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Journal of Hydraulic Research

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SUPERCRITICAL WITHDRAWAL FROM TWO-LAYERED FLUID SYSTEMS

Gerhard H. Jirka & Daniel S. Katavola
a a b

Department of Environmental Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, 14853, U.S.A.
b

Exxon Research and Engineering Company, Florham Park, New Jersey, 07932, U.S.A. Available online: 25 Jan 2010

To cite this article: Gerhard H. Jirka & Daniel S. Katavola (1979): SUPERCRITICAL WITHDRAWAL FROM TWO-LAYERED FLUID SYSTEMS, Journal of Hydraulic Research, 17:1, 53-62 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00221687909499600

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SUPERCRITICAL WITHDRAWAL FROM TWO-LAYERED FLUID SYSTEMS Part 2: Three-dimensional flow into round intake
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SOUTIRAGE DE DEBITS, DANS DES CONDITIONS SUPER-CRITIQUES, A PARTIR DE SYSTEMES D'ECOULEMENT A DEUX COUCHES FLUDES SUPERPOSEES 2me partie: Ecoulement spatial a l'entre d'une prise de section circulaire by
G E R H A R D H. JIRKA

Department of Environmental Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, U.S.A. and
D A N I E L S. KATAVOLA

Exxon Research and Engineering Company, Florham Park, New Jersey 07932, U.S.A.

Summary An experimental study is made of the selective withdrawal characteristics of a round horizontal axis pipe intake located in a vertical wall. The ambient fluid system has a two-layer stratification with a diffuse interface. The results for incipient withdrawal indicate considerably lower critical Froude numbers than that obtained by earlier studies by CRAYA (1949) and GARIEL (1949). Geometry effects due to the intake diameter and the pycnocline thickness appear to cause this discrepancy. The supercritical withdrawal ratio from both fluid layers exhibits a unique dependence on the densimetric Froude number normalized by its critical value. Rsum Etude exprimentale des caractristiques de soutirage slectif d'une prise constituee d'un tuyau a axe horizontal, de section circulaire, amnage dans une paroi verticale. Le milieu fluide d'ambiance prsente une stratification en deux couches, spares par une interface diffuse. Il ressort des rsultats correspondant aux conditions en dbut de soutirage, des valeurs du nombre de Froude critique qui sont nettement infrieures a celles dtermines au cours d'tudes antrieures par CRAYA (1949) et GARIEL (1949). L'influence de certaines caractristiques gomtriques (diamtre de la prise, paisseur de la pycnocline) semble tre a l'origine de eet cart. La prsente tude met en evidence une dpendance unique du coefficient de soutirage super-critique a partir des deux couches fluides, du nombre de Froude densimtrique, normalise par sa valeur critique.

Introduction

The selective withdrawal from two-layered stratified fluid systems takes on a decidedly threedimensional character whenever the dimensions of the intake opening are small in comparison to the layer thickness. The intake through a round port with horizontal axis in a vertical wall is an example. This problem was first studied by CRAYA [1 ] and GARIEL [2] in connection with the design of ocean thermal energy conversion plants which produce power from the temperature difference in the stratified tropical ocean. More recently, another application was reported by JIRKA, WOOD and HARLEMAN [3] for the design of emergency cooling water intakes for offshore nuclear power plants.
Jirka and Katavola / Supercritical withdrawal from two-layered fluid systems. Part 2 S3

While Craya and GarieFs studies dealt with the incipient withdrawal condition for a point sink in ideally stratified conditions, this paper reports experimental results on the supercritical withdrawal behavior including the effect of finite size intakes and finite ambient pycnocline widths. 2 Discussion of previous work

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[1] presented the following approximate analysis of incipient withdrawal for a point sink under stratification with a discontinuous density interface (see Fig. 1). Viscous effects at the interface are neglected, hydrostatic conditions are assumed and the Boussinesq approximation is made. Since the interface represents a streamline, a Bernoulli equation applies between a point A far upstream and a point C at the wall directly above the intake
CRAYA

-^- =

g\H-rc)

(I)

where Vc is the velocity at C, g' = (Aglg)g the buoyant acceleration, AQ/Q the relative density difference, H the height of the interface at A and rc the radial distance between the interface at C and the intake. The simplest kinematic estimate of the three-dimensional flow field is a radial sink flow
V =

2nr2

(2)

where Q is the intake flow rate and r the distance from the intake. Assuming equation (2) holds approximately at r = rc it can be combined with equation (1) to yield a relation between Q and rc = g\H-rc) (3)

in2rt

iH

Discrete Interface

Point Sink

Definition diagram for CRAYA'S [1] analysis.

Fig. 1,

Croquis de definition de l'analyse de CRAYA [1].

The maximum flow rate Qma is found as an extreme value problem from equation (3)
6max

= yjlidif

= 2.54

(4)

sJg'H'
54 Journal of Hydraulic Research / Journal de Recherches Hydrauliques 17 (1979) no. 1

The corresponding drawdown distance rmax is (5)

//
GARIEL

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[2] reported experiments which were designed to check Craya's theoretical development. The experiments were carried out in a flume of 6 m length, 30 cm width and 60 cm depth. GARIEL did not report the size of the intake opening. A fresh-salt water stratification was generated with relative density difference varying between 0.0057 and 0.1450. GARIEL quotes a value of 0.5 mm for the thickness of the density interface between the two layers. This value may be possible for the large values of AQ/Q but in our opinion is rather unlikely to achieve experimentally for low

~Q

Interface configuration during critical conditions observed by GARIEL [2].

Fig. 2.

Profil de l'interface, correspondant aux conditions critiques observes par GARIEL [2].

AQ/Q. It appears from Gariel's data that the intake flow rate was varied up to a maximum value of 0.12 1/s. Gariel's data for critical intake flows shows general agreement with equation 4. GARIEL does not report any apparent effects of intake opening size or of the thickness of the density interface. His experimental observation for the drawdown under critical conditions, however, did not agree with the prediction of equation (5). Rather, he found that the interface extended directly down to the intake as shown in Fig. 2. This discrepancy is probably caused by the neglect of dynamic pressure effects due to strong flow curvatures in the intake vicinity. In reality, a critical section C' is shifted toward a certain distance in front of the vertical wall (see Fig. 2). In principle, this condition caused by pressure disturbances is very similar to the situation for the two-dimensional skimmer wall as discussed by JIRKA [4]. 3 Experimental study An experimental program was designed to evaluate 1. the effect of the intake dimension and of the density interface thickness on the critical withdrawal condition and 2. the supercritical selective withdrawal when both fluid layers participate in the intake flow. Fig. 3 shows the conditions which are more typical of actual prototype situations than the idealizations assumed by CRAYA. The intake has a finite opening diameter D. The ambient density structure shows a pycnoclinic region of widht / defined by the height difference between the 10% and 90% value of the density difference. The interface position H is defined as the height difference between the intake centerline and the 50% value of the density difference. With these variables the flow problem can be defined by three independent Froude numbers
Jirka and Katavola / Supercritical withdrawal from two-layered fluid systems. Part 2 55

Jg'H5
Q

Jg'D
Fi

(6)

Jg'l5

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F i s considered the primary parameter while FD and F, measure secondary geometrie effects. For FD-*co and Ft^co the problem reduces to Craya's assumptions and the incipient condition is given by equation (4), F= Fc = 2.54. Once the implicit condition is exceeded withdrawal from both fluid layers takes place and a withdrawal ratio X is defined as X= (7)

where Qt is the inflow from the upper layer. The definition of the three parameters in equation (6) is, of course, not unique. In particular, one might consider replacing FD and Ft with the geometric ratios DjH and IjH, respectively. The Froude number formulation, however, is preferable for data presentation since FD and F, are approximately constant throughout an experiment, as is discussed below, while the geometric ratios are highly variable. Experimental apparatus The tests were conducted in a temperature insulated tank 1.52 m long, 1.32 m wide and 0.91 m

Ambient Density Profile

*-Q

Definition diagram for finite size intake and diffusive interface. 56

Fig. 3.

Schema de definition d'une prise de dimensions finies, et d'une interface diffusive.

Journal of Hydraulic Research / Journal de Recherches Hydrauliqiies 17 (1979) no. 1

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deep. The intake opening was located 0.30 m above the tank bottom on the centerline of one of the tank walls. Variable intake openings from 5.3 mm to 37.2 mm were used. The intake flow rate was measured with precision rotameters and varied between 0.06 1/s and 0.45 1/s. The density stratification was produced with heated water. Temperature differences between upper and lower layer ranged from 14.3C to 23.3C which represents values of AQ/Q from 0.0032 to 0.0063. The thickness of the thermocline region / (see Fig. 3) varied between 8.6 cm and 16.3 cm. These / values are large in comparison to Gariefs reported value of 0.5 mm and are caused by the experimental procedure employed and by the smaller density differences. Furthermore, the withdrawal behavior for large / values (small Z7,) was an explicit objective of this study. The temperature distribution within the tank and the intake was measured by 66 thermistor probes. The bulk of these probes was mounted in vertical transects at four positions within the tank to define the vertical temperature structure and to detect any horizontal non-uniformities. The probes have a manufacturer specified interchangeable accuracy of +0.15C and a time constant of 7 sec. Individual probe calibration allowed further improving the probe accuracy to 0.05 "C. Three additional probes were installed in the intake pipeline and their average determined the intake temperature. The entire probe set-up was connected to a fast-scanning digital recording system with a scanning rate of about 0.7 sec per probe. Experimental procedure All tests were conducted in a "falling interface" mode. Initially the tank was filled isothermally with cold water at temperature T2. At the start of the experiment the intake flow was turned on and simultaneously heated water was introduced at the same flow rate through a mainfold located at the water surface and at the tank wall opposite from the intake. The inflow velocity was kept low and dissipation devices were used in order to minimize the mixing with the cold water and to establish as distinct a thermocline as possible. This conduct of the experiment resulted in a falling interface while the total water depth stayed constant. Throughout the experiment the temperatures were monitored. In particular, the intake temperature Tj was initially constant and equal to the cold water temperature T2. Once the interface had dropped to a level that incipient withdrawal began, the intake temperature started to rise, T^t). The instantaneous withdrawal ratio X (equation 7) was simply determined from the temperature records as

,m_ k{t)

nt)-T2 -Ut)^T2

(8)

where T, is the average temperature of the upper layer. The corresponding vertical temperature profiles recorded at each time t allowed to determine the temporal change of the interface position /(/), thermocline thickness /(/) and upper layer temperature Tt(t). The relative density difference AoJQ(t) was computed uisng accurate temperature-density relationships. The following observations pertain to the experiments: 1. The horizontal temperature variation within the upper layer was negligible. 2. The temporal change of / and T, was negligible after some initial start-up time during which some inflow mixing took place. This means that each full experiment was characterized by constant values of Ft and FD and the only variable system parameter is f due to the falling interface /(/). 3. The dynamic effect of the falling interface is negligible. Typically, the velocity of the falling interface is an order of magnitude smaller than intake induced velocity Vc defined by equation (I).
Jirka anil Katavola / Supercritical withdrawal from two-layered fluid systems. Part 2 57

Experimental results Sixteen withdrawal experiments were carried out. Their physical variables and governing parameters with the ranges FD~\ to 437 and F, ~ 0.05 to 0.33 are listed in Table 1. The selective withdrawal ratio A as a function of Froude number F is shown in Fig. 4 for a typical experiment. Each data point on Fig. 4 represents an instantaneous reading. Increasing values of X correspond to increasing experimental time. The withdrawal curve can be separated into a subcritical and a supercritical range separated by the condition of incipient withdrawal. Theoretically, the subcritical range should exhibit no withdrawal (X = 0). However, in all experiments it was found that a small degree of withdrawal (X < 3%) consistently occurred even at values of F well below the incipient condition. Interfacial viscous effects and the ambient diffuse interface seem to be responsible for this. The supercritical range exhibits a strong initial response, that is, X increases significantly as a function of F, and a gradual leveling of the curve to the value X = 50% as F approaches infinity (H goes to zero).
Table 1. run no. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Listing of Experimental Conditions D (cm) 0.64 0.64 1.40 1.40 1.40 1.40 2.01 2.01 2.01 2.62 2.62 3.72 3.72 3.72 3.72 3.72 Q (//s) 0.19 0.25 0.38 0.13 0.18 0.32 0.09 0.41 0.13 0.16 0.16 0.38 0.06 0.38 0.09 0.47 T, (C) 12.2 14.5 10.1 14.1 14.3 14.7 13.4 14.4 16.6 13.2 17.2 9.9 11.7 12.7 15.2 17.6 t\T (C) 22.3 18.3 23.3 20.6 18.8 18.8 19.2 18.3 22.5 17.2 14.3 22.7 17.4 20.8 18.9 16.1 Ae S 0.0049 0.0044 0.0051 0.0051 0.0045 0.0048 0.0045 0.0044 0.0063 0.0055 0.0032 0.0049 0.0037 0.0045 0.0047 0.0043 I (cm) 14.0 16.0 14.2 16.3 14.7 14.7 12.5 14.5 15.2 13.2 8.6 13.7 8.6 13.5 11.2 14.2 FD 310 437 114 38 44 77 9.6 41 11 7.2 9 7.4 1.4 7.4 2.1 10 F, 0.10 0.11 0.21 0.05 0.10 0.16 0.08 0.23 0.06 0.10 0.24 0.22 0.14 0.24 0.11 0.33 Fc 0.16 0.18 0.21 0.06 0.11 0.16 0.05 0.27 0.05 0.10 0.12 0.16 0.06 0.18 0.08 0.24

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~v.

Withdrawal curve as a function of Froude number F for Fp = 11 and Ft =0.16 (Run 6).

Fig. 4.

Variation du coefficient de soutirage, en fonction du nombre de Froude F, avec FD = 11 et F, = 0,16 (essai No. 6).

58

Journal of Hydraulic Research / Journal de Recherches Hydrauliques 17 (1979) no. 1

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Due to the small withdrawal effects in the subscritical range, the transition between the sub- and supercritical ranges is not discontinuous but gradual. However, if the linear increase of A in the semi-logarithmic plot is extrapolated downward to the line X = 0, it is possible to define in a consistent manner a critical (incipient) Froude number Fc as shown in Fig. 4. Values of X > 50% are also shown in Fig. 4 for conditions of the interface position below the intake level. Due to experimental limitations in tank depth the simulation was limited to X values of up to 70%. In principle, the withdrawal curve should have two symmetric branches around X = 50%. This is roughly borne out by the data. The remaining discrepancy may be due to a non-symmetric shape of the thermocline and due to inaccuracies in determing H (and hence F). Data from all experiments was plotted by KATAVOLA [5] in the form of Fig. 4. Superimposing curves for constant values of F0 and Fh respectively, allows to detect the sensitivity of/7, and FD, respectively, on the withdrawal behavior. For example, Fig. 5 shows the effect of FD for a F,

Symbol

Rui

Sensitivity of supercritical withdrawal for variable intake Froude number F/> (for F, 0.05 to 0.10).

Sensibilit du soutirage super-critique aux variations du nombre de Froude FJJ de la prise (avec Fl 0.05-0,10).

Symbol A

Run 9 7 II

x(%)

20

,000

Sensitivity of supercritical withdrawal variable interface Froude number Ft (for Fa** 10).

for

Sensibilit du soutirage super-critique aux variations du nomber de Froude Ft de l'interface (avec FD as 10). 59

Jirka and Katavola / Supercritical withdrawal from two-layered fluid systems. Part 2

values ranging from 0.05 to 0.10 and Fig. 6 the effect of F, for FD x 10. The critical values of F c are indicated on each plot and also included in Table 1. 4 Discussion of experimental results The above data can be analyzed with respect to 1. the incipient withdrawal condition and 2. the behavior in the supercritical range. Incipient withdrawal Downloaded by [Karlsruher Inst fur Technologie Kit] at 10:27 17 September 2011 A definite dependence of the critical Froude number Fc on both intake Froude number FD and thermocline Froude number F, is evident. Increasing values of either FD or F, increase the value of F c . The observed values of Fc range from 0.05 to 0.27 and are an order of magnitude lower than Craya's theoretical limiting (F fl ->oo, F,->oo) value F r = 2.54 as given in equation (4). While the experiments had a large variability in F D over two orders of magnitude, it appears that the lower value of F, (i.e. the diffuse interface) is the primary cause for the large deviation from Craya's value and Gariel's earlier experiments. For example, it appears from Gariel's unfortunetely incomplete description that his experimental value for F, was in the order of 1000 thus considerably larger than in the present case and much better representative of a distinct interface. A best-fit expression which approximates the Fc values in the experimental ranges is F c = 0.06 log FD + 0.64F, - 0.05 (9)

and shows a stronger sensitivity due to F, than to FD. In Fig. 7, equation (9) is compared with the experimental data showing good correlation.

0.3

^3
Q.

02

E o o

u." 0 1

"0

0.1

0.2

0.3

Fc (observed)

Correlation between critical Froude numbers Fc and Equation (9). Supercritical withdrawal

Fig. 7.

Correlation des nombres de Froude critiques Fr et des valeurs tires de ('equation (9).

In general, it might be expected that the withdrawal ratio A is a function of all Froude numbers, X=f(F, FD, F,). However, the approximately self-similar shape of all observed withdrawal curves (see Fig. 5 and 6) suggests the following hypothesis. Firstly, the secondary parameters FD and F,
60
Journal of Hydraulic Research / Journal de Recherches Hydrauliques 17 (1979) no. 1

05

0.4

03 X
0.2

01

10 '

F/Fc H/H r

10'

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0.01

Supercritical withdrawal curve as a function of normalized Froude number F/Fr or normalized interface height H/H,..

Fig. 8.

Courbe de soutirage super-critique, en fonction du nombre de Froude normalise F/F(., ou de la hauteur d'interface normalises HjH,,.

do not influence the shape of the withdrawal curve, but only the incipient condition Fc as given in equation (9). Secondly, the primary parameter F normalized by its critical value Fc expresses the major withdrawal characteristics, X =f(FjFc). This hypothesis has been utilized in Fig. 8 in which data from all experimental runs (including drawdown and uplift data) has been normalized as a function of F/Fc or HjHc, respectively, where Hc is the interface height corresponding to incipient conditions. Fig. 8 shows a moderate amount of scatter and suggests a common shape for the normalized withdrawal curve. So far, a theoretical analysis of the supercritical problem is missing. Simple kinematic estimates of A on the basis of radial sink flow (for example, as the ratio of the surface area of the spherical segment immersed into the upper layer to the total surface area of the critical inflow sphere of radius Nc) tend to overpredict 1 in the initial withdrawal phases. The following composite equation set represents a good fit to the data trend jO.I42log(F/F,) (0.5(1 - F / F c ) - 0 - 2 2 for for F/Fc < 300 F / F , > 300

'

Conclusions

The experimental study demonstrated the importance of geometric effects on the incipient (critical) withdrawal from a two-layered stratified fluid system by means of a round port intake. Both the size of the intake opening and the nature of the stratification (represented by the pycnocline width) have a significant influence on critical withdrawal. For the experimental conditions, the critical Froude numbers, and hence critical withdrawal rates, were found to be one to two orders of magnitude smaller than predicted by Craya's [1] limiting case of a point sink and distinct stratification. The withdrawal characteristics in the supercritical range, with simultaneous withdrawal from both layers, can be represented by a unique empirical curve independent of geometric effects. Acknowledgements This study was carried out within an investigation of the hydrothermal behavior of the emergency core cooling system for offshore nuclear power plants and was sponsored by Offshore Power
Jirka and Katavola / Supercritical withdrawal from two-layered fluid systems. Part 2
6/

Systems of Jacksonville, Florida. The work was conducted in the Ralph M. Parsons Laboratory at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. During the course of the study, the authors were lecturer and research assistant, respectively, at that institution.

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References

Bibliographie

1. CRAYA, A., Recherches Thoriques Sur L'Ecoulement De Couches Superposes De Fluides De Densits Diffrentes, La Houille Blanche, January-February, 1949. 2. GARIEL, P., Recherches E x p e r i m e n t a l Sur L'Ecoulement De Couches Superposes De Fluides De Densits Diffrentes, La Houille Blanche, January-February 1949. 3. JIRKA, G. H., D. W. WOOD and D. R. F. HARLEMAN, Transient Heat Releases From Offshore Nuclear Power Plants, J. of Hydraulics Division, Proc. ASCE, Vol. 103, HY2, February 1977. 4. JIRKA, G. H., Supercritical Withdrawal from Two-Layered Fluid System part I: Two-Dimensional Skimmer Wall, J. of Hydraulics, This Issue. 5. KATAVOLA, D. S., An Experimental Study of Three-Dimensional Selective Withdrawal from a Thermally Stratified Fluid System, M.S. Thesis, Department of Ocean Engineering, Massachusetts Insitute of Technology, Cambridge, Mass., 1975. 62 Journal of Hydraulic Research / Journal de Recherches Hydrauliques 17 (1979) no. I