Effect of wall friction on oscillation of velocity at the head of the gravity current

Abstract

Velocity oscillations at the head of the gravity current were investigated in experiments and numerical simulations of a locked-exchange flow. A comparison of the experimental and numerical simulations showed that the depth and volume of the released fluid affected the oscillations in the velocity of the gravity current. At the initial stage, the head moved forward at a constant velocity, and velocity oscillations occurred. The head maximum thickness increased at the same time as the head, which did not have a round, and accumulated buoyant fluid due to the buoyancy effect intrusion force. The period of accumulation and release of the buoyant fluid was almost the same as that observed for the head movement velocity; the head movement velocity was faster when the buoyant fluid accumulated and slower when it was released. At the viscous stage, the forward velocity decreased proportionally to the power of 1/2 of time, since the head was not disturbed from behind. As the mass concentration at the head decreased, the gravity current was slowed by the viscous stage in its effect. At the viscous stage, the mass concentration at the head was no longer present, and the velocity oscillations also decreased.

Keywords

• Gravity current
• Velocity oscillations
• Transition
• Reynolds number
• Wall friction