Negatively buoyant jets are turbulent flows that are frequently employed by the desalination industry to disperse reject brines into oceanic environments. Although such brines are characterised by elevated concentrations of the same elemental components as the discharge environment contains, there is significant potential for marine ecosystem damage if this waste is not diluted properly. Numerous workers have analysed the dilution and spatial characteristics of negatively buoyant jets, but published data demonstrates notable inconsistencies. An important reason for these discrepancies is the variety of bottom-boundary conditions employed. This complicates comparison with predictions by integral models typically employed for discharge design, as these generally have not been developed with consideration to boundary interaction. In the present study, negatively buoyant jet experimental data is collected where bottom boundary distances are sufficiently large to avoid boundary influence at the point where the discharge returns to its source height (the return point). Near-field centreline dilution data is measured under still ambient conditions, for the source inclinations of 15–75°. Considerable attention is paid to experimental data quality, and all relevant issues are mitigated where possible. In order to ensure the boundary has no influence, source heights in this study range between 2.33 d F0 and 8.07 d F0. A variety of time-averaged and temporal statistics are calculated, and these statistics are compared with published experimental data and predictions by integral models. Normalised trajectory and dilution data from the source through to the return point collapses well at each inclination. The attention to signal quality and the self-consistency of derived experimental results in this study suggest a high level of accuracy, and large distances to the bottom boundary ensure that results are not confused by boundary interaction. Data for dilution rate at the return point supports the use of higher source inclinations (60° and 75°) to maximise dilution capability. A new ‘forced jet’ model is developed that incorporates the concept of a reducing buoyancy flux as the flow rises to maximum height. While this model is not applicable above source inclinations of 60°, predictions at other inclinations are reasonable. Dilution predictions are notably improved when compared to those from existing integral models. Finally, CFD simulations of negatively buoyant jets are conducted using the k-ε turbulence model. Despite the sophistication of this model, the quality of spatial and dilution bulk flow predictions at the centreline maximum height are no better than those obtained from the forced jet model or analytical solutions of Kikkert et al. (2007).

Extensive experimental data is available from previous research into the behaviour of buoyant jets released into an unstratified ambient. The experimental data has been the basis for theoretical and numerical modelling work, and currently several numerical models exist that are employed in the design of engineering structures built for the disposal of wastewater in the ocean. However there are still flow configurations with limited or no available experimental data, and hence confidence in the use of the models under some circumstances is limited. These circumstances include two-dimensional trajectory flows that are discharged at oblique angles to the ambient and buoyant jet flows with three-dimensional trajectories. As part of the current project an experimental investigation is conducted into the behaviour of discharges that have either two-dimensional or three-dimensional trajectories, focussing particularly on those configurations with currently limited available experimental data. A light attenuation technique is developed for the investigation of such flows, largely because it enables the behaviour of discharges with three-dimensional trajectories to be recorded with relative ease. However, this technique provides integrated views of the flow and hence the interpretation of the integrated concentration data is aided by assumed mean cross-sectional concentration profiles. In the strongly advected region (with the exception of the weak-jet) a double-Gaussian approximation is shown to provide a reasonable representation of mean concentration profiles. In the weakly advected regions and the weak-jet region, it is well- known that a single Gaussian adequately represents the mean flow structure. A new numerical model, the Momentum Model, is developed to assist in the design and to monitor the performance of the experimental investigation. Unlike other models, the behaviour of the flow is determined by the relative magnitudes of the initial excess momentum flux, the buoyancy-generated momentum flux and the entrained ambient momentum flux. It is shown that ratios of these momentum fluxes are equivalent to the length-scales traditionally employed for this task. Predictions from the Momentum Model are compared with data from the current and previous experimental investigations and, in addition, predictions from two representative numerical models, VisJet and CorJet. Predictions from the Momentum Model are shown to be consistent with data for a wide variety of discharge configurations. These predictions are also generally consistent with those of VisJet and CorJet. However, the experimental results from the II buoyant jet discharged in a moving ambient show that the spreading rates of the strongly advected flows (puffs and thermals) differ, and while this difference is incorporated into the Momentum Model, it is not evident in the VisJet and CorJet predictions. Numerical model predictions of negatively buoyant discharges are shown to be inadequate. This discharge configuration is investigated in some detail experimentally and additional analytical solutions of the flow behaviour are developed to aid in the interpretation of the flow behaviour. The experimental results show that buoyancy-induced instabilities on the inner side of the jets, which generate additional vertical mixing, significantly alter the form of the mean concentration profiles in this region. This results in considerably higher integrated dilutions along the flow centreline. Another significant difference between the newly developed Momentum Model and the existing numerical models (VisJet and CorJet), is the approach taken to dealing with oblique discharges in a cross-flow. Experimental results in combination with additional analytical solutions show that for initial discharge angles of 20° and less, an oblique discharge in a cross-flow becomes a weak-jet in the strongly advected region, and for angles of 40° and above, the flow becomes a puff. The strongly advected behaviour predicted by the Momentum Model changes abruptly at the transition angle, and is reasonably consistent with the data. The gradual change in strongly advected behaviour employed by VisJet and CorJet does not appear to be appropriate in the puff region. Finally a preliminary experimental investigation of discharges with three-dimensional trajectories shows that there are significant discrepancies between the predicted behaviour and the experimental data. This is surprising given the numerical models are, for the most part, able to predict the behaviour of flows with two-dimensional paths with reasonable accuracy. It is evident that flows with three-dimensional paths are modified more severely by the different directions of the initial, buoyancy-generated, and entrained ambient momentum fluxes than the current models suggest.

In urban areas, discharging wastewater into rivers is a common way to dispose of contaminants, and it is usually the most economical. Accurate information about how effluents are distributed in the receiving water body is desirable when designing industrial plants. Flow structures will be influenced by an effluent’s dilution processes during the mixing. Meanwhile, the cross-stream motions resulting from the streamline curvature can redistribute both the velocity and the shear stress, which favors the mixing behavior compared to a straight channel. However, the interactions between jet mixing behavior and the bend flow requires further investigation. In the present study, jets with different densities were discharged horizontally into a laboratory flume with a 135-degree open channel bend, and both the main and secondary flow behaviors in the bend were observed after the introduction of effluents. The acquired three- dimensional velocity data were used to validate numerical models of the effluent-bend flow. Numerical turbulence models such as the standard k-ε eddy viscosity model, non-linear k-ε model (Shih quadratic k-ε), and the k-ω SST (shear stress transport) model were employed to evaluate their accuracy. OpenFOAM was selected in the analysis for proposing better numerical models since it gives high-quality results to individualized complex fluid flows, and as an open source CFD software it can be beneficial to further develop and maintain. The first part of this study presents the implementation of the physical modelling of the proposed problems. Detailed descriptions of the experimental process were elaborated. Specifically, the three velocity components at four cross-sectional planes in the bend section were measured with and without saltwater jets by using the stereo Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) ii technique in the laboratory flume. The experimental results show that the more pronounced effects with the jets were found at the beginning and exit of the bend. Although the jets had little effect on the maximum streamwise velocity, it was found that the occurrence of the negatively buoyant jets would affect the patterns and properties of the secondary flow in the bend. The second part of this study investigated the mechanisms underlying the two cells system, particularly when interacting with a discharged effluent jet. Detailed experimental data were used in interpreting the large center-region cell as well as small structures in the 135-degree open channel bend. A term-by-term analysis of the downstream vorticity equation was executed to investigate the various mechanisms underlying these cross-stream flow motions considering the influence of the negatively buoyant jets. The results indicated the generation and the dissipation of the streamwise vorticity with the effective terms of the vorticity equation. The third part of this study evaluated the performance of three different turbulence models with the experimental measurements. It can be concluded that fully 3D numerical models are capable of simulating the primary flow pattern in a strongly curved channel with the presence of a negatively buoyant jet. The comparison also shows that, although the outer bank cell was not predicted, the k-omega SST model can satisfactorily predict some of the smaller flow features in bend flow, such as the inner bank circulation cell and the overall form of the vorticity distributions. The results enable more reliable predictions for the characteristics and development of jets in a bend.

Η παρούσα εργασία αναφέρεται στην ανάπτυξη ενός ολοκληρωματικού μοντέλου 2ης τάξης για επίπεδες και κυκλικές, τυρβώδεις ανωστικές φλέβες σε περιβάλλοντα όπου επικρατεί στρωματοποίηση πυκνότητας και αποτελεί επέκταση μελέτης του Αναπληρωτή Καθηγητή του Πανεπιστημίου Πατρών Παναγιώτη Γιαννόπουλου η οποία έχει δημοσιευτεί υπό τον τίτλο “ An improved integral model for plane and round turbulent buoyant jets” στο περιοδικό J. Fluid Mech. το 2006, όπου μελετάται και αναπτύσσεται ένα παρόμοιο μοντέλο σε μη στρωματοποιημένο περιβάλλον. Αρχικά οι μερικές διαφορικές εξισώσεις του όγκου, της ορμής και της διατήρησης του ιχνηθέτη ολοκληρώνονται στην διατομή της ανωστικής φλέβας, παίρνοντας δεδομένο πως ισχύει η αρχή της αυτό-ομοιότητας. Το κλείσιμο της τύρβης επιτυγχάνεται με την υπόθεση ενός σταθερού ρυθμού εξάπλωσης της ανωστικής φλέβας μέχρι το σημείο που αυτό παγιδεύεται εξαιτίας της στρωματοποίησης. Οι κανονικές διαφορικές εξισώσεις που προκύπτουν από αυτή την ολοκλήρωση σχηματίζουν ένα σύστημα εξισώσεων το οποίο λύνεται με την βοήθεια ενός αλγορίθμου Runge-Kutta 4ης τάξης που διαμορφώσαμε κατάλληλα. Έπειτα το μοντέλο επικυρώνεται με την σύγκριση των αποτελεσμάτων αυτής της αριθμητικής διαδικασίας με αποτελέσματα απο Yannopoulos (2006) και εξάγονται συμπεράσματα και παρατηρήσεις για την επίδραση της στρωματοποίησης στην διάδοση της φλέβας, επιπλέον επιχειρείται μια προσπάθεια ανάπτυξης ενός συμπληρωματικού μοντέλου ρευστομηχανικής ανάλυσης των φαινομένων που εξελίσσονται εντός της παγιδευμένης περιοχής. Σκοπός συνεπώς αυτής της εργασίας είναι η ανάπτυξη ενός αξιόπιστου ερευνητικού εργαλείου που θα μπορέσει να προβλέπει κατανομές ταχυτήτων, συγκεντρώσεων αλλά και γεωμετρικά και άλλα σημαντικά μεγέθη σε τυρβώδεις ανωστικές φλέβες που εμφανίζονται σε περιβάλλοντα όπου η στρωματοποίηση παίζει σημαντικό ρόλο. / The specific study refers to the development of a second order integral model for plane and round, turbulent, buoyant jets in stratified environments and is considered as an extension to the primary study of Pr. Yannopoulos, of the university of Patras, which was published under the title "An improved integral model for plane and round turbulent buoyant jets” in 2006 at J. Fluid Mech where a similar model is being studied in a uniform environment. Originally the partial differential equations of volume, momentum and conservation of tracer are integrated in the cross section of the buoyant jet with the help of the self similarity assumption. The closure of the turbulence is succeeded with the use of the spreading concept up to the point where the jet gets trapped. The ordinary differential equations that result from this procedure produce a set of equations which gets solved by a 4th order Runge-Kutta algorithm which was configured properly. After that the model gets validated via the comparison of its results with the findings of Yannopoulos for the same phenomenon in a uniform environment so that we can make observations and reach to conclusions considering the effect of stratification for the spreading of the jet. Moreover the development of a complementary model is attempted in order to provide a fluid dynamic analysis for the phenomena that take place inside the trapped area. Therefore the purpose of the specific study is the development of a reliable research tool that can predict the distributions of velocity and concentration as well as geometric and some other important quantities that play a significant role in these kind of jets.

The Gaseous state of hydrogen at ambient temperature, combined with the fact that hydrogen is highly flammable, results in the requirement of more robust, high pressure storage systems that can meet modern safety standards. To develop these new safety standards and to properly predict the phenomena of hydrogen dispersion, a better understanding of the resulting flow structures and flammable regions from controlled and uncontrolled releases of hydrogen gas must be achieved. In this study the subsonic release of hydrogen was emulated using helium as a substitute working fluid. A sharp-edged orifice round turbulent jet is used to emulate releases in which leak geometry is circular. Effects of buoyancy, crossflow and adjacent surfaces were studied over a wide range of Froude numbers. The velocity fields of turbulent jets were characterized using particle image velocimetry (PIV). The mean and fluctuation velocity components were well quantified to show the effect of buoyancy due to the density difference between helium and the surrounding air. In the range of Froude numbers investigated, increasing effects of buoyancy were seen to be proportional to the reduction of the Fr number. The obtained results will serve as control reference values for further concentration measurement study and for computational fluid dynamics (CFD) validation. / Graduate

Notre travail de thèse présente une contribution à l'étude du comportement d'un jet flottant horizontal, représentatif de la dispersion de rejets dans un milieu marin. Il consiste à modéliser ce type d'écoulement par une approche mathématique basée sur la résolution numérique moyennant la méthode des volumes finis, à valider le modèle numérique par des mesures à échelle réduite sur des maquettes expérimentales, et, enfin, à simuler la dispersion de polluants à grande échelle sur un cas réel. Trois cas d’étude ont été abordés:Le premier cas est relatif à l’étude numérique et expérimentale d'un jet flottant turbulent rond et "non-Boussinesq", injecté horizontalement dans un milieu statique et homogène. Les résultats ont permis de décrire la nature du jet et son comportement en fonction des conditions initiales d’éjection. La deuxième étude a concerné un autre cas représentatif des rejets des émissaires de stations d'épuration. Il s’agit d’un jet pariétal admettant l’approximation de Boussinesq en régime de convection mixte. L’objectif ici est d’étudier l'influence de l'effet combiné de la turbulence et de la présence de la paroi sur le comportement du jet. Dans le dernier cas d’étude, on a modélisé, en 2D et en 3D, à grande échelle un processus côtier de dispersion de rejets en surface libre appliqué sur le cas de la pollution de la baie de Tanger. Les résultats ont permis de visualiser le mécanisme de la dispersion et d’avoir des informations précieuses sur l’écoulement généré au voisinage des plages par l’interaction des rejets et des mouvements de flux et de reflux de la marée. / This work is a contribution to the study of horizontal buoyant jet behavior that presents the dispersion of discharges into the marine environment. It consists in the modeling of this flow by a mathematical approach based on numerical simulation by means of the finite volume method, the validation of a numerical model by measurements on experimental model at a small, and, finally, the simulation of pollutant dispersion on a large scale on a real case. Three cases of study were broached: The first case relates to the experimental and numerical study of horizontal round turbulent non-Boussinesq buoyant jet in a static homogeneous environment. The results were used to describe the nature and the behavior of the jet as a function of the initial conditions of ejection. The second study involved another case of discharges from outfalls. We investigated a numerical and experimental study about a horizontal buoyant wall turbulent jet in a static homogeneous environment. The aim was to analyze the influence the effect of both turbulence and wall boundary on the behavior of the jet. The latter case of study focused on numerical simulation in 2D and 3D of the coastal process of discharges dispersion on a free surface. This modeling dealt more precisely with the dispersion of discharges into a marine environment in the presence of cross flows. The bay of Tangier in Morocco was chosen as an application site. The results made it possible to visualize the dispersion mechanism and to gain valuable information on the flow generated by the interaction of discharges and high/low tide movements near the beaches of the bay.

Οι ροές φλεβών άνωσης έχουν πολύ μεγάλο ενδιαφέρον στην περιβαλλοντική υδραυλική και στη μηχανική των ρευστών, επειδή παρουσιάζονται σε αρκετά φαινόμενα που σχετίζονται με τη διάθεση υγρών αποβλήτων ή θερμών νερών σε υδάτινους αποδέκτες καθώς επίσης και την εκπομπή αερίων ενώσεων από καμινάδες στην ατμόσφαιρα. Στην παρούσα διατριβή διπλώματος ειδίκευσης μελετήθηκε η ανάπτυξη ενός μοντέλου που περιγράφει το φαινόμενο της αλληλεπίδρασης φλεβών από διαχύτη τύπου ροζέτας. Η ροζέτα προσομοιώνεται με ένα κύκλο στον οποίο είναι εγγεγραμμένο κανονικό πολύγωνο Ν πλευρών, στις κορυφές του οποίου εδράζονται τα Ν κατακόρυφα ακροφύσια. Λόγω γεωμετρικής και υδραυλικής συμμετρίας του φαινομένου, μελετάται η μία φλέβα από την ομάδα των Ν φλεβών που συμμετέχουν. Η μέση ροή και η μεταφορά μάζας σε μία τέτοια φλέβα περιγράφονται από την ολοκλήρωση των εξισώσεων συνέχειας, ορμής και διάχυσης. Επίσης, έγινε η σύγκριση μεταξύ του συγκεκριμένου μοντέλου και δεδομένων από τη σχετική βιβλιογραφία. Σκοπός της εργασίας, είναι η ανάπτυξη ενός μοντέλου που να περιγράφει το πεδίο ταχυτήτων και διάχυσης που δημιουργείται από την αλληλεπίδραση φλεβών, όταν αυτές εκρέουν από μια ροζέτα. Η αναγκαιότητα και χρησιμότητα της προσέγγισης του φαινομένου, είναι η εξαγωγή συμπερασμάτων για την εφαρμογή τους στην ολοένα αυξανόμενη χρήση διαχυτών τέτοιου τύπου. Στο πρώτο κεφάλαιο της εργασίας παρουσιάζεται η περιγραφή του φαινομένου της εκροής μιας φλέβας. Δίνονται κάποια εισαγωγικά στοιχεία που προσδιορίζουν τις ανωστικές φλέβες και τα γενικά χαρακτηριστικά τους και γίνεται αναφορά στο φαινόμενο της τύρβης που αποτελεί βασικό κομμάτι της ροής σε μία φλέβα. Στο δεύτερο μέρος του κεφαλαίου, παρουσιάζονται οι βασικές εξισώσεις, της συνέχειας, της ορμής και της διάχυσης, που περιγράφουν τη ροή μίας φλέβας με άνωση και εξάγονται οι ίδιες εξισώσεις για την τυρβώδη ροή φλέβας, χρησιμοποιώντας τους κανόνες μεσοποίησης του Reynolds, ολοκληρωμένες σε μία εγκάρσια διατομή της φλέβας. Στο δεύτερο κεφάλαιο περιγράφεται το φαινόμενο της αλληλεπίδρασης των φλεβών. Δίνεται σχηματικά το πεδίο που προκύπτει από την αλληλεπίδραση και γίνεται αναφορά σε μεθόδους που έχουν χρησιμοποιηθεί για την αντιμετώπισή του. Στο τρίτο κεφάλαιο, αναπτύσσεται το μοντέλο για την αλληλεπίδραση φλεβών από διαχύτη τύπου ροζέτας. Αρχικά, παρουσιάζεται συνοπτικά το μοντέλο των Yannopoulos & Noutsopoulos (2005) για την αλληλεπίδραση φλεβών σε σειρά, στη λογική του οποίου αντιμετωπίζεται το πρόβλημα της αλληλεπίδρασης φλεβών από ροζέτα. Στη συνέχεια παρουσιάζεται η εξέλιξη του φαινομένου. Χρησιμοποιώντας την ολοκληρωματική μεθόδο και τη Μέθοδο Περιορισμού της Συμπαράσυρσης, επιλύεται το σύστημα των εξισώσεων ορμής στη διεύθυνση z και της εξίσωσης διατήρησης της μάζας του χημικού δείκτη. Από την επίλυση του συστήματος εξάγονται οι εξισώσεις που περιγράφουν την κατανομή των μέσων αξονικών ταχυτήτων και των συγκεντρώσεων των Ν φλεβών. Για την καλύτερη απεικόνιση των αποτελεσμάτων, δίνονται οι λόγοι της κατανομής της ταχύτητας και της συγκέντρωσης των Ν φλεβών ως προς την κατανομή της ταχύτητα και της συγκέντρωσης, αντίστοιχα, της μιας κυκλικής κατακόρυφης ανωστικής φλέβας. Στο τέταρτο κεφάλαιο παρουσιάζονται τα αποτελέσματα της εφαρμογής του μοντέλου που έχει αναπτυχθεί, για τις περιπτώσεις ροζετών με Ν=3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 16, 24 και με άπειρο αριθμό ακροφυσίων. Στο δεύτερο μέρος του κεφαλαίου, γίνονται οι συγκρίσεις με τα δεδομένα από τη βιβλιογραφία. Τα αποτελέσματα της εφαρμογής του μοντέλου για άπειρο πλήθος ακροφυσίων, συγκρίνονται με τα αποτελέσματα του μοντέλου για αλληλεπίδραση απείρων φλεβών των Yannopoulos & Noutsopoulos (2005). Σε αυτή τη σύγκριση δεν παρατηρήθηκαν αποκλίσεις μεταξύ τους. Ακόμη, συγκρίνονται τα αποτελέσματα της εφαρμογής του μοντέλου της παρούσας εργασίας για ροζέτα με 8 και 12 ακροφύσια με τα αντίστοιχα πειραματικά αποτελέσματα των Roberts & Snyder (1993). Οι αποκλίσεις είναι μικρότερες του πειραματικού σφάλματος το οποίο υπεισέρχεται στα πειράματα. / Buoyant flows are of great interest in environmental fluid mechanics and hydraulics, because they occur in many phenomena related to wastewater or heat disposal into water bodies. Similar flows take place when chimney or cooling tower emissions of smoke and other air pollutants or heat are released into the atmosphere. In this project a model was developed which describes the phenomenon of interaction of jets discharging from a rosette riser. A circle in which a horizontal equilateral polygon of N sides is inscribed, has modeled the rosette riser. The N vertical nozzles are laying on the apexes of the polygon. Due to geometric and hydraulic symmetry of the phenomenon, one buoyant jet of the group of N jets was studied. The mean flow and mass transfer in a jet of this kind are governed by the integral forms of the equations of continuity, momentum at the vertical direction and mass conservation of tracer. Furthermore, the specific model was compared to experimental data. The aim of the project is the development of a model describing the mean axial velocity distribution and mean concentration distribution, which are produced of the interaction of jets when they discharge vertically from a rosette riser. The necessity of this approach is the extraction of useful results in order to design such kind of diffuser systems. In the first chapter, there is a description of the discharged effluent. Some preliminary elements that determine buoyant jets and their general characteristics are given. Also, there are some preliminary elements about turbulence that constitutes great part of jet flow. In the second part of this chapter, there are the equations of continuity, momentum and mass conservation of tracer, which describe the turbulent flow, utilizing the Reynolds’ rules. These equations are integrated across the flow. In the second chapter the phenomenon of jet interaction is described. Also, it is given, schematically, the merged flow field and the methods and techniques that have been used to face up the problem in the past. In the third chapter, it is shown the development of the model for jet merging from a rosette riser and the process of the phenomenon. Using the Integral Method and adopting the Entrainment Restriction Approach, the system of the equations of momentum and mass conservation of tracer was solved, extracting the axial velocity and concentration distributions. To better quantify the buoyant jet interaction and illustrate it in simple diagrams, these expressions were divided on both sides by the corresponding analytical expressions of the round vertical turbulent buoyant jet, determining the axial velocities and concentrations ratios. In the last chapter, we demonstrate the results from applying the model for N=3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 16, 24 ports per riser. There is also an application of the model for infinite number of nozzles. In the second part of this chapter, it is shown the comparisons of the results with other data. The results of the application of the model of infinite number of nozzles were compared with the model for an infinite row of interacting buoyant jets (Yannopoulos & Noutsopoulos, 2005). There are no deviations between the models. Also, there is a comparison between the application of the model for 8 and 12 nozzles with the experimental data of Roberts and Snyder (1993). The deviations in this case were less than the experimental error, which took place in the experiments.

Development of modern safety standards for hydrogen storage infrastructure requires fundamental insight into the physics of buoyant gas dispersion into ambient air. Also, from a practical engineering stand-point, flow patterns and dispersion of gas originating from orifices in the side wall of circular pipe or storage tank need to be studied. In this thesis, novel configurations were considered to investigate the evolution of turbulent jets issuing from realistic pipeline geometries. First, the effect of jet densities and Reynolds numbers on vertical jets were investigated, as they emerged from the side wall of a circular pipe, through a round orifice. The resulting jet flow was thus issued through a curved surface from a source whose original velocity components were nearly perpendicular to the direction of the ensuing jets. Particle image velocimetry (PIV) and planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) techniques were employed simultaneously to provide instantaneous and time-averaged flow fields of velocity and concentration. The realistic flow arrangement resulted in an asymmetric flow pattern and a significant deflection from the vertical axis of jets. The deflection was influenced by buoyancy, where heavier gases deflected more than lighter gases. These realistic jets experienced faster velocity decay, and asymmetric jet spreading compared to round jets due to significant turbulent mixing in their near field. In addition to that, horizontal multi-component jets issuing from a round orifice on the side wall of a circular tube were also investigated experimentally by the means of simultaneous velocity and concentration measurements. A range of Reynolds numbers and gas densities were considered to study the effects of buoyancy and asymmetry on the resulting flow structure. The realistic pipeline jets were always exhibited an asymmetry structure and found to deflect about the jet's streamwise axis in the near field. In the far field, the buoyancy dominated much closer to the orifice than expected in the axisymmetric round jet due to the realistic leak geometry along with the pipeline orientation considered in this study. In general, significant differences were found between the centreline trajectory, spreading rate, and velocity decay of conventional horizontal round axisymmetric jets issuing through flat plates and the pipeline leak-representative jets considered in the present study. Finally, the dispersion of turbulent multi-component jets issuing from high-aspect-ratio slots on the side wall of a circular tube were studies experimentally by employing simultaneous PIV and PLIF techniques. Two transversal & longitudinal oblong geometries in respect to the longitudinal axes of the tube , and with an aspect ratio of 10 were considered in this study. Both horizontal and vertical orientations along with broad range of Reynolds numbers and gas densities were considered to investigate the effects of buoyancy and asymmetry on the resulting flow structure. The ensuing jets were found to deflect along the jet streamwise axis, once more, due to the realistic pipeline leak-representative configuration. It was also found that increases in aspect ratio of these realistic jets caused a reduction in the angle of deflection, jet centreline decay rates and the width growth on both velocity and scalar fields compared to their round jets counterparts, most notably in the far field. These findings indicate that conventional jets (those that are issuing through flat surfaces) assumptions are inadequate to predict gas concentration, entrainment rates and, consequently, the extent of the flammability envelope of realistic gas leaks. Thus, extreme caution is required when using conventional jet assumptions to describe the physics of a buoyant jet emitted from realistic geometries. / Graduate