Breakup processes of liquid jets in subsonic crossflows

Abstract

The breakup processes of liquid jets injected into subsonic air crosse ows were experimentally studied. Test liquids, injector diameters, and air Mach numbers were varied to provide a wide range of jet operation conditions. Results indicate that for larger injection velocity conditions liquid jets penetrate relatively far into the crosse ows and exhibit surface breakup processes before the column breaks. Liquid column trajectories were correlated by liquid/air momentum e ux ratios based on a force analysis of a cylindrical liquid element subjected to an aerodynamic drag force. Drag coefe cients were inferred from the column trajectories and were found to exhibit a weak dependence on liquid viscosity. The heights of the column fracture points were correlated using the time required for an analogous droplet to complete an aerodynamic secondary breakup process. The success of the resulting correlation justie es the assumption that the aerodynamic forces acting on a droplet and those acting on a liquid column have similar effects. This result, combined with the trajectory correlation, leads to the conclusion that the liquid column always breaks at the same streamwise location, in agreement with the present experimental observation.