Experiments and volume-of-fluid (VOF) simulations of a three-fluid dam-break

Three-fluid dam-break experiments were conducted to observe the mixing and stratification processes of three immiscible fluids (two-liquids and one gas) by gravity.Two liquids (silicone oil and salt water) were separated with a vertical wall and filled in a rectangle container.Fluid motions are visualized by four sets of video cameras which are synchronized with each other.Parametric study reviles the effects of two key fluid properties: kinematic viscosity (or molecular weight) for silicone oil and density (or concentration) for sodium chloride aqueous water.After the withdrawal of a vertical partition plate, two liquids intersected earlier at the center, while the fluids stuck on the walls.The kinematic viscosity and density difference affect the three-dimensional mixing and stratification processes significantly.These visual databases are suitable for a code validation on the interfacial phenomena.Computational multi-phase fluid dynamics analysis was conducted with Star CCM+ version 8.04.The numerical results agree with experimental results accordingly for all those key parameters.The physics behind the contact angle and interfacial tensions are thoroughly investigated parametrically.