Penetration by a Negatively Buoyant Vortex Ring

Abstract

In order to investigate the vortex motion affected by buoyancy force, we experimentally formed a negatively buoyant vortex ring by pushing less dense fluid vertically downward out of a nozzle and measured the penetration depth of it in the wide Reynolds number range, 3,000 2. The formation conditions of buoyant vortex rings to be turbulent or laminar are also examined, since the characteristic features of buoyant turbulent vortex rings are markedly different from those of buoyant laminar rings.