The Effect of Plunging Water of Waves on the Entrainment of Spilled Oil at Sea

Abstract

The study of oil entrainment mechanism is the basis of the vertical process modeling of spilled oil at sea. In order to reveal the effect of plunging breaking waves, a dripping water experiment on the oil film on static water was designed. It is found that with the increase of the dripping effect, the oil film will form a puddle, or a bubble, or droplets in the water. It can be deduced from the entrainment conditions and morphology of oil that the weak wave reduces the strength of the oil film by stretching and destroying its continuity, and then entrains oil into water through repeated action. The inhomogeneity of the experimental oil affects its viscosity and interface tension to the degrees of 26.3 and 60.7%, respectively, thus affecting its strength. Apparent viscosity and interface tension are then suggested to improve the accuracy of the entrainment model of spilled oil.