Numerical simulation of turbulent fountains with negative buoyancy

Abstract This paper investigates the flow dynamics of a turbulent fountain with negative buoyancy using a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model. A fountain is created when a denser source fluid is injected upward into a lighter ambient fluid, or a lighter source fluid is injected downward into a denser ambient fluid; this study focuses on the former scenario. The numerical model, developed using OpenFOAM®, has been calibrated against laboratory experiments. The simulations effectively replicate the geometry and buoyancy fluxes of the fountain, showing good agreement between the numerical and experimental velocity fields. These simulations are both original and valuable, enabling the quantification of momentum and mass fluxes for various source fluid densities and offering insights into turbulence phenomena. Furthermore, the generated data serve as a significant resource for the development of future CFD models.