On the Mean Path of a Buoyant Chimney Plume in Non-Uniform Wind

Abstract

Based on the turbulent entrainment hypothesis of Morton et al. and the eddy diffusivity hypothesis, approximate theories have been developed for the rise of a buoyant chimney plume in the atmospheric boundary layer, incorporating wind shear effects by assuming a power law type of wind velocity profile, U?Zp, for the boundary layer. The two theoretical approaches suggest that the mean path of a hot plume in a neutral atmospheric boundary layer can be represented by a power law Z*?X*n,where the exponent n is related to the wind velocity profile exponent p by n=?(1+p), and is less than the value of ? reported in the case of uniform wind. Wind tunnel test results show fair agreement with the theoretical results.