Velocity Statistics of Round, Fully Developed, Buoyant Turbulent Plumes

Abstract

An experimental study of the structure of round buoyant turbulent plumes was carried out, limited to conditions within the fully developed (self-preserving) portion of the flow. Plume conditions were simulated using dense gas sources (carbon dioxide and sulfur hexafluoride) in a still air environment. Velocity statistics were measured using laser velocimetry in order to supplement earlier measurements of mixture fraction statistics using laser-induced iodine fluorescence. Similar to the earlier observations of mixture fraction statistics, self-preserving behavior was observed for velocity statistics over the present test range (87–151 source diameters and 12–43 Morton length scales from the source), which was farther from the source than most earlier measurements. Additionally, the new measurements indicated that self-preserving plumes are narrower, with larger mean streamwise velocities near the axis (when appropriately scaled) and with smaller entrainment rates, than previously thought. Velocity statistics reported include mean and fluctuating velocities, temporal power spectra, temporal and spatial integral scales, and Reynolds stresses.