The vertical rise of a round plume of light fluid through a surrounding heavier fluid is considered. An inviscid model is analysed in which the boundary of the plume is taken to be a sharp interface. An efficient spectral method is used to solve this nonlinear free-boundary problem, and shows that the plume narrows as it rises. A generalized condition is also introduced at the boundary, and allows the ambient fluid to be entrained into the rising plume. In this case, the fluid plume first narrows then widens as it rises. These features are confirmed by an asymptotic analysis. A viscous model of the same situation is also proposed, based on a Boussinesq approximation. It qualitatively confirms the widening of the plume due to entrainment of the ambient fluid, but also shows the presence of vortex rings around the interface of the rising plume.

Item Type:	Refereed Article
Keywords:	fluid jet, axisymmetric flow, inviscid theory, spectral methods, plume, Boussinesq approximation, entrainment
Research Division:	Engineering
Research Group:	Fluid mechanics and thermal engineering
Research Field:	Computational methods in fluid flow, heat and mass transfer (incl. computational fluid dynamics)
Objective Division:	Expanding Knowledge
Objective Group:	Expanding knowledge
Objective Field:	Expanding knowledge in the mathematical sciences
UTAS Author:	Letchford, N (Mr Nicholas Letchford)
UTAS Author:	Forbes, LK (Professor Larry Forbes)
ID Code:	81050
Year Published:	2012
Web of Science® Times Cited:	7
Deposited By:	Mathematics and Physics
Deposited On:	2012-11-22
Last Modified:	2015-01-27
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