Understanding the physics of multiphase plumes and their simulation through
numerical modeling has been an important area of research in recent times in the area
of environmental fluid mechanics. The two renowned numerical modeling types that
are commonly used by researchers today to simulate multiphase plumes in nature are
the mixed-fluid and the two-fluid integral models. In the present study, a detailed
review was performed to study and analyze the two modeling approaches for the
case of a double plume (upward moving inner plume with downward moving annular
outer plume) with the objective of ascertaining which of these models represent the
prototype physics in the integral plume model equations with a higher degree of completeness
and accuracy. A graphical user interface was designed to facilitate running
the models. By comparison to laboratory scale experimental data and through sensitivity
analyses, a rigorous effort was made to determine the most appropriate choice
of initial conditions needed at the start of the model computation and at the peeling
locations and to obtain the most consistent values of the different model parameters
that are necessary for calibration of the two models. Consequently, with these selected
sets of initial conditions and model parameters, the models were run and their
outputs compared against each other for three different case studies with ambient
conditions typical of real environmental data. The dispersed phases considered were
air bubbles in two cases and liquid CO2 droplets for the third case, with water as the
continuous phase in all cases. The entrainment coefficient was found to be the most important parameter that affected the model results. In all the three case studies
conducted, the mixed-fluid model was found to predict about 30% higher values for
the peel heights and the DMPR (Depth of Maximum Plume Rise) than the two-fluid
model.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:tamu.edu/oai:repository.tamu.edu:1969.1/2607 |
| Date | 01 November 2005 |
| Creators | Bhaumik, Tirtharaj |
| Contributors | Socolofsky, Scott A. |
| Publisher | Texas A&M University |
| Source Sets | Texas A and M University |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Book, Thesis, Electronic Thesis, text |
| Format | 2083034 bytes, electronic, application/pdf, born digital |
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