Interaction of plane turbulent jets in a confined space: mean flow characteristics

The present study deals with the experimental investigations of static pressure and mean velocity fields obtained as a result of the interaction of two plane turbulent jets at impingement angles of α equal to 30° and 45°, with an additional central jet in a confined space. The investigation is carried out for the velocity ratios of U _c/U _o=1.0, 2.0 and 3.0, where U _c and U _o are the velocities in the central plane at the exit of the central jet and the outer jets, respectively. The introduction of the central jet alters the various recirculation zones present in the flow field for all the cases considered above. Also, the change in the velocity ratio U _c/U _o has a significant effect on the pressure and mean velocity flow fields. Flow visualisation results are presented which give a better physical insight into the flow field considered. Received: 26 July 1999/Accepted: 14 February 2000     

Studies on the mixing of two non-axial plane jets in a confined passage: mean flow characteristics

The present study deals with the static pressure and mean velocity fields generated due to the mixing of two plane turbulent jets in a confined passage. Four different impingement angles, viz., 15, 30, 45 and 60 degrees, have been investigated. It is found that the inlet angle is the most important parameter governing the extent of the central recirculation zone, the wall recirculation zones, the position of the confluence point and the distance required for complete mixing. The rate of decay of the maximum velocity is very rapid for inlet angles exceeding 45 degrees.     

Numerical and experimental study of two turbulent opposed plane jets

The turbulent interaction between two opposed plane jets separated by a distance H is experimentally studied by using a PIV (Particle Image Velocimetry) method and numerically investigated by means of a finite volume code. Two turbulence models have been tested: the standard k-ɛ model and a second-order model. The validation of the numerical study was performed by comparing the results with experimental data obtained for the case of two interacting opposed jets at ambient temperature (isothermal case). The effect of the angle of inclination of the jets is studied. Conclusions of the validation are then used to study the interaction between two jets, one being maintained at ambient temperature whereas the other is heated. Results show that the stagnation point moves towards the heated jet. It is shown that the heating induces a stabilizing effect on the flow.     

Time-averaged flow characteristics and mixing properties of double-concentric jets

We examined the flow behaviors and mixing characteristics of double-concentric jets using laser-assisted smoke flow visualization method to analyze typical flow patterns and binary boundary detection technique to investigate jet spread width. Time-averaged velocity vectors, streamline patterns, velocity distributions, turbulence properties, and vorticity contours were analyzed using Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV). Topological flow patterns were analyzed to interpret the vortical flow structures. Mixing properties were investigated using a tracer-gas concentration detection method. Four characteristic modes were observed: annular flow dominated mode, transition mode, central jet dominated mode-low shear, and central jet dominated mode-high shear. The jets’ mixing properties were enhanced by two major phenomena: the merging of annular flow and central jet at the centerline and the large turbulence fluctuations produced in the flow field. The merging of the jets induced stagnation points on the central axis in the annular flow dominated mode, which caused reverse flow on the central axis and drastic turbulence fluctuations of the near field region. When the central jet penetrated the recirculation region in the other three modes, the stagnation points on the central axis and the reverse flow vanished. Therefore, the mixing behaviors were prominently enhanced in the annular flow dominated mode.     

The low Reynolds number turbulent flow and mixing in a confined impinging jet reactor

Turbulent mixing takes an important role in chemical engineering, especially when the chemical reaction is fast compared to the mixing time. In this context a detailed knowledge of the flow field, the distribution of turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) and its dissipation rate is important, as these quantities are used for many mixing models. For this reason we conduct a direct numerical simulation (DNS) of a confined impinging jet reactor (CIJR) at Re = 500 and Sc = 1. The data is compared with particle image velocimetry (PIV) measurements and the basic flow features match between simulation and experiment. The DNS data is analysed and it is shown that the flow is dominated by a stable vortex in the main mixing duct. High intensities of turbulent kinetic energy and dissipation are found in the impingement zone which decrease rapidly towards the exit of the CIJR. In the whole CIJR the turbulence is not in equilibrium. The strong mixing in the impingement zone leads to a rapid development of a monomodal PDF. Due to the special properties of the flow field, a bimodal PDF is generated in cross-sections downstream the impingement zone, that slowly relaxes under relaminarising conditions. The time required for meso-mixing is dominating the overall mixing performance.     

Flow and mixing characteristics of swirling double-concentric jets subject to acoustic excitation

Characteristic flow modes, flow evolution processes, jet spread width, turbulence properties, and dispersion characteristics of swirling double-concentric jets were studied experimentally. Jet pulsations were induced by means of acoustic excitation. Streak pictures of smoke flow patterns, illuminated by a laser-light sheet, were recorded by a high-speed digital camera. A hot-wire anemometer was used to digitize instantaneous velocity instabilities in the flow. Jet spread width was obtained through a binary edge identification technique. Tracer-gas concentrations were measured for information on jet dispersions. Two characteristic flow patterns were observed: (1) synchronized vortex rings appeared in the low excitation intensity regime (the excitation intensity less than one) and (2) synchronized puffing turbulent jets appeared in the high excitation intensity regime (the excitation intensity greater than one). In the high excitation intensity regime, the “suction back” phenomenon occurred and therefore induced in-tube mixing. The jet spread width and turbulent fluctuation intensity exhibited particularly large values in the high excitation intensity regime at the excitation Strouhal numbers smaller than 0.85. At the excitation Strouhal numbers >0.85, the high-frequency effect caused significant decay of jet breakup and dispersion—the jet spread width and fluctuation intensity decreased sharply and may, at very high Strouhal numbers, asymptotically approach values almost the same as the values associated with unexcited jets. Exciting the jets at the high excitation intensity regime, the effects of puffing motion and in-tube mixing caused breakup of the jet in the near field and therefore resulted in a small Lagrangian integral time and small length scales of fluctuating eddies. This effect, in turn, caused drastic dispersion of the central jet fluids. It is possible that the excited jets can attain 90 % more improvements than the unexcited jets. We provide a domain regarding excitation intensity and Strouhal number to facilitate identification of characteristic flow modes.     

Studies on the mixing of two non-axial jets in a confined passage — turbulence characteristics

The mean characteristics of the flow due to mixing of two non-axial plane jets in a confined passage, were reported previously by Manjunath et al. (Exp. Fluids 11 (1991), 17–24), as part I. In this paper, the turbulence characteristics of the flow are discussed. The various components of the Reynolds stress tensor are reported for the four inlet angles considered, viz., 15°, 30°, 45° and 60°. As expected from the mean flow field, the inlet angle influences the distribution of the various turbulence components through the relative size of the recirculation zones and the turbulence field is different for the smaller angles of 15° and 30° in comparison to those for 45° and 60°.     

Identification of vortex motions in turbulent mixing of choked jets

A specially adapted schlieren system is used to generate fluctuating signals which respond strongly to large scale coherent components of a turbulent mixing jet flow and which have a relatively reduced response to random disturbances. The schlieren signals also provide a direct indication of the presence of vortex-like structures in the turbulent mixing layers by virtue of the phase relationship of the schlieren signals to the pressure field. This system gives a clear resolution of the fluctuating periodic effects associated with vortex structures in the flow from a choked convergent nozzle. It has thus been possible to determine that vortex-like eddies are associated with the feedback screech mechanism, and also generate periodic disturbances due to their passage through the diamond shaped wave structure in the flow. The regular disturbances in the flow move at 0.77 of the fully expanded flow velocity. Phase spectral observations demonstrate clearly the vortex like structure of coherent disturbances in the flow by virtue of the quadrature phase relation between the schlieren and microphone signals. Movement of the sensing microphone in the pressure field external to the flow shows disturbance propagation at the acoustic velocity, and also shows that disturbances at Strouhal numbers above 0.7 emanating from the inner mixing zone can be identified by an additional time delay to reach the microphone and only influence the microphone when it is located downstream of the flow sensing schlieren system due to confinement of pressure disturbances within Mach cones of the flow.     

Behaviour of carbon dioxide jets in a confined swirling flow

An investigation of jet mixing in confined swirling flow, using carbon dioxide as the jet fluid, was carried out. In order to compare the present results with previous measurements by So et al¹ on homogeneous and helium jet mixing, the experiments were carried out in the same facility and under the same test conditions. Contrary to the flow characteristics found in helium jet mixing in confined swirling flow, density difference and swirl combined to give rise to an accelerated decay of the jet and increased mixing between jet and swirling air. Consequently, the second reversed flow region observed in the swirling flow was only slightly displaced downstream. This contrasted with a radial displacement of the second reversed flow region by the helium jets and a complete destruction of the reversed flow regions by the air jets.     

Reynolds number effects on the mixing behavior of axisymmetric turbulent jets

Measurements of time-averaged jet fluid mass fraction and unmixedness are reported along the centerlines of axisymmetric jets having Reynolds numbers (Re) covering a range of 3,950–11,880. Jet gases investigated are propane, carbon tetrafluoride, and sulfur hexafluoride. The slopes for the fall off of inverse centerline mass fraction with distance are found to be independent of Re for moderate downstream distances, but virtual origins for the data are shown to move downstream with increasing Re. Unmixedness measurements show that flows with higher Re require longer flow distances to achieve asymptotic behavior. Results of other investigations reported in the literature are discussed which support the conclusions of this work. The relationship between the centerline mixing and entrainment behaviors of these flows is explored.     

Isoenstrophy points and surfaces in turbulent flow and mixing

Vorticity ω magnitude is measured by the enstrophy field ω². Equations describing the motion of surfaces of constant enstrophy, and lines and points of extreme enstrophy, are derived. The purpose is to develop better tools for studies of small scale processes of turbulence and turbulent mixing.     

Investigation of noise generation by turbulent jets on the basis of numerical simulation of unsteady flow in mixing layers

In the previous experimental studies it was concluded that the turbulent jet noise is produced by large-scale motions in the mixing layer induced by turbulence intermittence. The burden of this numerical simulation is the validation of these conclusions. As a result of numerical calculations, the “instantaneous” flow patterns and the parameter distributions in the initial regions of turbulent jets are obtained. On the basis of this information the flow dynamics are investigated. In the jet flow there are observable slowly transforming low static pressure regions and zones of elevated static pressure. These regions are displaced at the convection velocity. The inflow induced by the low pressure in the mixing layer has streamlines entering into the low pressure zones and flowing around the elevated pressure zones. The motion of the zones of the static pressure varying along the flow produces velocity disturbances in the induced external flow. The succession of the transformations of the intermittence-induced static pressure disturbances into sound waves is determined. This transformation occurs in the regions occupied by the ejected air.     

A numerical study of turbulent opposed impinging jets issuing from triangular nozzles with different geometries

In present research, two turbulent opposed impinging air jets issuing from triangular nozzles with fixed and variable exit velocity ratios and different nozzle-to-nozzle distances have been studied numerically and then compared with rectangular and circular nozzles. The finite volume method has been applied for solving mass and momentum equations. The turbulence model being used here is k-ε RNG. Distributions of pressure, turbulence, kinetic energy and its dissipation rate in various regions especially on the impingement regions have been obtained with high accuracy. Study of the nozzle geometries has shown the advantage of triangular nozzles over other geometries. First, the triangle’s base in nozzle geometry has an important role in our study case which, mixing two flows and regions with high turbulence intensity, directly depends on it. Second, our results show that circular and rectangular nozzles have less efficiency than triangular nozzles in mixing applications. Third and last, it was found that the radial jet being created by opposed jets has some similarities to free jets. In this investigation, air in standard atmospheric pressure has been applied as working fluid.     

Effects of dual jets distance on mixing characteristics and flow path within a cavity in supersonic crossflow

A rectangular open cavity with upstream dual injectors at a freestream Mach number of 1.9 was investigated experimentally. To evaluate the effect of the distance between the jets, the flow characteristics were investigated using the high-speed schlieren photography, particle image velocimetry, and surface oil flow techniques. The dual jet distances of 18 and 54 mm were used. Unstable flow occurs over the cavity in all cases and is not improved by changing the distance between the dual jets. Although the distance between the dual jets does not influence the flow stability, the flow field varies decidedly depending on the dual jets distance. The enhancement of air mixing depends on the distance between the jets. A long dual jets distance was found to yield better mixing characteristics within the cavity than a short one. When the jets are further apart, the mainstream between two counter-rotating vortex pairs behind the jets flows strongly into the cavity because of the increased blow-down occurring between the vortex pairs. Additionally, a counterflow with a low velocity magnitude occurs behind the jets. Hence, mixing is enhanced within the cavity by effects of the opposed flow. When the jet pairs are closer to each other, the counter-rotating vortex pairs are in contact; as a result, the blow-down effect does not occur between them. The flow drawn into the cavity from the mainstream is supplied from the sides of the test section into the cavity.     

Flow behaviour of turbulent nozzle jets issuing from bevelled collars

An experiment was conducted to investigate turbulent, low-speed air jets issuing from bevelled and non-bevelled circular collared-nozzle configurations. The collar-to-nozzle expansion ratio used was three and Reynolds number was approximately 20,000. Detailed mean flow velocity fields and velocity spectra of the resultant jet flows at different collar lengths and bevel angles were evaluated using hot-wire anemometry along both axial and radial directions of the jets. Centreline velocity decay was shown to be augmented when either collar length or bevel angle was increased, with the collar length playing a more dominant role. Results also showed that bevelled collared-jets vectored towards the longer collar-length region, the extent to which was enhanced when the collar length or bevel angle was increased. The study demonstrated that a bevelled collar exit could be used as an additional control device on top of the collar length to achieve finer jet flow control in terms of jet momentum vectoring and asymmetric jet spread.     

PIV measurements of turbulent flow in planar mixing layer

A turbulent mixing layer consists of two different flow types, i.e. shear layer (shear-flow turbulence) and free stream regions (nearly homogeneous turbulence). The inherent non-uniform seeding tracer distributions observed around the interfaces between the shear layer and two free stream regions usually lead to a difficulty in particle image velocimetry (PIV) measurements. A parametric study on the application of PIV to the measurement of velocity field in a planar mixing layer is made by means of six factors, including interrogation window size, aspect ratio of interrogation window, interrogation window offset, threshold of data validation, sharpening spatial filters (Prewitt and Sobel masks), and smoothing spatial filter (median mask). The objective of this study is to obtain accurate turbulent measurements in both mean and fluctuating velocities using PIV under an appropriate parametric setting. The optimal levels, which are trade-off in between the accuracy and fine spatial resolution of velocity field measurements, are determined with the aid of the Taguchi method. It is shown that the PIV measurements made with this optimal set of parameters are in good agreement with the measurements made by a two-component hot-wire anemometer. Case independency of the proposed optimal set of parameters on the flow condition of the mixing layer is validated through the applications to two additional tests under the different experimental conditions in changing solely either velocity ratio of high-speed to low-speed free stream velocities or Reynolds number.     

Jet characteristics in confined swirling flow

Jets in confined swirling flow are investigated in a facility where the swirling flow in the tube is produced by a vane-type swirler. The jet is located centrally in the swirler, and the diameter ratio of the tube to the jet is 14. Both the jet and the swirling flow are fully turbulent. Results show that the confined jet is highly dissipative in nature. Consequently, the flow in the tube does not resemble a free jet with axial pressure gradient. The presence of swirl increases the rate of dissipation and the jet decays even faster. A fairly isotropic turbulence field is observed in the confined swirling flow. However, the introduction of the jet does not significantly affect this behavior and near isotropy of the turbulence field is again observed at 30 jet diameters downstream.     

Flow analysis of two-dimensional pulsed jets by particle image velocimetry

A purely alternating jet without mean mass flux and a mixed pulsed jet containing an additional blowing component were investigated by particle image velocimetry (PIV). The jets issued from a two-dimensional slit connected to a converging nozzle, opening normally from a flat wall. The pulsation was driven by a loudspeaker. The mean velocity fields were characterized by the combination of downstream directional blowing and omni-directional suction. The velocity fluctuations were dominated by contra-rotating eddy pairs synchronized with the pulsation and formed at the jet edges during blowing. Phase-synchronized measurements permit the investigation of the averaged patterns and the cycle-to-cycle fluctuations of these vortices. The mean trajectories of vortex centers during a whole injection cycle show how large lateral jet expansions are achieved. For a purely alternating jet, the expansion takes place close to the slit. For a mixed pulsed jet, the vortices develop farther from the orifice. In addition, proper orthogonal mode decomposition demonstrates that only a few modes are required to represent the main events of the flow dynamics. Received: 10 August 1999 / Accepted: 10 January 2001