Exploring Turbulence in Thermal Baths

In summary, the turbulence caused by the whirlpool jets was so strong that the user could not stand straight but was forced to sway back and forth. The user located the jets by eye and put their toe on one to feel the little amount of friction. The effect was only felt when the user was close to the surface of the water.
  • #1
arcnets
508
0
Hi all,
the other day I was in a thermal bath where they had some whirlpool jets at the bottom of a basin about breast-deep. I was standing right over the jets, and the turbulence in the water was so strong at the surface, that I couldn't stand straight but was forced to sway back and forth and was almost washed away from the position of the jets.
I probed the ground with my toes and expected the position of the outlets to be easily detectable by a sharp vertical jet of water. But nothing! Next, I located the outlets by eye (there were maybe 5 or 6 of them, of ~1/4 inch diameter each), and put my toe on one. There was almost nothing to be felt, and I could easily block the jet with my toe.
Forces seem to be large only when close to the surface, and very small deeper down. Any physical explanation of this?
 
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  • #2
well I may not have the physics explanation, but I can give you the common sense one. basically being submerged in water not only makes you lighter due to buoyancy, but changes your center of gravity. And since your center of gravity is higher, you're more suceptable to currents and other objects in motion. Basically the energy from the jets has more effect because of your submergence.

Anyone else? Does that make sense, sound partially right, with some adjustment, or do I need to lay off the beer?:wink:
 
  • #3
Only that the friction of the water rotating in the tub must have been pretty low so that the rate of rotation built up over time.
 
  • #4
Thanks indeed for your response!

Zantra,
yes I agree it's much easier for the water to move me upwards when most of me is submerged. But my head & shoulders were still out of the water, so the remaining gravity was still (say) 4 or 5 kg's or so, and I couldn't feel anything like that when probing the jet with my toe. There was almost nothing to be felt.

Tyger,
maybe my wording was bad, there wasn't any rotating water in a tub. It was a big basin (say 5m x 15m or so), and there was 5 or 6 jets at the center of that, at the bottom, closer than, say, 30 cm together, with the water going up vertically, and I was standing over that. Plus, the effect was immediately there as soon as the jets were powered up.
 

1. What is the purpose of exploring turbulence in thermal baths?

The purpose of exploring turbulence in thermal baths is to understand the complex behavior of fluids in motion at different temperatures. This can help in predicting and controlling the flow of fluids in various industries such as energy production, chemical engineering, and environmental sciences.

2. How is turbulence in thermal baths studied?

Turbulence in thermal baths is studied through experiments in controlled laboratory settings, numerical simulations, and theoretical models. These methods help scientists to observe and analyze the behavior of fluids in different conditions.

3. What causes turbulence in thermal baths?

Turbulence in thermal baths is caused by the interaction between fluid flow and thermal gradients. When there is a significant difference in temperature within the fluid, it creates eddies and vortices that disrupt the smooth flow of the fluid.

4. What are the implications of understanding turbulence in thermal baths?

Understanding turbulence in thermal baths has various implications in industries that rely on fluid flow, such as power generation, transportation, and manufacturing. It can also help in predicting and mitigating natural phenomena like weather patterns and ocean currents.

5. What are some current research areas in exploring turbulence in thermal baths?

Some current research areas in exploring turbulence in thermal baths include studying the effects of different boundary conditions, investigating the role of thermal convection in turbulence, and developing more efficient numerical methods for simulating turbulent flows.

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