AIR ENTRAINMENT AND VELOCITY REDISTRIBUTION IN A BOTTOM OUTLET JET FLOW

This study aims to provide some new understanding of interfacial aeration and velocity redistribution in high-velocity water jets discharging past an abrupt drop. Typical applications include bottom outlets and spillway flows past ski jump. Downstream of the drop, the free-jet entrains air at both upper and lower air-water interfaces, as well as along the sides. At the lower nappe, an air-water shear layer develops and the velocity redistribution within the jet was found to be similar to that in two-dimensional wake flow. The results highlighted further two distinct flow regions. Close to the abrupt drop (Wex 5000), a strong competition between air bubble diffusion and momentum exchanges developed.