Experimental Observation of Oil Spreading Behavior on a Water Surface with Uniformly Arranged Obstacles

Experiments of oil spreading on a water surface with uniformly arranged obstacles were conducted. The oil used was Shell Tellus oil S22M, and to ensure the clear visibility of the oil edge, 0.1% of a fluorescent dye (Marktec Super Tracer OL-200II) reactive to ultraviolet light was mixed into the oil. The water and room temperatures were approximately 15 to 25 degreeC, and the viscosity of the oil used in this study could vary between 65 to 42 cSt depending on these temperatures. The entire setup was photographed from directly above the oil outlet, ensuring that the entire spreading of the oil was captured within the frame. A GoPro Hero10 Black was used as the recording equipment. The variation in obstacle concentration was achieved by arranging and securing PVC pipes with a diameter of 16.5 cm in a 2m x 2m area using three different configurations, resulting in approximate concentrations of 13.4%, 26.7%, and 53.4%. The oil was released at the center of the 2m x 2m area, with 200 ml being discharged near the water surface over approximately 10 seconds using a hand pump. The experiment was conducted at a water depth of approximately 0.5 m. An open water area of at least 2 meters was established outside.