In this paper, we present new experimental measurements of the turbulent transport of salt across an interface between two layers of fluid of equal depth but different salinities. The fluid is confined to a cylindrical annulus with a vertical axis. The outer cylinder is stationary and the inner cylinder rotates to produce a turbulent flow field consisting of an approximately irrotational mean azimuthal flow, with narrow boundary layers on the inner and outer cylinders. We focus on the limit of high-Richardson-number flow, defined as Ri = gΔρH/(ρ0u2rms), where ρ0 is a reference density, Δρ is the time-dependent difference of the layers' mean densities, urms is the root mean square of the turbulent velocity fluctuations and H is the layer depth. The mean flow has Reynolds number of the order of 104−105, and the turbulent fluctuations in the azimuthal and radial directions have root-mean-square speed of order 10% of the mean azimuthal flow. Measurements based on our experimental system show that when the Richardson number is in the range 7 < Ri < 200, the interface between the two layers remains sharp, each layer remains well mixed, and the vertical flux of salt between the layers, Fs ~(1.15 ± 0.15)Ri−1𝒜(H/ΔR)urmsΔS, where ΔS is the spatially-averaged time-dependent salinity difference between the layers and in general 𝒜(H/ΔR) is a dimensionless function of the tank aspect ratio, here taken to be unity, with ΔR being the gap width of the annulus. The salt transport appears to be caused by turbulent eddies scouring and sharpening the interface and implies a constant rate of conversion of the turbulent kinetic energy to potential energy, independent of the density contrast between the layers. For smaller values of Ri, the flow regime changes qualitatively, with eddies penetrating the interface, causing fluid in the two layers to co-mingle and rapidly homogenize.

Purpose/Objective(s): Cardiac radiation exposure is associated with an increased rate of adverse cardiac events in patients receiving radiation therapy for locally advanced non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). Previous analysis of practice patterns within the statewide Michigan Radiation Oncology Quality Consortium (MROQC) revealed 1 in 4 patients received a mean heart dose > 20 Gy and significant heterogeneity existed among treatment centers in using cardiac dose constraints. The purpose of this study is to analyze the effect of education and initiation of standardized cardiac dose constraints on heart dose across a statewide consortium. Materials/Methods: From 2012 to 2020, 1604 patients from 27 academic and community centers who received radiation therapy for locally advanced NSCLC were included in this analysis. Dosimetric endpoints including mean heart dose (MHD), mean lung dose, and mean esophagus dose were calculated using data from dose-volume histograms. These dose metrics were grouped by year of treatment initiation for all patients. Education regarding data for cardiac dose constraints was discussed in small lung cancer working group meetings and consortium-wide starting in 2016. This was followed in 2018 by implementation of a quality metric requiring mean heart dose < 20 Gy while maintaining dose coverage (D95) to the tumor. Dose metrics were compared before (2012-2016) and after (2017-2019) initiation of interventions targeting cardiac constraints. Statistical analysis was performed using the Wilcoxon Rank Sum test. Results: Following education and implementation of the heart dose performance metric, mean MHD declined from an average of 12.2 Gy pre-intervention to 10.4 Gy post-intervention, and the percentage of patients receiving MHD > 20 Gy reduced by half. (Table ). Mean lung dose and mean esophagus dose did not increase, and tumor coverage remained unchanged. Conclusion: Education and implementation of a standardized cardiac dose quality measure across a statewide consortium was associated with a reduction of mean heart dose in patients receiving radiation therapy for locally advanced NSCLC. These dose reductions were achieved without sacrificing tumor coverage, increasing mean lung dose or mean esophagus dose. Analysis of the clinical ramifications of the reduction in cardiac doses is ongoing.

We investigate the buoyancy-driven ventilation of an enclosed volume of buoyant fluid, which is connected to the exterior through two openings at the top of the enclosure. An exchange flow becomes established, with outflow through one opening being matched by an equal and opposite inflow through the other vent. The inflowing flux of dense exterior fluid develops a turbulent buoyant plume, which mixes with the interior fluid as it cascades to the base of the fluid volume. An upward return flow gradually stratifies the confined volume of fluid, with a first front of relatively dense plume fluid advancing to the top of the space. Initially, the exchange flow is steady, but as the first front rises above the inflow opening, the flow rate wanes. The initial development of the exchange flow and interior stratification follows the classical filling box work of Baines & Turner (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 37, 1969, p. 51), with a plume of constant buoyancy flux. Once the first front exits the space, the volume flux rapidly asymptotes to the form Q = Q0(τ/(τ+t)) from the initial value Q0, where τ is the buoyancy-driven draining time, based on the initial density contrast with the environment. The vertical structure of the interior density stratification asymptotes to a profile of constant shape whose amplitude decays in time as (τ/(τ+t))2, and we identify conditions under which the vertical variation in density is comparable to the difference between mean interior density and the exterior. This generalises the analysis presented by Linden, Lane-Serff & Smeed (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 212, 1990, p. 309), who assumed that the interior fluid is well mixed. New laboratory experiments of the process are shown to be consistent with our predictions of the evolution of the flow, the interior stratification and the migration of contaminants. We also develop our analysis for situations where there are multiple stacks and show how this improves the mixing efficiency for a given ventilation flow. The model has relevance for the design of transient mixing ventilation in a building, especially when the effect of vertical stratification is important for ensuring thermal comfort.

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We consider the flow which develops when two separate spaces maintained at different temperatures, both in excess of the exterior temperature, are connected through high and low level openings to a central atrium in which there is negligible heat load but which can naturally ventilate through high and low level openings to the exterior. We show that with a small temperature contrast between the spaces or large openings from the atrium to the exterior, upflow displacement ventilation develops in each of the spaces, with air entering from the atrium at low level and exiting at high level. However, with a larger temperature contrast between the spaces or small openings between the atrium and the exterior, a convective circulation develops between the spaces, with upflow in the warmer space and downflow in the colder space. Exterior air, which may enter the atrium at low level, flows into the warmer space along with the air from the colder space. At high level, air flows back into the atrium from the warmer space, and then either vents from the building or flows into the colder space. In this convection dominated flow regime, the colder space is a net heat sink, whereas with the upward displacement ventilation, this space acts as a net heat source. This can have significant implications for energy usage and on the build up of contaminants in each of the spaces. We also show that in both steady flow regimes, the air at mid-level in the atrium is unventilated and stagnant. We discuss the relevance of our model for controlled natural ventilation in large public buildings such as shopping malls where individual shops often maintain temperatures independently of the central atrium-space.