A Study of the Simulation Experiments of Gravity Currents

Yifu Bai

doi:doi:10.11648/j.fm.20170306.12

| Peer-Reviewed

A Study of the Simulation Experiments of Gravity Currents

Yifu Bai

Published in Fluid Mechanics (Volume 3, Issue 6)

Received: 1 November 2017 Accepted: 12 December 2017 Published: 8 January 2018

Views: Downloads:

Download PDF

Share This Article

Twitter
Linked In
Facebook

Abstract

Gravity currents which are driven by body gravity forces, occur in the natural environment frequently, such as sea breezes, turbidity currents and avalanches, and sometimes cause natural and environmental disasters around the world. The cause of gravity currents is that the fluid of one density propagates into another fluid of a different density and the motion is largely in the horizontal direction. The objective of this study is to investigate the motion of density driven flows along a horizontal surface and within a stratified fluid, and measure their speeds by the simulation experiments of gravity currents. The speed of the gravity current is constant and able to be calculated with the speed formula. Meanwhile, compare the results with theory for gravity currents and intrusions, estimate theoretical constant parameter and research the behaviour of real fluids. In the experiment, the denser fluid dropped down to the bottom of the tank after the barrier was moved. Next, the fluid moved to the right side of the tank and kept the same shape travelling to the end of the tank. After reaching the end of the tank, the front of the fluid is mixed into the whole fluid. As an inference of this study, it is concluded that the low flow speeds the currents were not influenced by the friction by means of experimental data processing. According to the records of the motion of flows and the behaviour of fluids, the velocity was not constant with distance along the tank due to the human errors of records.

Published in	Fluid Mechanics (Volume 3, Issue 6)
DOI	10.11648/j.fm.20170306.12
Page(s)	61-65
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2018. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Gravity Currents, Density Driven Flows, Fluid Speed, Salt Water

References

[1]	Rottman, J. W., & Simpson, J. E. (2006). Gravity currents produced by instantaneous releases of a heavy fluid in a rectangular channel. Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 135 (135), 95-110.
[2]	Simpson, J. E. (2003). Gravity currents in the laboratory, atmosphere, and ocean. Annual Review of Fluid Mechanics, 14 (1), 213-234.
[3]	Bonnecaze, R. T., Huppert, H. E., & Lister, J. R. (1993). Particle-driven gravity currents. Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 250 (-1), 339-369.
[4]	Kneller, B. C., Bennett, S. J., & Mccaffrey, W. D. (1999). Velocity structure, turbulence and fluid stresses in experimental gravity currents. Journal of Geophysical Research Oceans, 104 (C3), 5381-5391.
[5]	Musuuza, J. L., Attinger, S., & Radu, F. A. (2009). An extended stability criterion for density-driven flows in homogeneous porous media ☆. Advances in Water Resources, 32 (6), 796-808.
[6]	Pf, L., & Je, S. (1986). Gravity-driven flows in a turbulent fluid. Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 172 (172), 481-497.
[7]	Huppert, H. E., & Woods, A. W. (2006). Gravity-driven flows in porous layers. Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 292 (292), 55-69.
[8]	Gladstone, C., & Phillips, J. C. (1998). Experiments on bidisperse, constant-volume gravity currents: propagation and sediment deposition. Sedimentology, 45 (5), 833–843.
[9]	Amy, L. A., Hogg, A. J., Peakall, J., & Talling, P. J. (2005). Abrupt transitions in gravity currents. Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres, 110 (3), 585-585.
[10]	Monaghan, J. J., Cas, R. A. F., Kos, A. M., & Hallworth, M. (1999). Gravity currents descending a ramp in a stratified tank. Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 379 (379), 39-69.
[11]	Gladstone, C., Ritchie, L. J., Sparks, R. S. J., & Woods, A. W. (2010). An experimental investigation of density‐stratified inertial gravity currents. Sedimentology, 51 (4), 767-789.
[12]	Cantero, M. I., Lee, J. R., Balachandar, S., & Garcia, M. H. (2007). On the front velocity of gravity currents. Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 586 (586), 1-39.
[13]	Ungarish, M. (2009). An introduction to gravity currents and intrusions. Crc Press Boca Raton Fl, xviii+489.
[14]	Prastowo, T. (2009). On the Nature of Gravity Currents. Jurnal Matematika dan Sains, 14 (3), 76-80.

Cite This Article

Plain Text BibTeX RIS

APA Style

Yifu Bai. (2018). A Study of the Simulation Experiments of Gravity Currents. Fluid Mechanics, 3(6), 61-65. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.fm.20170306.12

Copy | Download

ACS Style

Yifu Bai. A Study of the Simulation Experiments of Gravity Currents. Fluid Mech. 2018, 3(6), 61-65. doi: 10.11648/j.fm.20170306.12

Copy | Download

AMA Style

Yifu Bai. A Study of the Simulation Experiments of Gravity Currents. Fluid Mech. 2018;3(6):61-65. doi: 10.11648/j.fm.20170306.12

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.fm.20170306.12,
  author = {Yifu Bai},
  title = {A Study of the Simulation Experiments of Gravity Currents},
  journal = {Fluid Mechanics},
  volume = {3},
  number = {6},
  pages = {61-65},
  doi = {10.11648/j.fm.20170306.12},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.fm.20170306.12},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.fm.20170306.12},
  abstract = {Gravity currents which are driven by body gravity forces, occur in the natural environment frequently, such as sea breezes, turbidity currents and avalanches, and sometimes cause natural and environmental disasters around the world. The cause of gravity currents is that the fluid of one density propagates into another fluid of a different density and the motion is largely in the horizontal direction. The objective of this study is to investigate the motion of density driven flows along a horizontal surface and within a stratified fluid, and measure their speeds by the simulation experiments of gravity currents. The speed of the gravity current is constant and able to be calculated with the speed formula. Meanwhile, compare the results with theory for gravity currents and intrusions, estimate theoretical constant parameter and research the behaviour of real fluids. In the experiment, the denser fluid dropped down to the bottom of the tank after the barrier was moved. Next, the fluid moved to the right side of the tank and kept the same shape travelling to the end of the tank. After reaching the end of the tank, the front of the fluid is mixed into the whole fluid. As an inference of this study, it is concluded that the low flow speeds the currents were not influenced by the friction by means of experimental data processing. According to the records of the motion of flows and the behaviour of fluids, the velocity was not constant with distance along the tank due to the human errors of records.},
 year = {2018}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - A Study of the Simulation Experiments of Gravity Currents
AU  - Yifu Bai
Y1  - 2018/01/08
PY  - 2018
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.fm.20170306.12
DO  - 10.11648/j.fm.20170306.12
T2  - Fluid Mechanics
JF  - Fluid Mechanics
JO  - Fluid Mechanics
SP  - 61
EP  - 65
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2575-1816
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.fm.20170306.12
AB  - Gravity currents which are driven by body gravity forces, occur in the natural environment frequently, such as sea breezes, turbidity currents and avalanches, and sometimes cause natural and environmental disasters around the world. The cause of gravity currents is that the fluid of one density propagates into another fluid of a different density and the motion is largely in the horizontal direction. The objective of this study is to investigate the motion of density driven flows along a horizontal surface and within a stratified fluid, and measure their speeds by the simulation experiments of gravity currents. The speed of the gravity current is constant and able to be calculated with the speed formula. Meanwhile, compare the results with theory for gravity currents and intrusions, estimate theoretical constant parameter and research the behaviour of real fluids. In the experiment, the denser fluid dropped down to the bottom of the tank after the barrier was moved. Next, the fluid moved to the right side of the tank and kept the same shape travelling to the end of the tank. After reaching the end of the tank, the front of the fluid is mixed into the whole fluid. As an inference of this study, it is concluded that the low flow speeds the currents were not influenced by the friction by means of experimental data processing. According to the records of the motion of flows and the behaviour of fluids, the velocity was not constant with distance along the tank due to the human errors of records.
VL  - 3
IS  - 6
ER  -

Copy | Download

Author Information

Yifu Bai

Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering, University College London (UCL), London, United Kingdom

Download PDF

Sections

Plain Text BibTeX RIS

APA Style

Yifu Bai. (2018). A Study of the Simulation Experiments of Gravity Currents. Fluid Mechanics, 3(6), 61-65. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.fm.20170306.12

Copy | Download

ACS Style

Yifu Bai. A Study of the Simulation Experiments of Gravity Currents. Fluid Mech. 2018, 3(6), 61-65. doi: 10.11648/j.fm.20170306.12

Copy | Download

AMA Style

Yifu Bai. A Study of the Simulation Experiments of Gravity Currents. Fluid Mech. 2018;3(6):61-65. doi: 10.11648/j.fm.20170306.12

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.fm.20170306.12,
  author = {Yifu Bai},
  title = {A Study of the Simulation Experiments of Gravity Currents},
  journal = {Fluid Mechanics},
  volume = {3},
  number = {6},
  pages = {61-65},
  doi = {10.11648/j.fm.20170306.12},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.fm.20170306.12},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.fm.20170306.12},
  abstract = {Gravity currents which are driven by body gravity forces, occur in the natural environment frequently, such as sea breezes, turbidity currents and avalanches, and sometimes cause natural and environmental disasters around the world. The cause of gravity currents is that the fluid of one density propagates into another fluid of a different density and the motion is largely in the horizontal direction. The objective of this study is to investigate the motion of density driven flows along a horizontal surface and within a stratified fluid, and measure their speeds by the simulation experiments of gravity currents. The speed of the gravity current is constant and able to be calculated with the speed formula. Meanwhile, compare the results with theory for gravity currents and intrusions, estimate theoretical constant parameter and research the behaviour of real fluids. In the experiment, the denser fluid dropped down to the bottom of the tank after the barrier was moved. Next, the fluid moved to the right side of the tank and kept the same shape travelling to the end of the tank. After reaching the end of the tank, the front of the fluid is mixed into the whole fluid. As an inference of this study, it is concluded that the low flow speeds the currents were not influenced by the friction by means of experimental data processing. According to the records of the motion of flows and the behaviour of fluids, the velocity was not constant with distance along the tank due to the human errors of records.},
 year = {2018}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - A Study of the Simulation Experiments of Gravity Currents
AU  - Yifu Bai
Y1  - 2018/01/08
PY  - 2018
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.fm.20170306.12
DO  - 10.11648/j.fm.20170306.12
T2  - Fluid Mechanics
JF  - Fluid Mechanics
JO  - Fluid Mechanics
SP  - 61
EP  - 65
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2575-1816
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.fm.20170306.12
AB  - Gravity currents which are driven by body gravity forces, occur in the natural environment frequently, such as sea breezes, turbidity currents and avalanches, and sometimes cause natural and environmental disasters around the world. The cause of gravity currents is that the fluid of one density propagates into another fluid of a different density and the motion is largely in the horizontal direction. The objective of this study is to investigate the motion of density driven flows along a horizontal surface and within a stratified fluid, and measure their speeds by the simulation experiments of gravity currents. The speed of the gravity current is constant and able to be calculated with the speed formula. Meanwhile, compare the results with theory for gravity currents and intrusions, estimate theoretical constant parameter and research the behaviour of real fluids. In the experiment, the denser fluid dropped down to the bottom of the tank after the barrier was moved. Next, the fluid moved to the right side of the tank and kept the same shape travelling to the end of the tank. After reaching the end of the tank, the front of the fluid is mixed into the whole fluid. As an inference of this study, it is concluded that the low flow speeds the currents were not influenced by the friction by means of experimental data processing. According to the records of the motion of flows and the behaviour of fluids, the velocity was not constant with distance along the tank due to the human errors of records.
VL  - 3
IS  - 6
ER  -

Copy | Download