Direct Numerical Simulation of Transitional Noncircular Buoyant Reactive Jets

The near field dynamics of transitional buoyant reactive jets established on noncircular geometries, including a rectangular nozzle with an aspect ratio of 2:1 and a square nozzle with the same cross-sectional area, are investigated by three-dimensional spatial direct numerical simulations. Without applying external perturbations at the inflow boundary, large vortical structures develop naturally in the flow field due to buoyancy effects. Simulation results and analysis describe the details and clarify mechanisms of vortex dynamics of the noncircular buoyant reactive jets. The interaction between density gradients and gravity initiates the flow vorticity. Among the major vorticity transport terms, the gravitational term mainly promotes flow vorticity in the cross-streamwise direction. For the baroclinic torque, it can either create or destroy flow vorticity depending on the local flow structure. The vortex stretching term has different effects on the streamwise and cross-streamwise vorticity. Streamwise vorticity is mainly created by vortex stretching, while this term can either create or destroy cross-streamwise vorticity. Under the coupling effects of buoyancy and noncircular nozzle geometry, three-dimensional vortex interactions lead to the transitional behavior of the reactive jets. Simulations also show that the rectangular jet is more vortical than the square jet. The rectangular jet has a stronger tendency of transition to turbulence at the downstream due to the aspect ratio effect. Mean flow property calculations show that the rectangular buoyant reactive jet has a higher entrainment rate than its square counterpart. Received 13 December 2000 and accepted 24 July 2001     

Visualization of coherent structure in scalar fields of unsteady jet flows with interferometric tomography and proper orthogonal decomposition

Proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) is a method of examining spatial coherence in unsteady flow fields from an ensemble of multidimensional measurements. When applied to experimental data, the proper orthogonal decomposition is generally restricted to data sets with low spatial resolution. This is because of the inherent difficulties in generating an ensemble of measurements that contain a large number of data points. In this paper, a system for obtaining a large ensemble of three-dimensional scalar measurements using interferometric tomography is presented. The proper orthogonal decomposition is applied in three spatial dimensions to experimental data of two jet-like flows. The coherent structure present in the near field of a neutrally buoyant, helium–argon jet and the far field of a buoyant helium jet into air is visualized. The POD results of the helium–argon jet clearly reveal the breakdown region of a sequence of vortex rings and a large-scale flapping motion in the jet far field. The POD of the buoyant helium jet shows a number of competing modes with varying degrees of helicity. Received: 14 January 2000/Accepted: 26 September 2000     

Three-dimensional imaging of a turbulent jet using shearing interferometry and optical tomography

The 3-D density field of a round, neutrally buoyant turbulent jet is obtained using a finite-fringe, shearing interferometer. A He–Ne laser beam (λ=632.8 nm) is subdivided into six beams of equal intensity, which intersect a helium–argon jet flowing from a vertical nozzle. Two-dimensional projection data of the jet are captured simultaneously from six viewing directions distributed over 140°. The desired phase is removed from the spatial carrier using the Fourier transform method. A tomographic reconstruction technique, using a truncated Fourier–Bessel expansion is performed to obtain the complete 3-D density field. The Reynolds number, based on the exit mean velocity and the nozzle diameter, is 5890. Received: 22 December 1999/Accepted: 20 January 2000     

Phase-locked analysis of velocity fluctuations in a turbulent free swirling jet after vortex breakdown

Large-scale organized vortical structures were studied experimentally in a free swirling jet of air experiencing vortex precession (PVC) at ambient conditions. Detailed measurements were performed in the region near the nozzle exit using phase-locked LDV and PIV, at a Reynolds number of Re ?? 24,400 and a swirl parameter S ?? 1.0. The investigation allowed reconstruction of the time-averaged flowfield, with the associated distribution of turbulent fluctuations, the phase-locked structure of the jet and the associated precessing vortex structure. An original joint analysis of power spectra and probability density functions of velocity data led to quantification of the PVC effect on turbulent fluctuations. This analysis showed that the PVC contribution can be properly separated from the background random turbulence, reproducing the results of phase-locked measurements. It is found that the background turbulence in the near field is substantially weaker if compared to the coherent fluctuations induced by vortex precession.     

Dynamics of heavy particles in two swirling jets

We report flow visualisations and laser Doppler anemometry (LDA) velocity measurements in the near field of two swirling jets. The Reynolds number based on jet diameter and bulk velocity at the nozzle exit is 1.4 × 10⁵. In the first jet, a small recirculation region is formed around the jet axis, while, in the second, the streamwise velocity remains positive and overshoots near the jet centre. In both cases, flow visualisations show that the vortex core of the jets is depleted of seeding particles. By using time-averaged distributions of the streamwise and tangential velocities measured at the nozzle outlet, the dynamics of the particles is simulated, by integrating their simplified equations of motion. The particles trajectory thus computed agrees well with that observed in the flow visualisations. Although the turbulence intensity is substantially different in the core of the two jets, its effect on the seeding concentration is localised near the edge of the core.     

Effect of the Nozzle Edge Shape on the Acoustic Sensitivity of a Jet

The effect of the nozzle edge shape on the acoustic sensitivity of jets, that is, on the dependence of the jet parameters on the amplitude and frequency of the acoustic oscillations produced by an external source, is experimentally studied. The investigation was performed for nozzle edge configurations, the variation of which did not result in a change in the jet characteristics without external acoustic excitation. This means that the change in the edge shape alone had no influence on the flow pattern at the nozzle exit or the boundary layer flow regime on the nozzle walls. Measurements of the dependence of the mean velocity and the velocity fluctuation intensity on the jet axis on the distance from the nozzle exit showed that a change in the nozzle edge shape can lead to a change in the acoustic sensitivity of the jet when the jet is exposed to external acoustic action.     

Visualization and structure of confined, milliscale, unsteady impinging slot jets and associated vortices

Flow characteristics of confined, laminar milliscale slot jets are investigated from visualizations, as they impinge upon a flat target plate, with a fully developed velocity profile at the nozzle exit. The effects of Reynolds number Re and normalized nozzle-to-plate distance H/B are considered for a nozzle width B of 1.0 mm. Transition from a stable symmetric jet to an unsteady oscillating jet is observed as the Reynolds number increases (with H/B constant), where the Reynolds number associated with this transition decreases as the normalized nozzle-to-plate distance H/B increases. Instantaneous visualizations show unsteady lateral distortions of jet columns at experimental conditions corresponding to the presence of continuous sinusoidal oscillations, intermittent oscillating motion of the jet column, and jet flow fluctuation/flapping motion. Also apparent in flow visualization sequences are smoke signatures associated with instantaneous vortex structures, which form as secondary flows develop in fluid which, initially, is just adjacent to and within the jet column. Associated jet and vortex structural changes are described as different modes of unsteadiness are present, including characterization of jet column unsteadiness using jet column oscillation frequency, and lateral and streamwise extents of jet distortion.     

PIV study of large-scale flow organisation in slot jets

The paper reports on particle image velocimetry (PIV) measurements in turbulent slot jets bounded by two solid walls with the separation distance smaller than the jet width (5–40%). In the far-field such jets are known to manifest features of quasi-two dimensional, two component turbulence. Stereoscopic and tomographic PIV systems were used to analyse local flows. Proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) was applied to extract coherent modes of the velocity fluctuations. The measurements were performed both in the initial region close to the nozzle exit and in the far fields of the developed turbulent slot jets for Re ⩾ 10,000. A POD analysis in the initial region indicates a correlation between quasi-2D vortices rolled-up in the shear layer and local flows in cross-stream planes. While the near-field turbulence shows full 3D features, the wall-normal velocity fluctuations day out gradually due to strong wall-damping resulting in an almost two-component turbulence. On the other hand, the longitudinal vortex rolls take over to act as the main agents in wall-normal and spanwise mixing and momentum transfer. The quantitative analysis indicates that the jet meandering amplitude was aperiodically modulated when arrangement of the large-scale quasi-2D vortices changed between asymmetric and symmetric pattern relatively to the jet axis. The paper shows that the dynamics of turbulent slot jets are more complex than those of 2D, plane and rectangular 3D jets. In particular, the detected secondary longitudinal vortex filaments and meandering modulation is expected to be important for turbulent transport and mixing in slot jets. This issue requires further investigations.     

Investigation of high frequency noise generation in the near-nozzle region of a jet using large eddy simulation

This paper reports on the simulation of the near-nozzle region of an isothermal Mach 0.6 jet at a Reynolds number of 100,000 exhausting from a round nozzle geometry. The flow inside the nozzle and the free jet outside the nozzle are computed simultaneously by a high-order accurate, multi-block, large eddy simulation (LES) code with overset grid capability. The total number of grid points at which the governing equations are solved is about 50 million. The main emphasis of the simulation is to capture the high frequency noise generation that takes place in the shear layers of the jet within the first few diameters downstream of the nozzle exit. Although we have attempted to generate fully turbulent boundary layers inside the nozzle by means of a special turbulent inflow generation procedure, an analysis of the simulation results supports the fact that the state of the nozzle exit boundary layer should be characterized as transitional rather than fully turbulent. This is believed to be most likely due to imperfections in the inflow generation method. Details of the computational methodology are presented together with an analysis of the simulation results. A comparison of the far field noise spectrum in the sideline direction with experimental data at similar flow conditions is also carried out. Additional noise generation due to vortex pairing in the region immediately downstream of the nozzle exit is also observed. In a second simulation, the effect of the nozzle exit boundary layer thickness on the vortex pairing Strouhal frequency (based on nozzle diameter) and its harmonics is demonstrated. The limitations and deficiencies of the present study are identified and discussed. We hope that the lessons learned in this study will help guide future research activities towards resolving the pending issues identified in this work.

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Presented as AIAA Paper 2006-2499 at 12th AIAA/CEAS Aeroacoustics Conference, 8–10 May 2006, Cambridge, MA, USA.     

The ultrasonic velocity profile measurement of flow structure in the near field of a square free jet

 Coherent structures in the near field of a three-dimensional jet have been investigated. Experiments were carried out for a free jet issuing from a square nozzle using a water channel. Instantaneous velocity profiles were obtained in the axial and radial directions by using an ultrasonic velocity profile (UVP) monitor. Axial variations of dominant time-scales of vortex structures were examined from one-dimensional wavelet spectra. Wavenumber-frequency spectra were calculated by two-dimensional Fourier transform along the axial direction in a mixing layer, and it was found that a convective velocity of flow structures was nearly constant independently of their scales in space and time. Coherent structures in the axial direction were investigated in terms of proper orthogonal decomposition (POD). Eigenfunctions are similar to a sinusoidal wave, and reconstructed velocity fields by the lower-order and higher-order POD modes demonstrate large-scale and smaller-scale coherent structures, respectively. Received: 8 May 2000/Accepted: 23 January 2001 Published online: 29 November 2001     

Structure detection and analysis of non-circular impinging jets in a semi-confined array configuration

The flow structure generated by circular and oblate shaped nozzles for an impinging confined 7-by-7 jet array is investigated. Instantaneous velocity fields, obtained from Digital Particle Image Velocimetry (DPIV) along the crossflow direction are analyzed using Proper Orthogonal Decomposition (POD). Also, a vortex detection algorithm is used to locate and quantify the nature of the instantaneous vortices within the flow. The results show that an oblate shaped nozzle when oriented with its major axis aligned with the exhaust flow has flow characteristics resulting in increased turbulent kinetic energy. This has potential for increased surface transport.     

UV-mediated coalescence and mixing of inkjet printed drops

In the present study, the characteristics of supersonic rectangular microjets are investigated experimentally using molecular tagging velocimetry. The jets are discharged from a convergent–divergent rectangular nozzle whose exit height is 500 μm. The jet Mach number is set to 2.0 for all tested jets, and the Reynolds number Re is altered from 154 to 5,560 by changing the stagnation pressure. The experimental results reveal that jet velocity decays principally due to abrupt jet spreading caused by jet instability for relatively high Reynolds numbers (Re > ~450). The results also reveal that the jet rapidly decelerates to a subsonic speed near the nozzle exit for a low Reynolds number (Re = 154), although the jet does not spread abruptly; i.e., a transition in velocity decay processes occurs as the Reynolds number decreases. A supersonic core length is estimated from the streamwise distribution of the centerline velocity, and the length is then normalized by the nozzle exit height and plotted against the Reynolds number. As a result, it is found that the normalized supersonic core length attains a maximum value at a certain Reynolds number near which the transition in the velocity decay process occurs.     

PIV MEASUREMENT OF CLOSE IMPINGING JET ON FLAT PLATE 1)

运用时间分辨粒子成像测速系统(time-resolved particle image velocimetry, TR-PIV)对近距离下射流冲击平板时的流场进行了直接测量, 通过对两个正交的平面流场开展测量, 揭示了冲击距离和雷诺数对射流间隙内三维流动特征及涡系结构演化规律的影响. 结果表明: 射流间隙存在三种典型的涡系结构, 分别为双涡环模式、单涡环模式和卷吸模式, 但在大流量湍流状态下, 射流可能会冲破涡环, 形成随机的高速出流, 各流动模式的出现主要与射流流态及壁面约束作用有关. 运用涡量分析对三种典型涡系结构的能量传递和损失特性进行了比较. 结果表明: 近距离冲击时, 射流的能量通过涡环模式向外传递. 在双涡环模式下, 两个涡环的旋向相反, 端面的约束作用使得两个涡环都被严格约束在射流棒端面之内, 且一次涡环强度显著大于二次涡环强度. 最后, 运用本征正交分解方法对射流间隙内的流动模态及其能量分布进行了分析. 单涡和双涡模式前十阶模态分析结果表明: 能量脉动在较低阶时即以配对的模式出现, 这表明一次涡环与二次涡环均具有良好的对称性, 同时在双涡模式中, 一次涡环是占主导作用的大尺度流动结构. 卷吸模式的前三阶模态分析表明: 射流的能量集中在射流上游, 能量随紊动扩散急剧衰减.     

近距离下射流冲击平板PIV实验研究

运用时间分辨粒子成像测速系统(time-resolved particle image velocimetry, TR-PIV)对近距离下射流冲击平板时的流场进行了直接测量, 通过对两个正交的平面流场开展测量, 揭示了冲击距离和雷诺数对射流间隙内三维流动特征及涡系结构演化规律的影响. 结果表明: 射流间隙存在三种典型的涡系结构, 分别为双涡环模式、单涡环模式和卷吸模式, 但在大流量湍流状态下, 射流可能会冲破涡环, 形成随机的高速出流, 各流动模式的出现主要与射流流态及壁面约束作用有关. 运用涡量分析对三种典型涡系结构的能量传递和损失特性进行了比较. 结果表明: 近距离冲击时, 射流的能量通过涡环模式向外传递. 在双涡环模式下, 两个涡环的旋向相反, 端面的约束作用使得两个涡环都被严格约束在射流棒端面之内, 且一次涡环强度显著大于二次涡环强度. 最后, 运用本征正交分解方法对射流间隙内的流动模态及其能量分布进行了分析. 单涡和双涡模式前十阶模态分析结果表明: 能量脉动在较低阶时即以配对的模式出现, 这表明一次涡环与二次涡环均具有良好的对称性, 同时在双涡模式中, 一次涡环是占主导作用的大尺度流动结构. 卷吸模式的前三阶模态分析表明: 射流的能量集中在射流上游, 能量随紊动扩散急剧衰减.      

Active control of an axisymmetric jet with distributed electromagnetic flap actuators

Miniature electromagnetic flap actuators are developed and mounted on the periphery of the nozzle exit of an axisymmetric jet to induce various flow modes and enhance mixing processes. It is demonstrated that the flap actuators can significantly modify the large-scale vortical structures. In particular, when the flaps are driven in anti-phase on either side of the jet, alternately inclined and bent vortex rings are generated, and the jet bifurcates into two branches. Since the vortex rings are formed at the very vicinity of the nozzle exit, the bifurcation is accomplished as close as x/D=3.     

CABARET solutions on graphics processing units for NASA jets: Grid sensitivity and unsteady inflow condition effect

The GPU CABARET method for solving the Navier–Stokes equations coupled with the Ffowcs Williams–Hawkings scheme for far-field noise predictions is applied for conditions of the NASA SHJAR experiment corresponding to Set Point 3 and 7 in accordance with Tanna's classification. The questions addressed include the sensitivity of the flow and noise spectra solutions to the grid resolution and the inflow condition at the nozzle exit. To study the grid sensitivity, several “hand-made” multi-block curvilinear grids are considered along with a simple hanging-nodes-type grid that was automatically generated with OpenFOAM, whose solutions are cross-verified. To study the effect of the inflow jet condition, the flow and noise solutions based on the laminar inflow condition for Set Point 7 case are compared with the same based on modifying the interior nozzle geometry with a turbulence grid to generate the initial unsteadiness inside the nozzle so that both the centerline velocity fluctuations and the jet Mach number at the nozzle exit are preserved in accordance with the experiment. The numerical solutions obtained are compared with the experimental data and reference LES solutions available in the literature.     

An experimental study of vertical turbulent jet with negative buoyancy

A jet discharged upward into an ambient of higher temperature than that of the jet fluid was investigated experimentally. The width of the upflow spread linearly to the distance from the nozzle exit, whereas the width of the whole jet was almost constant. The height of top of jet varied in proportion to the square root of the discharge Froude number. The time-averaged velocities and temperatures as well as the intensities of their fluctuations at the jet axis were well correlated with the same scaling law as that used for the buoyant jet. The radial distributions showed no similarity profiles for the timeaveraged velocities and temperatures, and the intensities of their fluctuations.     

Investigation of turbulence development in incompressible jets with zonal detached eddy simulation (ZDES) and synthetic turbulent inflow

Hybrid RANS/LES simulations of two incompressible jets are performed with the Zonal Detached Eddy Simulation (ZDES). Two functioning modes of the ZDES for the selection of RANS and DES areas are evaluated, namely the user-defined mode (mode 1) and the global- or automatic- mode (mode 2). The RANS-to-LES transition occurs quickly downstream of the nozzle exit and is found to involve the same physics as a laminar to turbulent transition with vortex pairing near the nozzle exit. The effect of the delay in the RANS-to-LES transition on the jet flow development is analyzed. In particular, the delay in the formation of small-scale turbulent structures results in too high turbulence levels in the mixing layers. Furthermore, it is shown, for two cases, that the injection of synthetic turbulence at the nozzle inlet, originally targeted at reproducing the experimental turbulence level in the jet core, has a significant impact on the mixing layer as it accelerates the RANS-to-LES transition, reduces the spatial wavelength of the vortex pairing and promotes the production of fine-scale turbulence which leads to a better agreement with experiments.     

The Flow Structure Produced by Pulsed-jet Vortex Generators in a Turbulent Boundary Layer in an Adverse Pressure Gradient

The effect of pulsed jet vortex generators on the structure of an adverse pressure gradient turbulent boundary layer flow was investigated. Two geometrically optimised vortex generator configurations were used, co-rotating and counter-rotating. The duty cycle and pulse frequency were both varied and measurements of the skin friction (using hot films) and flow structure (using stereo PIV) were performed downstream of the actuators. The augmentation of the mean wall shear stress was found to be dependent on the net mass flow injected by the actuators. A quasi steady flow structure was found to develop far downstream of the injection location for the highest pulse frequency tested. The actuator near field flow structure was observed to respond very quickly to variations in the jet exit velocity.     

Proper orthogonal decomposition analysis of coherent motions in a turbulent annular jet

A three-dimensional incompressible annular jet is simulated by the large eddy simulation(LES) method at a Reynolds number Re = 8 500. The time-averaged velocity field shows an asymmetric wake behind the central bluff-body although the flow geometry is symmetric. The proper orthogonal decomposition(POD) analysis of the velocity fluctuation vectors is conducted to study the flow dynamics of the wake flow.The distribution of turbulent kinetic energy across the three-dimensional POD modes shows that the first four eigenmodes each capture more than 1% of the turbulent kinetic energy, and hence their impact on the wake dynamics is studied. The results demonstrate that the asymmetric mean flow in the near-field of the annular jet is related to the first two POD modes which correspond to a radial shift of the stagnation point. The modes 3 and 4 involve the stretching or squeezing effects of the recirculation region in the radial direction. In addition, the spatial structure of these four POD eigenmodes also shows the counter-rotating vortices in the streamwise direction downstream of the flow reversal region.