Large eddy simulation of a turbulent spray jet generated by high-pressure injection: impact of the in-nozzle flow

The turbulence properties of a gas spray jet generated through the injection of a high-pressure atomising spray were studied in the context of the Euler–Lagrange formulation using a large eddy simulation (LES) approach. The study's main aim was to investigate nozzle flow effects on flow and turbulence statistics for a two-phase jet flow in the near and far fields of the spray. The study investigated the injection of an existing in-nozzle flow at the spray inlet. Simulation results were compared with measurements obtained for non-evaporating sprays under quasi-steady conditions, which, in practice, correspond to a long-duration injection. Both simulated high-injection pressure cases showed a good agreement with experimental data. A two-stage evolution of the spray was observed. The flow of the gas jet first developed along the spray cone, followed by the appearance of highly vortical structures around and within the spray. Cavitation in the nozzle flow resulted in an observed asymmetry of the generated gas spray jet: on the gas spray jet side of the nozzle (relative to the cavitation side), stronger jet spreading occurred, and droplets were smaller and slower. The spray jet typically exhibited an ellipsoidal cross-sectional shape. The paper provides a characterisation of the asymmetry that persisted for the duration of the spray evolution (at least for the distances considered here).