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The stratified water flume of Meteo-France

 

 

INSTALLATION PROFILE

 

The large density-stratified water flume of the French meteorological service Météo-France in Toulouse  is a unique facility for fundamental and applied studies of geophysical and environmental problems involving stably stratified flows and the lower atmospheric boundary layer.

 

The 30 m long, 3 m wide and 1.6 m deep water flume can operate with up to three layers of different densities (NaCl brines ranging from 1000 to 1200 kg/m3 monitored by computer), and velocities (ranging from 0.03 to 0.75 m/s). The temperature stability at 20 °C is ± 0.2 °C. The flume can also be operated as a towing tank filled with water for homogeneous flows or with stable density-stratified brines of any profile. The towing speed ranges from 0.08 to 0.50 m.s-1. Large and heavy obstacles are easily towed and the instrumentation can be transported on the carriage.

 

The laboratory also includes two smaller water tanks (7.0 x 0.6 x 0.6 m3 and 4.0 x 0.5 x 0.5 m3) that can be used for low Reynolds number tests as well as a small rotating turntable with a 1.6 x 1.6 x 1.2 m3 tank to study the effect of rotation on stratified or non-stratified flows.

 

State-of-the-art flow measurement techniques are available, including Laser Doppler Anemometer (LDA), hot-wire anemometry, fast conductimeters, Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) and Laser-Induced Fluorescence (LIF). The laboratory has expertise in numerical simulations and may provide support for complementary numerical simulations.

 

 

Lee-wave breaking in a stably stratified flow: results obtained by PIVLee-wave breaking in a stably stratified flow: experiment POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS

 

The large density-stratified water flume is ideally suited to study geophysical and environmental flows at large Reynolds numbers. Among the flows that can be studied are:

·        stratified flows such as stratified turbulence, vortices, internal waves, wakes and topographic flows;

·        stratified mixing layers;

·        atmospheric and oceanic boundary layers;

·        flow over flat or complex terrain;

·        other neutral or stably stratified flows, single or multi-layered;

·        free-surface flows.

 

Among the more recent studies are vortices and wakes in stably stratified environments, topographic wave-breaking, and boundary layers on rough surfaces.

 

 

ACCESS BEING OFFERED

 

Cross-wind effect on a high-speed train (TGV) embankment. Access is offered to researchers and engineers who are interested in investigating problems in the field of stratified flows and boundary layers. If effects due to the earth's rotation are also to be considered at large Reynolds numbers, a joint project with the Coriolis rotating platform in Grenoble (France) may be proposed.

 

Access to the facility will be coordinated with existing activities in the laboratory and will be of the order of 30 days experimental time per project. Moreover the visitors are offered to spend time for preparation and analysis before and after the experimental period. The scientific, technical and logistical support required for using the facilities effectively will be provided by two researchers and six technicians/engineers working in the laboratory.