Plume structure and dynamics from thermocouple and spectrometer measurements

The movements, structure, and dynamics of a heated stack plume are revealed by thermocouple and spectrometer measurements. A three-dimensional thermocouple array provides temperature data at two-second intervals. An animated display allows the temperature and position variations of a plume to be visualized, and demonstrates that the plume parameters have significant temporal variation at positions more than a few feet from the stack. Plots of temperature vs. downstream position show the transition from the "near field" to the "far field" regime. For a sideways-directed momentum plume, the temperature varies as the reciprocal of the downstream position. These results are consistent with published data and with theoretical expectations. Spectrometer data suggest that the shape of the 4.26-micron CO2 transition depends on radial position in the plume. Spectra taken near the plume edge are relatively flat-topped, whereas measurements taken near the centerline show a line reversal due to absorption. These results are consistent with a plume structure involving a hot, optically thick core surrounded by an envelope of cooler gas.