Direct simulation of weak laminar plane fountains in a homogeneous fluid

The behaviour of weak laminar plane fountains that result from the injectio n of dense fluids upwards into a large container of homogeneous fluid of lo wer density is studied numerically by using a time-accurate finite volume c ode. The study is an extension of a previous numerical study on weak lamina r axisymmetric fountains. Weak laminar plane fountains with both a uniform and a parabolic profile of the discharge velocity at the source have been i nvestigated. The initial, temporary and final characteristic fountain heigh ts and the times for the fountain front to reach these heights have been de termined and scaled. At steady state, a height scale as well as a horizonta l length scale for the fountain width are determined. The vertical distribu tion of the vertical velocity and temperature on the symmetry line are show n to scale with this height. The height and horizontal length scales have b een used to scale the horizontal variation of both the horizontal and the v ertical velocity in the fountain core at steady state. (C) 2000 Elsevier Sc ience Ltd. All rights reserved.