Blockage of saline intrusions in restricted, two-layer exchange flows across a submerged sill obstruction

The work has been supported by European Community’s Seventh Framework Programme through the grant to the budget of the Integrating Activity HYDRALAB IV within the Transnational Access Activities, Contract No. 261520.Results are presented from a series of large-scale experiments investigating the internal and near-bed dynamics of bi-directional stratified flows with a net-barotropic component across a submerged, trapezoidal, sill obstruction. High-resolution velocity and density profiles are obtained in the vicinity of the obstruction to observe internal-flow dynamics under a range of parametric forcing conditions (i.e. variable saline and fresh water volume fluxes; density differences; sill obstruction submergence depths). Detailed synoptic velocity fields are measured across the sill crest using 2D particle image velocimetry, while the density structure of the two-layer exchange flows is measured using micro-conductivity probes at several sill locations. These measurements are designed to aid qualitative and quantitative interpretation of the internal-flow processes associated with the lower saline intrusion layer blockage conditions, and indicate that the primary mechanism for this blockage is mass exchange from the saline intrusion layer due to significant interfacial mixing and entrainment under dominant, net-barotropic, flow conditions in the upper freshwater layer. This interfacial mixing is quantified by considering both the isopycnal separation of vertically-sorted density profiles across the sill, as well as calculation of corresponding Thorpe overturning length scales. Analysis of the synoptic velocity fields and density profiles also indicates that the net exchange flow conditions remain subcritical (G < 1) across the sill for all parametric conditions tested. An analytical two-layer exchange flow model is then developed to include frictional and entrainment effects, both of which are needed to account for turbulent stresses and saline entrainment into the upper freshwater layer. The experimental results are used to validate two key model parameters: (1) the internal-flow head loss associated with boundary friction and interfacial shear; and (2) the mass exchange from the lower saline layer into the upper fresh layer due to entrainment.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Rotational effects on exchange flows across a submerged sill

This paper presents new laboratory-scale numerical simulations of density-driven exchange flows generated across an idealised, submerged sill obstruction under both non-rotating and rotating frames of reference using the Bergen Ocean Model (BOM), a three-dimensional general ocean circulation model. Initial non-rotating BOM simulations are compared directly with previous laboratory data obtained in a large-scale channel facility incorporating an idealised trapezoidal sill. These laboratory experiments demonstrate that the saline intrusion flux across the sill is initially reduced and then eventually fully blocked under increasing net-barotropic flow conditions imposed in the counterflowing upper freshwater layer, with the saline blockage also more evident for reduced sill submergence depths. These parametric dependences are also demonstrated in the equivalent BOM simulations of the non-rotating sill exchange flows, although the numerical model results tend to overpredict both the interfacial velocity and density gradients across the sill (as indicative of suppressed interfacial mixing), as well as the fresh-saline source flux ratio at which full blockage of the saline intrusion occurs. The BOM simulations are then extended to consider rotating sill exchange flow dynamics. In particular, these additional runs demonstrate that Coriolis forces increase the overall blockage of the saline intrusion layer compared to equivalent non-rotating exchange flows, especially when the Rossby number associated with the saline intrusion flow across the sill is considerably less than unity. This effect is largely attributed to the development of Ekman boundary layer dynamics and associated secondary circulations within the bi-directional exchange flows. These are shown to impose strong control on the transverse distribution and extent of the lower saline intrusion flow across the sill and, hence, the parametric conditions under which full saline intrusion blockage is achieved in rotating sill exchange flows.publishedVersio

Subatmospheric pressure in a water draining pipeline with an air pocket

[EN] An air pocket's behaviour inside of a pipeline during transient conditions is of great importance due to its effect on the safety of the hydraulic system and the complexity of modeling its behaviour. The emptying process from water pipelines needs more assessment because the generation of troughs of subatmospheric pressure may lead to serious damage. This research studies the air pocket parameters during an emptying process from a water pipeline. A well-equipped experimental facility was used to measure the pressure and the velocity change throughout the water emptying for different air pocket sizes and valve opening times. The phenomenon was simulated using a one-dimensional (1D) developed model based on the rigid formulation with a non-variable friction factor and a constant pipe diameter. The mathematical model shows good ability in predicting the trough of subatmospheric pressure value as the most important parameter which can affect the safety of hydraulic systems.This work was supported by the Fundacion CEIBA - Gobernacion de Bolivar, Colombia which covered the financial support for the doctoral student, Oscar E. Coronado-Hernandez.Coronado-Hernández, OE.; Fuertes-Miquel, VS.; Besharat, M.; Ramos, HM. (2018). Subatmospheric pressure in a water draining pipeline with an air pocket. Urban Water Journal. 15(4):1-7. https://doi.org/10.1080/1573062X.2018.1475578S1715

Experimental study of filling and emptying of a large-scale pipeline

The ¿lling with liquid of an initially empty pipeline and its counterpart, the draining of an initially liquid-¿lled pipeline, are of great interest due to the many practical applications. Several potential problems may occur, of which water-hammer and slug impact are the most important. To investigate the ¿lling and emptying processes, di¿erent mathematical models have been proposed, in which a common assumption is that the water column evolves with unchanged front and/or tail. This is a reasonable assumption for small-scale systems, particularly in cases with relatively high upstream pressure head and low downstream resistance. However, it is not clear whether this assumption is applicable to large-scale systems. This issue is of high importance for the development of air pockets and gravity currents in pipelines during ¿lling and draining processes. This study presents the experimental results of the ¿ow behaviour during the rapid ¿lling and emptying of a large-scale pipeline. The experimental apparatus was designed and built at Deltares, Delft, The Netherlands, as part of the EC Hydralab III project. Di¿erent from other laboratory studies, the scale of this experiment is close to the practical situation in many industrial plants. The test rig includes a variety of components (e.g. tanks, ¿ow meters, valves, pipes of di¿erent materials) and the operation procedure is rather complex. The ¿ow behaviour is measured by various instruments and hence a thorough hydrodynamic analysis is possible. All these features make the current study particularly useful as a test case for real ¿lling and draining situations. In the ¿lling of an initially empty pipeline, the focus was on the overall behaviour of the lengthening water column and the water-air interface evolution. In the emptying of an initially water-¿lled pipeline, together with the hydrodynamics of the shortening water column, the shape and behaviour of the water tail (air-water interface) was investigated. Thirteen di¿erent combinations of initial upstream driving air pressure and downstream valve resistance were tested. The in¿uence of these two factors on the out¿ow rate is clari¿ed. It was con¿rmed that both the in¿ow front in ¿lling and the out¿ow tail in emptying do not entirely ¿ll the pipe cross section. Shape changes occur at both the water-air and air-water interfaces. Although the ¿ow regime transition is a rather complex phenomenon, certain features of the transition pattern are observed and explained qualitatively and quantitatively

Experimental investigation on rapid filling of a large-scale pipeline

This study presents results from detailed experiments of the two-phase pressurized flow behavior during the rapid filling of a large-scale pipeline. The physical scale of this experiment is close to the practical situation in many industrial plants. Pressure transducers, water level meters, thermometers, void fraction meters and flow meters were used to measure the two-phase unsteady flow dynamics. The main focus is on the water-air interface evolution during filling and the overall behavior of the lengthening water column. It is observed that the leading liquid front does not entirely fill the pipe cross section; flow stratification and mixing occurs. Although flow regime transition is a rather complex phenomenon, certain features of the observed transition pattern are explained qualitatively and quantitatively. The water flow during the entire filling behaves as a rigid column as the open empty pipe in front of the water column provides sufficient room for the water column to occupy without invoking air compressibility effects. As a preliminary evaluation of how these large-scale experiments can feed into improving mathematical modeling of rapid pipe filling, a comparison with a typical one-dimensional rigid-column model is made

Model studies of dense water overflows in the Faroese Channels Topical Collection on the 5th International Workshop on Modelling the Ocean (IWMO) in Bergen, Norway 17-20 June 2013

The overflow of dense water from the Nordic Seas through the Faroese Channel system was investigated through combined laboratory experiments and numerical simulations using the Massachusetts Institute of Technology General Circulation Model. In the experimental study, a scaled, topographic representation of the Faroe-Shetland Channel, Wyville-Thomson Basin and Ridge and Faroe Bank Channel seabed bathymetry was constructed and mounted in a rotating tank. A series of parametric experiments was conducted using dye-tracing and drogue-tracking techniques to investigate deep-water overflow pathways and circulation patterns within the modelled region. In addition, the structure of the outflowing dense bottom water was investigated through density profiling along three cross-channel transects located in the Wyville-Thomson Basin and the converging, up-sloping approach to the Faroe Bank Channel. Results from the dye-tracing studies demonstrate a range of parametric conditions under which dense water overflow across the Wyville-Thomson Ridge is shown to occur, as defined by the Burger number, a non-dimensional length ratio and a dimensionless dense water volume flux parameter specified at the Faroe-Shetland Channel inlet boundary. Drogue-tracking measurements reveal the complex nature of flow paths and circulations generated in the modelled topography, particularly the development of a large anti-cyclonic gyre in the Wyville-Thompson Basin and up-sloping approach to the Faroe Bank Channel, which diverts the dense water outflow from the Faroese shelf towards the Wyville-Thomson Ridge, potentially promoting dense water spillage across the ridge itself. The presence of this circulation is also indicated by associated undulations in density isopycnals across the Wyville-Thomson Basin. Numerical simulations of parametric test cases for the main outflow pathways and density structure in a similarly-scaled Faroese Channels model domain indicate excellent qualitative agreement with the experimental observations and measurements. In addition, the comparisons show that strong temporal variability in the predicted outflow pathways and circulations have a strong influence in regulating the Faroe Bank Channel and Wyville-Thomson Ridge overflows, as well as in determining the overall response in the Faroese Channels to changes in the Faroe-Shetland Channel inlet boundary conditions. © 2014 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

Backflow air and pressure analysis in emptying a pipeline containing an entrapped air pocket

[EN] The prediction of the pressure inside the air pocket in water pipelines has been the topic for a lot of research works. Several aspects in this field have been discussed, such as the filling and the emptying procedures. The emptying process can affect the safety and the efficiency of water systems. Current research presents an analysis of the emptying process using experimental and computational results. The phenomenon is simulated using the two-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (2D CFD) and the one-dimensional mathematical (1D) models. A backflow air analysis is also provided based on CFD simulations. The developed models show good ability in the prediction of the sub-atmospheric pressure and the flow velocity in the system. In most of the cases, the 1D and 2D CFD models show similar performance in the prediction of the pressure and the velocity results. The backflow air development can be accurately explained using the CFD model.This work was supported by the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT), Portugal under grant number PD/BD/114459/2016.Besharat, M.; Coronado-Hernández, OE.; Fuertes-Miquel, VS.; Viseu, MT.; Ramos, HM. (2018). Backflow air and pressure analysis in emptying a pipeline containing an entrapped air pocket. Urban Water Journal. 15(8):769-779. https://doi.org/10.1080/1573062X.2018.1540711S769779158Benjamin, T. B. (1968). Gravity currents and related phenomena. Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 31(2), 209-248. doi:10.1017/s0022112068000133Besharat, M., Teresa Viseu, M., & Ramos, H. (2017). Experimental Study of Air Vessel Behavior for Energy Storage or System Protection in Water Hammer Events. Water, 9(1), 63. doi:10.3390/w9010063Besharat, M., Tarinejad, R., & Ramos, H. M. (2015). The effect of water hammer on a confined air pocket towards flow energy storage system. Journal of Water Supply: Research and Technology-Aqua, 65(2), 116-126. doi:10.2166/aqua.2015.081Besharat, M., Tarinejad, R., Aalami, M. T., & Ramos, H. M. (2016). Study of a Compressed Air Vessel for Controlling the Pressure Surge in Water Networks: CFD and Experimental Analysis. Water Resources Management, 30(8), 2687-2702. doi:10.1007/s11269-016-1310-1Coronado-Hernández, O., Fuertes-Miquel, V., Besharat, M., & Ramos, H. (2017). Experimental and Numerical Analysis of a Water Emptying Pipeline Using Different Air Valves. Water, 9(2), 98. doi:10.3390/w9020098Coronado-Hernández, O. E., Fuertes-Miquel, V. S., Besharat, M., & Ramos, H. M. (2018). Subatmospheric pressure in a water draining pipeline with an air pocket. Urban Water Journal, 15(4), 346-352. doi:10.1080/1573062x.2018.1475578Edmunds, R. C. (1979). Air Binding in Pipes. Journal - American Water Works Association, 71(5), 272-277. doi:10.1002/j.1551-8833.1979.tb04348.xEscarameia, M. (2007). Investigating hydraulic removal of air from water pipelines. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Water Management, 160(1), 25-34. doi:10.1680/wama.2007.160.1.25Izquierdo, J., Fuertes, V. S., Cabrera, E., Iglesias, P. L., & Garcia-Serra, J. (1999). Pipeline start-up with entrapped air. Journal of Hydraulic Research, 37(5), 579-590. doi:10.1080/00221689909498518Kader, B. A. (1981). Temperature and concentration profiles in fully turbulent boundary layers. International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, 24(9), 1541-1544. doi:10.1016/0017-9310(81)90220-9Laanearu, J., Annus, I., Koppel, T., Bergant, A., Vučković, S., Hou, Q., … van’t Westende, J. M. C. (2012). Emptying of Large-Scale Pipeline by Pressurized Air. Journal of Hydraulic Engineering, 138(12), 1090-1100. doi:10.1061/(asce)hy.1943-7900.0000631Leon, A. S., Ghidaoui, M. S., Schmidt, A. R., & Garcia, M. H. (2010). A robust two-equation model for transient-mixed flows. Journal of Hydraulic Research, 48(1), 44-56. doi:10.1080/00221680903565911Martins, N. M. C., Delgado, J. N., Ramos, H. M., & Covas, D. I. C. (2017). Maximum transient pressures in a rapidly filling pipeline with entrapped air using a CFD model. Journal of Hydraulic Research, 55(4), 506-519. doi:10.1080/00221686.2016.1275046Martins, S. C., Ramos, H. M., & Almeida, A. B. (2015). Conceptual analogy for modelling entrapped air action in hydraulic systems. Journal of Hydraulic Research, 53(5), 678-686. doi:10.1080/00221686.2015.1077353Pozos, O., Gonzalez, C. A., Giesecke, J., Marx, W., & Rodal, E. A. (2010). Air entrapped in gravity pipeline systems. Journal of Hydraulic Research, 48(3), 338-347. doi:10.1080/00221686.2010.481839Ramezani, L., Karney, B., & Malekpour, A. (2016). Encouraging Effective Air Management in Water Pipelines: A Critical Review. Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management, 142(12), 04016055. doi:10.1061/(asce)wr.1943-5452.0000695Richards, R. T. (1962). Air Binding in Water Pipelines. Journal - American Water Works Association, 54(6), 719-730. doi:10.1002/j.1551-8833.1962.tb00883.xTijsseling, A. S., Hou, Q., Bozkuş, Z., & Laanearu, J. (2015). Improved One-Dimensional Models for Rapid Emptying and Filling of Pipelines. Journal of Pressure Vessel Technology, 138(3). doi:10.1115/1.4031508Triki, A. (2015). Water-hammer control in pressurized-pipe flow using an in-line polymeric short-section. Acta Mechanica, 227(3), 777-793. doi:10.1007/s00707-015-1493-1Vasconcelos, J. G., & Wright, S. J. (2008). Rapid Flow Startup in Filled Horizontal Pipelines. Journal of Hydraulic Engineering, 134(7), 984-992. doi:10.1061/(asce)0733-9429(2008)134:7(984)Wang, H., Zhou, L., Liu, D., Karney, B., Wang, P., Xia, L., … Xu, C. (2016). CFD Approach for Column Separation in Water Pipelines. Journal of Hydraulic Engineering, 142(10), 04016036. doi:10.1061/(asce)hy.1943-7900.0001171Zhou, F., Hicks, F. E., & Steffler, P. M. (2002). Transient Flow in a Rapidly Filling Horizontal Pipe Containing Trapped Air. Journal of Hydraulic Engineering, 128(6), 625-634. doi:10.1061/(asce)0733-9429(2002)128:6(625)Zhou, L., Liu, D., & Karney, B. (2013). Investigation of Hydraulic Transients of Two Entrapped Air Pockets in a Water Pipeline. Journal of Hydraulic Engineering, 139(9), 949-959. doi:10.1061/(asce)hy.1943-7900.0000750Zhou, L., Liu, D., & Ou, C. (2011). Simulation of Flow Transients in a Water Filling Pipe Containing Entrapped Air Pocket with VOF Model. Engineering Applications of Computational Fluid Mechanics, 5(1), 127-140. doi:10.1080/19942060.2011.11015357Zhou, L., Wang, H., Karney, B., Liu, D., Wang, P., & Guo, S. (2018). Dynamic Behavior of Entrapped Air Pocket in a Water Filling Pipeline. Journal of Hydraulic Engineering, 144(8), 04018045. doi:10.1061/(asce)hy.1943-7900.0001491Zukoski, E. E. (1966). Influence of viscosity, surface tension, and inclination angle on motion of long bubbles in closed tubes. 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