Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

The one-dimensional spread of oil slicks in the regime controlled by gravity and inertia

Journal Article · · Int. Chem. Eng.; (United States)
OSTI ID:5520025

Laboratory experiments were carried out to investigate the spreading of oil slicks on a calm water surface under the influence of gravity and inertia. Oils of low spreading coefficient were used to avoid the influence of surface tension. The effect of the initial thickness of the slick and of the volume of oil were investigated by changing each independently. It was found that, when the initial extent of the slick is excluded from the slick length, both the initial thickness and the volume of the oil must be taken into account in the correlation of slick spreading. An empirical equation is offered for this behavior. An earlier and simpler empirical equation, based on the volume of the oil and the whole length of the slick, was found not to apply to the spreading which occurs immediately following the spilling of the oil.

Research Organization:
Okayama Univ., Okayama 700
OSTI ID:
5520025
Journal Information:
Int. Chem. Eng.; (United States), Journal Name: Int. Chem. Eng.; (United States) Vol. 23:3; ISSN INCEA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Similar Records

A method of correlating the spread of oil slicks
Journal Article · Sat Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1983 · Int. Chem. Eng.; (United States) · OSTI ID:5196374

Spreading of oil spilled under ice
Journal Article · Fri Nov 30 23:00:00 EST 1990 · Journal of Hydraulic Engineering; (United States) · OSTI ID:5420255

Simulation model for oil slick transport in lakes
Journal Article · Thu Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1987 · Water Resour. Res.; (United States) · OSTI ID:5322704