Numerical Simulations of the Cabbeling Phenomenon in Surface Gravity Currents in Cold Fresh Water

Abstract

The behaviour of warm water discharge at a temperature higher then Tm horizontally into a homogeneous body of cold fresh water at a temperature lower then Tm was investigated by means of a numerical model. Water density here was taken to be a quadratic function of temperature. Thus cabbeling process was inevitable as positively buoyant water form surface current while penetrating the ambient water. The current halted as mixture became dense and sink. These results are very similar to the experimental study of warm discharge into cold water by Marmoush et al. [14] and Bukreev [22]. The results showed an initially sinking water at the point where the two water bodies meets within the first few time interval. Development of Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities was observed at the lower part of the surface current as lighter fluid penetrate further. The frontal head was found to being replenished by a surface flow of warm unadulterated water, but after much entrainment of ambient fluid and cabbeling then, this head halted and sink. On the floor, denser fluid advance in the same direction as the original surface current, with some degree of Kelvin-Helmholtz instability as it penetrates further. Relations were also drawn that describes the speed, the spread length of both surface current were obtained. Relation were also drawn that describes the final spread length of the surface current Lsm and the time taken to reach that final spread length Tsm as a function ϕin. This work as presented here is practical and relevant to many fields of study and also enhances policy making towards the protection of the aquatic ecosystems.