Mechanism of self-oscillations in a supersonic jet impact onto an obstacle 1. Obstacle with a spike

Results of numerical simulations and experimental investigations of self-oscillations arising in the case of impingement of an overexpanded or underexpanded jet onto an obstacle with a spike are reported. The mechanisms of the emergence and maintaining of self-oscillations for overexpanded and underexpanded jets are elucidated. It is demonstrated that self-oscillations are caused by disturbances in a supersonic jet, which induce mass transfer between the supersonic flow and the region between the shock wave and the obstacle. The feedback is ensured by acoustic waves generated by the radial jet on the obstacle. These waves propagate in the gas surrounding the jet, impinge onto the nozzle exit, and initiate disturbances of the supersonic jet parameters. In the overexpanded jet, these disturbances penetrate into the jet core, where they are amplified in oblique shock waves.     

Flow and acoustic features of a supersonic tapered nozzle

The acoustic and flow characteristics of a supersonic tapered jet were measured for free and shrouded flow configurations. Measurements were performed for a full range of pressure ratios including over- and underexpanded and design conditions. The supersonic tapered jet is issued from a converging-diverging nozzle with a 31 rectangular slotted throat and a conical diverging section leading to a circular exit. The jet was compared to circular and rectangular supersonic jets operating at identical conditions. The distinct feature of the jet is the absence of screech tones in the entire range of operation. Its near-field pressure fluctuations have a wide band spectrum in the entire range of measurements, for Mach numbers of 1 to 2.5, for over- and underexpanded conditions. The free jet's spreading rate is nearly constant and similar to the rectangular jet, and in a shroud, the pressure drop it is inducing is linearly proportional to the primary jet Mach number. This behavior persisted in high adverse pressure gradients at overexpanded conditions, and with nozzle divergence angles of up to 35°, no inside flow separation was observed.     

Influence of nozzle geometry on the near-field structure of a highly underexpanded sonic jet

Detailed near-field structures of highly underexpanded sonic free jets have been investigated with the help of computational fluid dynamics. Two-dimensional, axisymmetric Euler equations have been chosen to predict the underexpanded jets, and the third-order total variation diminishing finite-difference scheme has been applied to solve the system of governing equations numerically. Several different nozzles have been employed to investigate the influence of the nozzle geometry on the near-field structures of highly underexpanded sonic free jets. The results obtained show that the distance from the nozzle exit to the Mach disk is an increasing function of the jet–pressure ratio, which also significantly influences the shape of the jet boundary. The diameter of the Mach disk increases with the jet–pressure ratio, and it is further significantly influenced by the nozzle geometry, unlike the distance of the Mach disk from the nozzle exit. However, such a dependence on the nozzle geometry is no longer found when an effective-diameter concept is taken into account for the flow from a sharp-edged orifice. A good correlation in the diameters of the Mach disk is obtained, so that the near-field structure of highly underexpanded sonic free jets is a unique function of the pressure ratio, regardless of the nozzle geometry.     

Calculation of spatial flow past an inclined flat plate with a detached shock wave

The results of a numerical analysis of a supersonic underexpanded jet impinging on an inclined flat plate are presented. The effects of the angle between the plate and the jet symmetry axis, the distance from the nozzle exit section, the exit Mach number, and the off-design conditions on the distribution of the gasdynamic parameters in the jet flowfield and on the plate surface are demonstrated. Specific features of the compressed layer and obstacle surface flows are revealed. The three-dimensional flow is simulated using the large particle method on the basis of the nonstationary Euler equations written in the cylindrical coordinate system. The calculated results are compared with experimental data. Moscow. Translated from Izvestiya Rossiiskoi Akademii Nauk, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 1, pp. 31–35, January–February, 1997.     

Flow in a viscous jet escaping through a supersonic nozzle into a semi-infinite ambient space

The problem of an axisymmetric gas flow in a supersonic nozzle and in the jet escaping from the nozzle to a quiescent gas is solved within the framework of Navier-Stokes equations. The calculated pressure distribution is compared with that measured in the jet by a Pitot tube. The influence of the jet pressure ratio, Reynolds number, and half-angle of the supersonic part of the nozzle on nozzle flow and jet flow parameters is studied. It is shown that the distributions of gas-dynamic parameters at the nozzle exit are nonuniform, which affects the jet flow. The flow pattern for an overexpanded jet shows that jet formation begins inside the nozzle because of boundary-layer displacement from the nozzle walls. This result cannot be obtained with the inviscid formulation of the problem.     

Flows of Supersonic Underexpanded Jets on the Range of Moderate Reynolds Numbers

The results of an experimental investigation of the gasdynamic structure of supersonic underexpanded air jets flowing out of a sonic nozzle into a low-pressure medium are presented. This setting of the experimentmakes it possible to achieve high values of the nozzle-to-ambient pressure ratio at moderate outflow Reynolds numbers characteristic of underexpanded jets issuing from micronozzles. The data on the supersonic core length, the laminar-turbulent transition location, and the jet flow characteristics are obtained. The results are compared with those obtained in microjets flowing out of sonic nozzles. Emphasis is placed on the earlier discovered effect of inverse transition of a turbulent jet into the laminar flow regime with increase in the Reynolds number.     

Experimental investigation of the flow in the mixing layer in the initial section of an underexpanded jet in a parallel stream

The results are given of an experimental investigation of the flow in the initial section of a turbulent underexpanded jet exhausting from a profiled nozzle with Mach number M _a = 2.56 at the exit into a parallel stream with Mach number M = 3.1. Analysis of the results of measurement of the fields of the total head p₀ and the stagnation temperature T₀ in conjunction with results of calculation of a jet of an ideal gas make it possible to construct the velocity profile in the mixing layer of the underexpanded jet in the parallel supersonic flow.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 1, pp. 161–163, January–February, 1981.     

Experimental Investigation of Nozzle Exit Reflector Effect on Supersonic Jet

The present study describes an experimental work to investigate the effect of a nozzle exit reflector on a supersonic jet that is discharged from a convergent–divergent nozzle with a design Mach number of 2.0. An annular reflector is installed at the nozzle exit and its diameter is varied. A high-quality spark schlieren optical system is used to visualize detailed jet structures with and without the reflector. Impact pressure measurement using a pitot probe is also carried out to quantify the reflector’s effect on the supersonic jet which is in the range from an over-expanded to a moderately under-expanded state. The results obtained show that for over-expanded jets, the reflector substantially increases the jet spreading rate and reduces the supersonic length of the jet, compared with moderately under-expanded jets. The reflector’s effect appears more significant in imperfectly expanded jets that have strong shock cell structures, but is negligible in correctly expanded jet.     

Pressure pulsations on an obstacle in a jet

At the present time, much attention is devoted to auto-oscillations that arise from the interaction between a supersonic underexpanded jet and an obstacle that it encounters at right angles [1, 2]. There are far fewer data on the pressure pulsations on an obstacle in the absence of auto-oscillations [3–6]. However, in many cases the highest total levels of the pressure pulsations are observed when the barrier is situated at fairly large distances from the nozzle opening and the pressure pulsations have a random nature. We have investigated the pressure pulsations on a plate normal to a supersonic strongly underexpanded jet. The pulsation characteristics were measured for an arrangement of the obstacle when auto-oscillations are absent. We have established dependences that generalize the results of measurement of the pulsation characteristics at both subsonic and supersonic velocities on the jet axis directly in front of the obstacle. We have also investigated the correlation between the pressure pulsations on the plate and external acoustic noise. We have obtained the dependence of the level of the acoustic noise on the value of the maximal pressure pulsations on the plate.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 1, pp. 163–167, January–February, 1980.     

On the possibility of blowing a gas jet into a supersonic flow without formation of a three-dimensional boundary-layer separation zone

We consider the flow formed by the interaction of a supersonic flow and a transverse sonic or supersonic jet blown at right angles to the direction of the main flow through a nozzle whose exit section is in a flat wall. When a gas jet is blown through a circular opening [1] the pressure rises in front of the jet because of the stagnation of the oncoming flow. This leads to separation of the boundary layer formed on the wall in front of the blowing nozzle. The resulting three-dimensional separation zone leads to a sharp increase in the pressure and the heat fluxes to the wall in front of the blowing nozzle, which is undesirable in many modern applications. The aim of the present investigation was to find a shape of the exit section of the blowing nozzle for which there is no three-dimensional separation zone of the boundary layer in front of the blowing nozzle.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 3, pp. 162–165, May–June, 1979.     

Structure of a supersonic jet with varied geometry of the nozzle entrance

The structure of a supersonic underexpanded lowpressureratio jet exhausted from a nozzle with variable geometry of the entrance section is experimentally studied. Total pressure distributions in the initial cross sections of the examined jets are obtained. Based on these distributions, the coordinates of the mixingregion boundaries are found. The curvature of streamlines in the mixing layer within the first two barrels of an underexpanded jet is determined. A dependence generalizing the measurement results on the curvature of streamlines in the first barrel of a weakly underexpanded jet is obtained in dimensionless coordinates.     

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.     

Doubly spiraled supersonic jet

The instability of supersonic underexpanded submerged air jet outflow from a nozzle with a central cone in the form of two convergent interlaced spirals is described. A technique for controlling this structure by means of extending the central cone streamwise is proposed. It is shown that the central cone position makes it possible to control the gas outflow and to go over from the Mach reflection regime to the regime of wave spiral and gaseous phase condensation, which before were not observable. The results of the measurements of the dynamic head of jets issuing from the nozzle with and without the central cone are presented.     

Interaction of a blown gas jet with a supersonic oncoming stream without formation of a three-dimensional region of boundary layer separation

A study is made of the flow resulting from the interaction of a supersonic stream with a transverse sonic or supersonic jet blown at right angles to the direction of the main stream through a nozzle whose exit section is situated on a flat wall.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 3, pp. 137–139, May–June, 1981.     

Shock wave configurations and flow structures in non-axisymmetric underexpanded sonic jets

An experimental and numerical study of underexpanded free sonic jet flows issuing from rectangular, elliptical and slot nozzles has been undertaken. Aspect ratios (AR) of 1, 2, and 4 are described at pressure ratios (exit plane pressure to ambient pressure), of 2 and 3. There is good qualitative agreement between the experimental observations and the numerical predictions. In the case of rectangular jets, a complex system of shock waves forming the incident shock system is identified. This shock wave system originates at the corners of the nozzle exits, and proceeds downstream. Mach reflections are found to occur on the incident shock wave surface as well as the presence of a Mach disk terminating the first jet cell. This Mach disk has the shape of a square, a hexagon, or an octagon depending on the nozzle shape. For slot and elliptical jets, the formation of the incident shock wave was not observed along the minor axis plane of the nozzle for AR > 2. The incident shock wave was observed to originate downstream of the nozzle exit in the major axis plane. This wave system undergoes a transition to Mach reflection as it propagates downstream of the nozzle exit. In all cases tested, the shape of the jet boundary is significantly distorted. In rectangular jets, the narrowing of the jet boundary along the diagonal axis of the nozzle exit is observed, and in the case of the elliptical and slot jets axis switching is noted.     

Flow and Heat Transfer in Underexpanded Air Jets Issuing from the Sonic Nozzle of a Plasma Generator

We present the results of an experimental investigation and numerical simulation of the gasdynamic structure of underexpanded dissociated-air jets and the heat transfer in these strongly nonequilibrium flows under the test conditions realized in the 100-kW electrodeless VGU-4 plasma generator of the Institute for Problems in Mechanics of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IPM RAS). The flow and heat transfer analysis is carried out on the basis of measurements of the static pressure in the plenum chamber, at the sonic nozzle exit, and on the low-pressure chamber wall, the stagnation pressure on the jet axis using a Pitot tube, and the heat transfer at the stagnation points of water-cooled models placed along the jet axis. The numerical simulation, based on complete Navier-Stokes equations, includes the calculation of (1) equilibrium air plasma flows in the discharge channel of the VGU-4 plasma generator; (2) underexpanded nonequilibrium dissociated-air jet outflow into the ambient space; and (3) axisymmetric jet flow past cylindrical models.     

Effectiveness of secondary tabs for supersonic mixing

The effect of vortex generators, in the form of small tabs projecting into the flow at the nozzle exit, aided by secondary tabs on either side, on the mixing characteristics of an axisymmetric jet at Mach number 1.7 is investigated. Experimental studies on the basic features of the jet from a nozzle with secondary tabs are conducted to assess the free jet characteristics as well as the momentum and thermal mixing behavior. The secondary tabs were found to increase the jet spread and distort the jet cross-section and were found to cause substantial enhancement of mixing of supersonic jets. Jet structure is observed using flow-visualization techniques. LLS images are employed to obtain cross-sectional views of the jet with the introduction of secondary tabs. The ability of secondary tabs to eliminate the screech noise of the supersonic jet is also observed. Received: 3 February 2000/Accepted: 8 February 2001     

Measurements of mean and fluctuating temperature in an underexpanded jet using electrostrictive laser-induced gratings

Instantaneous temperature measurements were obtained in an underexpanded jet using electrostrictive laser-induced gratings. Evaluation of the technique under static, low-pressure conditions provided a baseline uncertainty or precision for single-shot temperature measurements of 4.4% of the local mean temperature, which represents the minimum detectable temperature fluctuation. The underexpanded jet was operated at a nozzle pressure ratio of 2.39 and a fully expanded jet Mach number of 1.19. Data were acquired along the centerline and over two radial traverses through the shear layer. Mean temperature data agree well with expectations, describing the shock-cell structure and the compressible shear layer. The growth in shear-layer width with downstream distance can be identified in the mean and fluctuating temperature measurements. Temperature fluctuations are near the baseline detection limit in the jet core and surrounding ambient air, and reach a maximum in the shear layer. The temperature fluctuation measurements compare well with previous computational and experimental work, confirming the application of the technique to a turbulent, supersonic flow.     

Numerical investigation of the steady-state conditions of interaction of a supersonic underexpanded jet with a plane obstacle located perpendicular to its axis

The results are presented of the numerical investigation of the interaction of a supersonic axisymmetrical jet of a nonviscous and nonthermally conductive gas, flowing from a conical nozzle into a space with reduced pressure, with a plane obstacle. The presence of a triple point of intersection of the shock wave issuing from the obstacle with the trailing and reflected oblique compression shock is characteristic for the conditions considered in the paper. The solution of the problem is obtained by numerical integration of the gasdynamic equations by means of monotonic difference schemes of a straight-through calculation with first-order accuracy. The interaction of supersonic gas jets with surfaces is a vast problem and is one of the trends being developed intensively in the theory of jet streams. Of the whole multiplicity of problems of practical interest, the two-dimensional case of the normal collision between a supersonic axisymmetrical jet and a plane obstacle has been studied in most detail. As a result of the investigations carried out, many characteristic mechanisms of these flows have been revealed. Together with the numerous experimental papers, several reports have been published (for example, [1–4]) in which various numerical methods are employed to solve this problem. In addition to the method of integral relations used in [1], an implicit difference scheme [2] and explicit schemes of straight-through calculation [3, 4] have been used to calculate the subsonic zone of increased pressure in front of the obstacle. However, an extensive investigation of the special features of the action of a supersonic underexpanded jet on a plane obstacle, at a very small distance from the nozzle exit, still has not been carried out up to the present. In this paper, a solution of this problem is undertaken by the numerical method described in [4] using difference schemes [5, 8].Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 5, pp. 49–56, September–October, 1976.The authors express sincere thanks to A. N. Kraiko, é. A. Ashratov, and U. G. Pirumov for constant interest and support in carrying out this project.