Numerical simulation of high-speed turbulent water jets in air

Abstract

Numerical simulation of high-speed turbulent water jets in air and its validation with experimental data has not been reported in the literature. It is therefore aimed to simulate the physics of these high-speed water jets and compare the results with the existing experimental works. High-speed water jets diffuse in the surrounding atmosphere by the processes of mass and momentum transfer. Air is entrained into the jet stream and the entire process contributes to jet spreading and subsequent pressure decay. Hence the physical problem is in the category of multiphase flows, for which mass and momentum transfer is to be determined to simulate the problem. Using the Eulerian multiphase and the k–ε turbulence models, plus a novel numerical model for mass and momentum transfer, the simulation was achieved. The results reasonably predict the flow physics of high-speed water jets in air.