Jet formation and deep seal phenomena associated with inclined oil entry of rotating steel spheres

Abstract

The jet formation and deep seal phenomena following the inclined oil entry of rotating steel spheres were experimentally investigated. The results were compared with those obtained from vertical and non-rotating oil entry of the same spheres. It had been observed that the jet formation could be classified into two processes. First, a thin primary jet was formed immediately after deep seal. Second, the same jet became significantly thicker following the complete collapse of the air cavity at the oil surface. The inclined oil jet would gradually turn toward the vertical plane, while the angle between the primary jet and the quiescent oil surface was found to decrease when the Reynolds number of the spheres increased. The deep seal time was also independent of both linear and angular sphere velocities, while the vertical deep seal displacement increased with the Froude number.