Numerical and physical modeling of generation and evolution of vortex rings in a large-scale hydrophysical water tank

The article focuses on the study of vortex ring generation and evolution in aquatic environments resulting from the discharge of a water jet into a flooded volume. It presents computational data based on well-known relationships from the literature, as well as results from simulations using a newly developed methodology. The characteristics of the vortex ring generator within the experimental setup, created using a large-scale hydrophysical water tank, are justified. Experimental studies were conducted under conditions of thermal stratification of the medium, with a temperature difference between the water jet and the tank. The experimental results on vortex ring formation and motion show good agreement with the computational data. The influence of the thermal stratification in the water tank on the vortex ring characteristics was found to be negligible. A significant effect of the dimensionless jet length on the key characteristics of the vortex rings was observed, along with the temperature differences between the water layer at the formation horizon and the jet, impacting the rings’ trajectory.