Numerical simulations of vortices in mixing layers and plane jets

Direct numerical simulations of two-dimensional mixing layers and jets are presented first within the temporal approximation, and then with spatial calculations. The evolution of a temperature field as a passive scalar is investigated simultaneously. Besides usual statistical quantities, the results are presented through visualisations of coloured vorticity- and temperature-contours in order to describe the evolutions of the fields with time. Concentrated vortices develop and the evolution of the layer is dominated by the interactions between these eddies which can be viewed as the coherent structures observed in laboratory experiments.     

Flow structures in initial region of two interacting parallel plane jets

The initial region of two interacting parallel plane jets with a truncated bluff body at the plane of symmetry is studied with velocity measurements in the frequency and time domains. The mean flows of the two plane jets are nearly parallel to the plane of symmetry, and their inner and outer mixing regions are found. Within these mixing regions their respective trains of coherent structures, which are of vortical form, are established. The inner vortices are inwardly rotational, while the outer vortices rotate outwardly. The successive initial vortices in the inner mixing region seem to undergo two processes of either pairing or amalgamation. The former results in the formation of a nearly circular coherent structure, while the latter results in the elongated structure. Both the inner and other structures experience fairly rapid decay. The process of decay also seems to be either the usual decay or the division of the coalesced structure back into the individual vortical structures followed by their decay.     

Two parallel plane jets: mean flow and effects of acoustic excitation

 The flow field generated by unventilated two parallel jets has been investigated using LDA. The two nozzles each with an aspect ratio of 24 were separated by 4.25 nozzle widths. Results show that a recirculation zone with sub-atmospheric static pressure was bounded by the inner shear layers of the individual jets and the nozzles plate. It was shown that the two-dimensionality of the flow was greatly enhanced by the installation of side plates and that the flow was independent of Reynolds number between 8300 and 19300. Acoustic excitation introduced at the outer shear layer mode has been shown to reduce the size of the potential core, recirculation zone, merging length and combined length but enhance jet spreading, streamwise velocity decay and volume entrainment. Received: 18 November 1994/Accepted: 26 July 1996     

Interaction of plane non-parallel jets

Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Mekhaniki i Tekhnicheskoi Fiziki, No. 3, pp. 65–70, May–June, 1990.     

Numerical simulation of compressible plane jets

Two- and three-dimensional spatial direct numerical simulations of a compressible plane jet exhausting into a parallel stream are described. These simulations reveal the inadequacy of a two-dimensional model in capturing the totality of the flow physics. In two dimensions, instabilities evolve into highly organized large-scale mixing events; two-dimensional time-averaged turbulence quantities also suffer from artificial vortex organization. Mean normal velocity profiles show a significant reduction in entrainment with increased compressibility, while the effect is much less pronounced in three dimensions. While streamwise and spanwise turbulence intensities exhibit no change with increased compressibility, normal intensity and shear stress are significantly reduced.     

Investigation of a continuous adjoint-based optimization procedure for aeroacoustic control of plane jets

A control optimization technique using the continuous adjoint of the compressible Navier–Stokes equations is implemented for aeroacoustic optimization of plane jet flows. The purpose of the adjoint equations is to provide sensitivity information, which is afterwards used in a gradient-based minimization of a prescribed cost functional, designed to describe the far-field sound pressure level (SPL). The objective of the present paper is to demonstrate the ability to reduce the sound in the near far-field of plane jets. Furthermore, as the continuous adjoint approach can become inaccurate, due to inconsistencies between the continuous and the discretized system, the accuracy of the continuous adjoint approach is investigated. The considered cases exhibit a nozzle exit Reynolds number of Re_jet = ρu_jetD/μ = 2000 and a Mach number of M_jet = 0.9, performed using two-dimensional direct numerical simulation and three-dimensional large-eddy simulation, respectively. A comparison of the obtained gradient via adjoint and finite differences is presented and it is shown, that in order to obtain reliable gradient directions, the length of the optimization time needs to be restricted. Furthermore, a receding horizon optimization for the two-dimensional plane jet simulation is used to obtain a sound reduction over much longer time intervals. The influence of different formulations of the viscosity in the adjoint equations is finally investigated.     

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.     

On the mixing of axi-symmetric ducted jets

Because of practical application to jet pumps, ejectors, furnaces and similar devices, the turbulent discharge of a round jet into a coaxial duct and the mixing patterns in the various regions into which the flow may be divided, are of considerable interest. In this paper the mixing of an incompressible jet with a similar fluid in a cylindrical tube is considered up to the plane which marks the disappearance of potential flow. Under the assumption of similarity of velocity profile and with neglect of the wall boundary layer and nozzle wake, the continuity and momentum equations, in integral form, are solved for the velocities and mixing region radii at any given section. Prandtl's momentum transfer hypothesis may be used to determine the dependence of these on distance downstream. By examining the various flow regimes in detail this analysis is formally able to cover ratios of primary to secondary flow velocities of from one to infinity and, similarly, all ratios of duct to nozzle diameters, thereby extending earlier investigations. It also corrects work on similar basis in which inappropriate linearisations were made. The ‘exact’ results constitute a basis from which extension to include additional effects may be made.     

Measurements of turbulent inclined plane dual jets

Measurements of mean velocities, flow direction, velocity fluctuations and Reynolds shear stress were made with a split film probe of hot wire anemometer to investigate the interactions created by two air jets issuing from two identical plane inclined nozzles. The reverse flow was detected by using the split film probe and observed by flow visualization. Experimental results with an inclined angle of 9° are presented in the paper. Some experimental results with an inclined angle of 27° are presented to investigate the effect of inclination on the flow field.Mean velocities approach self-preservation in both the converging region and the combining region. Velocity fluctuations and Reynolds shear stress approach self-preservation in the combining region only. The spreads of jet and the square of the decay of maximum mean velocity increase linearly as the distance from the nozzle exit increases.List of symbols D nozzle width - h nozzle height - J momentum of jet - J ₀ momentum of jet at nozzle exit - M mass flow rate - M ₀ mass flow rate at nozzle exit - S nozzle spacing - U, V mean velocities in the X and Y axis respectively - U _m maximum axial velocity - U ₀ axial velocity at nozzle exit - u, v velocity fluctuations in the X and Y axis respectively - u, v r.m.s. of u and v - Reynolds shear stress - X, Y Cartesian coordinates - X _m , Y _m coordinates at the location of maximum axial velocity - y _0.5 distance from the location of maximum axial velocity to the location where the velocity is half of maximum axial velocity - inclined angle - yY/S - Reynolds stress correlation coefficient - C.P combining point - max maximum value - M.P merging point - o nozzle exit plane - V.C vortex center     

Investigation of two plane paralleltiinven ilated jets

Measurements of mean velocity components, mean flow direction, turbulent intensities and Reynolds shear stress were made with a split film probe of hot wire anemometer to investigate the flow field generated by two identical jets of air issuing from plane parallel nozzles in a common end wall and mixing with the ambient room air. Due to the sensitivity of the split film probe to the flow direction, the reverse flow in the converging region was detected by the split film probe and observed by flow visualization. The mean velocity approaches self-preservation in both the converging and the combined regions, while the turbulent intensities and Reynolds shear stress approach self-preservation in the combined region only. The trajectory of the maximum velocity is almost unchanged by variance of nozzle spacing in the converging region. The distance of the merging point from the nozzle exit increases linearly with nozzle spacing. The spread of the converging jet increases more rapidly than that of the combined jet.     

Unsteady effects in mechanically-excited turbulent plane jets

Two methods of mechanically exciting a plane turbulent free jet are described; periodic perturbatin of the nozzle exit velocity, and forced oscillation of a small vane located in the het potential core. Hot-wire measurements obtained by conditional sampling techniques indicated that the flow fields of the two jets are substantially different although they have the same Strouhal number of 0.0032. While the mean flow development of the pulsed jet can be described adequately by a quasi-steady model, the vane-excited jet exhibits unsteady effects which depart significantly from quasi-steady approximations such as increased entrainment, amplification of excitation and non-linear effects in the form of the presence of high harmonics. The constancy of momentum flux has been examined in both the steady and unsteady jets     

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 effect of closed-loop feedback control on scalar mixing in a plane shear layer

The effect of feedback on mixing in a plane shear layer was studied using temperature as an analog to species concentration. Mixing was quantified using temperature measurements made by an array of cold-wire sensors. Upstream of the cold-wire sensors, a schlieren imager measured the cross-stream position of the temperature interface between the two streams before the primary vortical structures had formed. Surface heaters mounted on the flow partition were used as control actuators. Feeding the gained output from the interface position sensor back to the surface heaters closed the loop and created resonance and out-of-resonance conditions in the flow, both of which increased mixing. The feedback gains were adaptively modified in real time to maximize mixing at a given streamwise station. Finally, it was found that deliberately introducing streamwise vorticity, and then choosing feedback gains that strengthen these streamwise vortices, can greatly enhance mixing.     

Meandering of jets flowing down over an inclined plane

Experiments on the stability of rectilinear jets flowing down over an inclined plane against meandering are described and a technique for processing the experimental results is proposed.     

Scalar transport in plane mixing layers

This paper describes the application of the Eulerian, single-point, single-time joint-scalar probability density function (PDF) equation for predicting the scalar transport in mixing layer with a high-speed and a low-speed stream. A finite-volume procedure is applied to obtain the velocity field with the k-ε closure being used to describe turbulent transport. The scalar field is represented through the modelled evolution equation for the scalar PDF and is solved using a Monte Carlo simulation. The PDF equation employs gradient transport modelling to represent the turbulent diffusion, and the molecular mixing term is modelled by the LMSE closure. There is no source term for chemical reaction as only an inert mixing layer is considered here. The experimental shear layer data published by Batt is used to validate the computational results despite the fact that comparisons between experiments and computational results are difficult because of the high sensitivity of the shear layer to initial conditions and free stream turbulence phenomena. However, the bimodal shape of the RMS scalar fluctuation as was measured by Batt can be reproduced with this model, whereas standard gradient diffusion calculations do not predict the dip in this profile. In this work for the first time an explanation is given for this phenomenon and the importance of a micromixing model is stressed. Also it is shown that the prediction of the PDF shape by the LMSE model is very satisfactory. Received on 27 October 1998     

Experimental study of parallel and inclined turbulent wall jets

An experimental study of the flow field in a two-dimensional wall jet has been conducted. All measurements were carried out using hot-wire anemometry. The experimental facility has a rectangular slot nozzle of high aspect ratio l/b = 100 (where l and b are the length and height slot, respectively). Mean velocities and Reynolds stresses were determined with three nozzle Reynolds numbers (Re = 1 × 10⁴, 2 × 10⁴ and 3 × 10⁴) and four different inclination angles between the wall and the flow velocity at the nozzle (β = 0°, 10°, 20° and 30°). Results indicate that all wall jets are self-preserving in the developed region. Normal to the wall two regions can be identified: one similar to a plane free jet and the other similar to a boundary layer. Downstream the interaction between these two regions creates a mixed or third region. The logarithmic region increases with the distance from the nozzle and with the Reynolds number. For the inclined wall jet, the spreading rate expressed in terms of jet half-width or maximum velocity decay with respect to the streamwise distance, asymptotes to a linear law. The streamwise locations where the jet becomes self-similar are farther from the exit than in parallel wall jet. The slope of both half-width and maximum velocity decay in the developed region are affected by both wall jet inclination angle and nozzle exit Reynolds number.