Numerical simulation of temperature variation in water layer induced by thermal jet in weak stratified environment

Abstract

In order to explore the rising and diffusing path of an underwater thermal jet and the temperature variation of each water layer in the typical ocean thermohaline stratified environment, a three-dimensional mass-heat transport model of the thermal jet in a weak stratified environment was built by using the Detached-Eddy Simulation method and Volume of Fluid model to simulate the whole life evolution process of the thermal jet in different depths, temperature difference, and flow rate. A series of characteristic parameters were constructed to quantitatively evaluate the temperature change of the water layer caused by the thermal jet. The results show that the disturbance of the thermal jet on the environmental water body will lead to a change in the distribution of the isothermal layer. Under the combined influence of thermal conduction, thermal convection, and entrainment, thermal signals, cold–thermal mixing signals, or cold signals may appear in different water layers, and the boundary distribution and range of the water layer are decided by the jet parameters and the relative position between the jet and water surface.