Abstract:

This dataset includes experimental data underwater oil release under different discharge rates. The data were collected in a large laboratory tank and imaged by two BellaMare shadowgraph cameras, one 33 cm from the surface and one 95 cm from the surface. Discharge rates were 40 L/min, 80 L/min, 120 L/min, and 140 L/min. The VDROP-J model (Zhao et al., 2014) was run to predict the droplet size distribution.

Suggested Citation:

Michel Boufadel, Lin Zhao, Fangda Cui, Wen Ji, Brian Robinson, Thomas King, Kenneth Lee, Cedric Guigand, Novelli, Guillaume H C, Tamay Ozgokmen. 2020. Validation of VDROP-J model using data obtained from underwater oil plume. Distributed by: GRIIDC, Harte Research Institute, Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi. doi:10.7266/n7-3cr6-0z34

Purpose:

The data were collected in a large-scale laboratory tank to investigate subsurface oil blowouts and to validate the droplet formation model VDROP-J.

Data Parameters and Units:

Oil jet characteristics: Rho (oil density, [kg/m^3], Q (flow rate [L/min]), Q (flow rate [m^3/s]), Ue (velocity at the jet exit, [m/s]), D (jet diameter, [m]), miu (dynamic viscosity [Pa s]), Re (Reynolds number, [unitless]), IFT (interfacial tension [N/m]), OH (ohnesorge number [unitless]), We (Weber number [unitless]). Average DSD at flow rate Q = 40 L/min, 80 L/min, 120 L/min, and 140 L/min, obtained from top and bottom shadowgraph cameras: droplet diameter [mm], average volume [mm^3], standard deviation of the volume [mm^3], average volume fraction, average volume fraction standard deviation. D50 as a function of time for flow rate Q=40 L/min, 80 L/min, 120 L/min, and 140 L/min obtained from top and bottom shadowgraph cameras: time [s], D50 [mm], D50 standard deviation [mm]. VDROP-J model DSD: droplet diameter [mm], cumulative volume fraction.

Methods:

The experiments were conducted in an Ohmsett wave tank of dimensions 203 m x 20 m x 2.4 m. The oil was released through a 25.4 mm vertical pipe suspended about 0.21 m above the tank bottom on the main bridge of the tank. Instruments were deployed in the water, very close to the water surface on the auxiliary bridge along the trajectory of the oil plume. The shadowgraph camera (BellaMare, LLC) includes a collimated illuminator underwater pod and a telecentric imaging pod which face each other. Droplet size distributions were created by digitally analyzing hundreds of individual images.

Instruments:

BellaMare, LLC shadowgraph cameras, 24 frames per second: Top camera: gap 3.4 cm with the field of view (FoV) 65.4mm x 49.1mm, 24 frames per second (fps), installed 33 cm from the surface. Bottom camera: gap 2 cm, FoV 33.6mm x24.6 mm, 8 fps, installed 95 cm from the surface.

Provenance and Historical References:

Zhao, L., Boufadel, M. C., Socolofsky, S. A., Adams, E., King, T., & Lee, K. (2014). Evolution of droplets in subsea oil and gas blowouts: Development and validation of the numerical model VDROP-J. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 83(1), 58–69. doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2014.04.020

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