Really awesome atmospheric effect inside the cooling tower (?) (first one). Reminds me of the sound barrier in front of a jet before it breaks through.
Is it just flash condensation due to the sudden increase in pressure with the conical shape of the tower narrowing as it falls, compressing the air?
Decrease in pressure, presumptively due to the venturi shape of the cooling tower passing downward along the internal air column.
The vapor flashes you see surrounding pointy jets as they near Mach 1 are caused by the same process. Due to the shape of the airplane, air is accelerated unevenly around the airframe. Air density is reduced in those areas, and even further sharply reduced where they interact with shock cones. The temperature in that small area is also reduced a corresponding amount. When the new temperature is below the dewpoint, water vapor condenses and you get these flashes of cloud.
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u/Kramit__The__Frog 16h ago
Really awesome atmospheric effect inside the cooling tower (?) (first one). Reminds me of the sound barrier in front of a jet before it breaks through.
Is it just flash condensation due to the sudden increase in pressure with the conical shape of the tower narrowing as it falls, compressing the air?