Effect of Mesh Grids on the Turbulent Mixing Layer of an Axisymmetric Jet

Abstract

This article focuses on the effect that two different mesh grids have on the structure of the mixing layer of an axisymmetric jet. Detailed measurements of mean velocity and turbulent velocity fluctuations are made with an X hot-wire probe in the range 0.5 ≤ x/d ≤ 10, where x is the longitudinal distance from the nozzle exit plane and d is the nozzle diameter. The grids are introduced at two locations—one location just downstream of the nozzle exit plane and the other location upstream of the nozzle exit plane in order to perturb the nozzle exit boundary layer. One mesh completely covers the nozzle (full mesh or FM) and the other mesh covers the central, high-speed zone (disk mesh or DM). With reference to the undisturbed jet, FM yields a significant reduction in the turbulence intensity and width of the shear layer, whereas DM enhances the turbulence intensity and increases the width of the shear layer. Both grids suppress the formation of the Kelvin–Helmholtz instability in the mixing layer. Results are presented, mainly at x/d = 5 and 6 in both the spectral domain and physical space. In the latter context, second- and third-order structure functions associated with u (the longitudinal velocity fluctuation) and v (the lateral or radial velocity fluctuation) are presented only for the flow perturbed by placing the mesh outside the nozzle. All mesh geometries have a more significant effect on the second-order structure function of u than on that of v. The third-order energy transfer term is affected in such a way that, relative to the undisturbed jet, its peak location is shifted to a smaller scale when FM is used and to a larger scale with DM. This is consistent with our observations that FM reduces the turbulence in the shear layer while DM enhances it. It is suggested that the large-scale vortices that are formed at the edge of the grids play a significant role in the transfer of energy.