ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT: The flow induced in a long cylinder by an axially discharging round turbulent jet was investigated experimentally, with applications to crude oil degas and refilling of the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserves (SPR). Homogeneous and stratified jets were used, and both symmetric and asymmetric (with jet radial offset) geometries were considered. It was found that the flow breakups up at a finite distance, does not reach a steady state and vacillates periodically. Digital video recordings, particle image velocimetry and conductivity micro-probes were used to delineate and quantify flow structures. Using the concepts of flow similarity, a model was developed and the results of measurements were parameterized via characteristic length and velocity scales based on the cylinder width and jet kinematic momentum flux. The model was extended to the case of stratified jets and verified experimentally. The scaling laws so developed could be used to extrapolate laboratory observations to SPR flows.
