The Reynolds number dependence of the velocity field in the BNL Jet-in-Pool water experiments

The water Jet-in-Pool experiment at Berkeley Nuclear Laboratories consists of an axisymmetric sudden expansion. A series of measurements was performed in this rig, using a single-channel Laser/Doppler Anemometer system, over a Reynolds number range of 1.4 x 104 - 6.1 x 104 to determine any dependence in the flow. The mean axial velocity data showed a slight variation, but the root-mean-square fluctuations of the axial velocity had a far more pronounced dependence. This was attributed to upstream conditions in the rig, specifically the nozzle used for injecting the central portion of the flow. The variations in the mean velocity data are sufficiently small for one set of data to act as a basis for calculations at any Reynolds number when a simple closure scheme such as a prescribed effective viscosity is used. However the variation in turbulence parameters will complicate the use of second-order closure schemes and this will be examined further. (author)