer and breaking crests are small. The breaking strength parameter b is calculated by comparison of the fifth moment of Λ(c) with the measured dissipation rates. Neglecting recordings with inconsistent breaking rates, the resulting b data do not display any clear trends and are in the range of other reported values. The Λ(c) distributions are compared with the Phillips equilibrium range prediction and previous laboratory and field studies, leading to the identification of several inconsistencies.


1960 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 253-272 ◽  
Author(s):  
George L. Hanssen ◽  
Richard W. James

The paper describes the system developed and used by the United States Hydrographic Office for selecting the optimum track for transoceanic crossings by applying long-range predictions of wind, waves and currents to a knowledge of how the routed vessel reacts to these variables. Over a period of two years, over 1000 optimum ship routes were provided to one authority, with an average reduction in travel time of 14 hours.


Author(s):  
Benjamin Armentor ◽  
Joseph Stevens ◽  
Nathan Madsen ◽  
Andrew Durand ◽  
Joshua Vaughan

Abstract For mobile robots, such as Autonomous Surface Vessels (ASVs), limiting error from a target trajectory is necessary for effective and safe operation. This can be difficult when subjected to environmental disturbances like wind, waves, and currents. This work compares the tracking performance of an ASV using a Model Predictive Controller that includes a model of these disturbances. Two disturbance models are compared. One prediction model assumes the current disturbance measurements are constant over the entire prediction horizon. The other uses a statistical model of the disturbances over the prediction horizon. The Model Predictive Controller performance is also compared to a PI-controlled system under the same disturbance conditions. Including a disturbance model in the prediction of the dynamics decreases the trajectory tracking error over the entire disturbance spectrum, especially for longer horizon lengths.


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