Experimental and computational investigation of supersonic impinging jets

Abstract

The results of an experimental and computational study of a moderately underexpanded axisymmetric supersonic jet issuing from a converging nozzle and impinging on a ground plane are presented. The goal of this work is to develop a better understanding of the impinging jet flowfield, which is of significant practical interest because of its presence in short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) aircraft during hover as well as in other aerospace-related and industrial applications. The experimental measurements include flow visualization, surface-pressure distributions, and velocity field data obtained using particle image velocimetry (PIV). The experimental data, especially the velocity field measurements, were used to verify the accuracy of computational predictions. Computational results obtained using two different turbulence models produced almost identical results