Confined plume with compensating return flow ($Q=b^{2}w,v=-Q/(R^2-b^2)$)

In an impermeable cylinder, an axisymmetric turbulent plume with negligible source volume flux requires a downward return flow. With uniform upward plume velocity $w$ and ambient velocity $v$, volume conservation gives $b^{2}w+(R^2-b^2)v=0$. An entrainment coefficient $\alpha$ based on the relative speed gives $Q^{\prime }=2\alpha b(w-v)$. A specified pressure closure is essential for momentum conservation. If the departure from ambient hydrostatic pressure and wall force are neglected in the whole-section integral, the total specific momentum flux $J=b^2{w}^2+(R^2-b^2)v^2$ obeys $J^{\prime }=b^2{g}^{\prime }$. Homogeneous unmodified ambient and no buoyancy loss give $b^{2}w{g}^{\prime }=B_s$. These are leading integral-model closures; restoring the ambient dynamic pressure can change the singularity criterion.

For the pressure-neglecting confined plume with compensating return flow, define specific plume momentum flux $M=b^2{w}^2$ and area fraction $s=Q^2/(R^{2}M)$. Then $J=M/(1-s)$ andThe branch issuing from a pure plume reaches a fold at $s=1/2$, where plume and ambient have equal areas, opposite velocities and equal specific momentum fluxes. The numerator is nonzero on this branch, so $M^{\prime }$ diverges although $M,Q,w$ remain finite. This signals failure of the steady uniform-profile description, not infinite physical velocity.