Particle-laden jets: particle distribution and back-reaction on the flow

Abstract

DNS data of particle-laden jets are discussed both in the one- and two-way coupling regimes. Dynamics of inertial particles in turbulent jets is characterized by an anomalous transport that leads to the formation of particle concentration peaks along the jet axis. Larger is the particle inertia farther the peak location occurs. The controlling parameter is found to be the local large-scale Stokes number which decreases quadratically with the axial distance and is order one in coincidence of the peaks. The centerline mean particle velocity is characterized by two scaling laws. The former occurs upstream the location where the Stokes number is order one, and is linear in the axial distance with negative coefficient. The latter, occurring downstream where the local Stokes number is small, coincides with that of the centerline mean fluid velocity. This behavior affects the development of the particle-laden jet when the mass load of the particulate phase increases and two-way coupling effects become relevant. Two distinct behaviors for the jet development are found behind and beyond the location of unity local Stokes number leading to different scaling laws for the mean centerline fluid velocity.