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Making water flow: a comparison of the hydrodynamic characteristics of 12 different benthic biological flumes

Making water flow: a comparison of the hydrodynamic characteristics of 12 different benthic biological flumes
Making water flow: a comparison of the hydrodynamic characteristics of 12 different benthic biological flumes
Flume tanks are becoming increasingly important research tools in aquatic ecology, to link biological to hydrodynamical processes. There is no such thing as a “standard flume tank”, and no flume tank is suitable for every type of research question. A series of experiments has been carried out to characterise and compare the hydrodynamic characteristics of 12 different flume tanks that are designed specifically for biological research. These facilities are part of the EU network BioFlow. The flumes could be divided into four basic design types: straight, racetrack, annular and field flumes. In each facility, two vertical velocity profiles were measured: one at 0.05 m s?1 and one at 0.25 m s?1. In those flumes equipped with Acoustic Doppler Velocimeters (ADV), time series were also recorded for each velocity at two heights above the bottom: 0.05 m and 20% of the water depth. From these measurements turbulence characteristics, such as TKE and Reynolds stress, were derived, and autocorrelation spectra of the horizontal along-stream velocity component were plotted. The flume measurements were compared to two sets of velocity profiles measured in the field. Despite the fact that some flumes were relatively small, turbulence was fully developed in all channels. Straight and racetrack flumes generally produced boundary layers with a clearly definable logarithmic layer, similar to measurements in the field taken under steady flow conditions. The two annular flumes produced relatively thin boundary layers, presumably due to secondary flows developing in the curved channels. The profiles in the field flumes also differed considerably from the expected log profile. This may either have been due the construction of the flume, or due to unsteady conditions during measurement. Constraints imposed by the different flume designs on the suitability for different types of boundary layer research, as well as scaling issues are discussed.
benthic boundary layer, biological-physical interaction, flume tanks, hydrodynamics, methods
1386-2588
409-438
Jonsson, P.R.
207bc90d-b592-462a-9f3f-a2f40af3a3d9
van Duren, L.A.
079e0ae3-8715-4cf6-b968-1cac7e22b8ec
Amielh, M.
8158b935-3d8d-46a5-a079-5e59e3686eb8
Asmus, R.
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Aspden, R.J.
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Daunys, D.
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Friedrichs, M.
50126570-9569-4fba-a17b-d8f13630ec47
Friend, P.L.
600afae0-5185-4e55-8322-34bb8e0ae1f4
Olivier, F.
569d151b-3ba4-4afe-8200-fb28c89b62fe
Pope, N.
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Precht, E.
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Sauriau, P-G.
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Schaaff, E.
15afcb3e-ded1-4361-9ec3-043a91ce26fb
Jonsson, P.R.
207bc90d-b592-462a-9f3f-a2f40af3a3d9
van Duren, L.A.
079e0ae3-8715-4cf6-b968-1cac7e22b8ec
Amielh, M.
8158b935-3d8d-46a5-a079-5e59e3686eb8
Asmus, R.
0bd0f249-1369-4fd5-9cca-eb2a448eede8
Aspden, R.J.
a284d4e5-a33d-446e-b9e6-f5763995ef0c
Daunys, D.
6e204bfb-da91-4e87-97e0-a6c958baaca8
Friedrichs, M.
50126570-9569-4fba-a17b-d8f13630ec47
Friend, P.L.
600afae0-5185-4e55-8322-34bb8e0ae1f4
Olivier, F.
569d151b-3ba4-4afe-8200-fb28c89b62fe
Pope, N.
6fc51d38-420f-415b-83ca-af9536a46976
Precht, E.
e55a9a4d-6784-479a-903c-ebb77ee4cdd6
Sauriau, P-G.
d76aece0-a72d-43b0-ab1f-5f84faffe078
Schaaff, E.
15afcb3e-ded1-4361-9ec3-043a91ce26fb

Jonsson, P.R., van Duren, L.A., Amielh, M., Asmus, R., Aspden, R.J., Daunys, D., Friedrichs, M., Friend, P.L., Olivier, F., Pope, N., Precht, E., Sauriau, P-G. and Schaaff, E. (2006) Making water flow: a comparison of the hydrodynamic characteristics of 12 different benthic biological flumes. Aquatic Ecology, 40 (4), 409-438. (doi:10.1007/s10452-006-9049-z).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Flume tanks are becoming increasingly important research tools in aquatic ecology, to link biological to hydrodynamical processes. There is no such thing as a “standard flume tank”, and no flume tank is suitable for every type of research question. A series of experiments has been carried out to characterise and compare the hydrodynamic characteristics of 12 different flume tanks that are designed specifically for biological research. These facilities are part of the EU network BioFlow. The flumes could be divided into four basic design types: straight, racetrack, annular and field flumes. In each facility, two vertical velocity profiles were measured: one at 0.05 m s?1 and one at 0.25 m s?1. In those flumes equipped with Acoustic Doppler Velocimeters (ADV), time series were also recorded for each velocity at two heights above the bottom: 0.05 m and 20% of the water depth. From these measurements turbulence characteristics, such as TKE and Reynolds stress, were derived, and autocorrelation spectra of the horizontal along-stream velocity component were plotted. The flume measurements were compared to two sets of velocity profiles measured in the field. Despite the fact that some flumes were relatively small, turbulence was fully developed in all channels. Straight and racetrack flumes generally produced boundary layers with a clearly definable logarithmic layer, similar to measurements in the field taken under steady flow conditions. The two annular flumes produced relatively thin boundary layers, presumably due to secondary flows developing in the curved channels. The profiles in the field flumes also differed considerably from the expected log profile. This may either have been due the construction of the flume, or due to unsteady conditions during measurement. Constraints imposed by the different flume designs on the suitability for different types of boundary layer research, as well as scaling issues are discussed.

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More information

Published date: 2006
Keywords: benthic boundary layer, biological-physical interaction, flume tanks, hydrodynamics, methods

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 44112
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/44112
ISSN: 1386-2588
PURE UUID: a1751ecc-6a34-49eb-acde-2d862e82fa1c

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Date deposited: 15 Feb 2007
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 09:00

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Contributors

Author: P.R. Jonsson
Author: L.A. van Duren
Author: M. Amielh
Author: R. Asmus
Author: R.J. Aspden
Author: D. Daunys
Author: M. Friedrichs
Author: P.L. Friend
Author: F. Olivier
Author: N. Pope
Author: E. Precht
Author: P-G. Sauriau
Author: E. Schaaff

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