FLOW ANALYSIS OF THE NIAGARA WHIRLPOOL REVERSAL PHENOMENON

The Niagara Whirlpool in Niagara Falls, NY reverses flow when enough water is diverted for hydroelectric purposes. MacMullin (1973) hypothesized that when the discharge is sufficiently low the rocky weir over which it flows directs to the opposite side of the Whirlpool, thus the reversal in flow rotation. However, as the water level is lowered, various pressure gradients exist. This study offers an alternative hypothesis in that the reversal is caused by these changes in pressure and how the flow reacts with the banks of the Whirlpool. The interaction of a turbulent water flow and the walls of a basin create reattached wall jets caused by the Coanda effect. By studying this phenomenon I expect to offer an explanation of how turbulent flows behave as they enter a shallow basin.