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High-Fidelity Velocity and Concentration Measurements of Turbulent Buoyant Jets

Journal Article · · Nuclear Technology
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [3]
  1. Eidgenoessische Technische Hochschule (ETH), Zurich (Switzerland); Paul Scherrer Inst. (PSI), Villigen (Switzerland)
  2. Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
  3. Eidgenoessische Technische Hochschule (ETH), Zurich (Switzerland); Paul Scherrer Inst. (PSI), Villigen (Switzerland); Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States)
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Accurate models of turbulent buoyant flows are essential for the design of the cooling circuit of nuclear reactors and passive safety systems. However, available models fail to fully capture the physics of turbulent mixing when buoyancy becomes predominant with respect to momentum. Therefore, high-fidelity experiments of well-controlled fundamental flows are needed to develop and validate more accurate models. We analyze experiments of positive and negative turbulent buoyant jets, both in uniform and stratified environments, with the aim of understanding the thermal hydraulics of turbulent mixing with variable density and providing high-fidelity data for the development and validation of turbulence models. Non-intrusive, simultaneous particle image velocimetry and laser-induced fluorescence measurements were carried out to acquire instantaneous velocity and concentration fields on a vertical section parallel to the axis of a jet in the self-similar region. The refractive index matching method was applied to measure high-resolution buoyant jets with up to 8.6% density difference. These data are free of the typical errors that characterize optical measurements of buoyancy-driven flows (e.g. natural and mixed convection) where the refractive index of the fluid is inhomogeneous throughout the measurement domain. Turbulent statistics and entrainment of buoyant jets in uniform and stratified environments are presented. These data are compared with non-buoyant jets in a uniform environment, as a reference to investigate the effects of buoyancy and stratification on turbulent mixing. The results will be used for the assessment of current turbulence models and as a basis for the development of a new model that captures turbulent mixing.

Research Organization:
Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE; Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC07-05ID14517
OSTI ID:
2583320
Report Number(s):
INL/JOU--24-76427-Rev000
Journal Information:
Nuclear Technology, Journal Name: Nuclear Technology Journal Issue: 10 Vol. 211; ISSN 0029-5450; ISSN 1943-7471
Publisher:
Taylor & FrancisCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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laser induced fluorescence
particle image velocimetry
refractive index matching
turbulent buoyant jets
turbulent mixing