Properties of Small-Scale Waves in Sheared Gas-Liquid Flows

by Mark J. McCready, Univ of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, United States,
Malini Gupta, Univ of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, United States,
Lorraine A. Jurman, Univ of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, United States,



Document Type: Proceeding Paper

Part of: Water Quality Issues at Fossil Fuel Plants

Abstract:

Small wind-generated waves are examined theoretically and experimentally in a small laboratory flow system, at conditions close to neutral stability in an attempt to better characterize the important processes which are occurring. These waves, which respond rapidly (i.e. 1-3 sec) to changes in wind, are shown to form in accord with linear stability theory and evolve according to predictions obtained by representing the wave field as a series of quadratically interacting harmonics. The wavelength, amplitude, and speed of steady waves as well as possible initiation of modes (such as subharmonics) which are linearly stable, can be predicted from this formulation. The liquid flow field within these waves, which should play an important role in the transfer of slightly soluble gases, is predicted by solving the linear version of the governing equations. This procedure is expected to be valid because wave slopes are typically O(< 0.01). It is found that the overtone, even though it is of much smaller amplitude than the fundamental contributes significantly the velocity gradient and further, that this contribution depends on the phase angle between the fundamental and overtone.

Subject Headings: Fluid flow | Surface waves | Shear flow | Gas flow | Wind waves | Shear waves | Linear functions

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