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The short range dispersion in the atmosphere of buoyant gases, such as hot air or natural gas, may be hazardous and dangerous. The available methods for studying this problem were reviewed. Wind tunnel studies were considered to be the most suitable method for studying near-field dispersion, and methods for accurately modelling the nearfield behaviour of a buoyant plume of gas were examined. The experiments were performed in the Oxford University 4m x 2m low speed wind tunnel at a model scale of 1:200. The mean trajectory and rate of spread of a buoyant plume from a 60 m high (full-scale) stack were measured in the presence of a simulated natural wind. The exact similarity requirements were derived from dimensional analysis and from the equations of motion. In practice, it is not possible to match all the necessary dimensionless groups and exact scaling of the exit gas density ratio and the exit Reynolds number is often relaxed. A series of experiments was performed to examine the effect of these two groups on mean plume behaviour, with the intention of providing guidance for correct simulation of plume dispersion at reduced-scale. The exit density ratio was found to have little effect on the near-field plume behaviour, provided all the other dimensionless groups were matched. Plumes with low Reynolds number were found to rise significantly higher than plumes with higher 'turbulent' Reynolds numbers. This difference in trajectory could not be correlated with the plume exit momentum flux. The effect of the cross-flow on near-field dispersion was examined by performing experiments in four different simulations of the earth's atmospheric boundary-layer. The behaviour of the plume was found to be sensitive to both the velocity profile and the turbulence intensity of the cross-flow. To study dispersion in the wind tunnel, the cross-flow should be an accurate simulation of the velocity profile and turbulence intensity components of the natural wind.

The performance of regenerative miniature refrigerators is governed by heat transfer and pressure drop losses, particularly in the regenerator. Steady flow experiments have been performed on various regenerator matrices at cryogenic temperatures and heat transfer from helium gas to the matrix, and pressure drop across the matrix have been determined. These data have been found to be in reasonable agreement with data obtained by other workers using transient flow techniques. In order to determine the applicability of such data to the performance of a cooling engine, experimental methods have been developed to measure the performance and losses in a working Stirling-cycle miniature refrigerator. These techniques have led to the analysis of pressure drop and shuttle heat transfer losses, regenerator efficiency, and to the measurement of other losses in the refrigerator. An energy balance is performed on the machine. These novel techniques, which allow the factors determining poor performance of a working refrigerator to be measured in situ, may be applied profitably to other cyclic machines.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 1996. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references. Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 1996. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references. Also available on the Internet.

Title from PDF of title page (University of Missouri--Columbia, viewed on Feb 26, 2010). The entire thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file; a non-technical public abstract appears in the public.pdf file. Dissertation advisor: Professor Carmen Chicone. Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1966. / eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 1995. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves [187]-197).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1993. / Vita. Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 162-167). Also available via the Internet.

Thesis (doctoral)--Uiversiteit van Amsterdam, 1990. / Summary also in Dutch. Includes bibliographical references.