Performance of corrugated actuator-tabs of aspect ratio 2.0 on supersonic jet mixing enhancement

Abstract

The present experimental investigation explores the ability of the corrugated actuator-tabs (or simply, the corrugated actuators) of aspect ratio 2 in encouraging the mixing of Mach 1.73 circular jet at different levels of expansion conditions. Essentially, rectangular, triangular, and semi-circular corrugated actuators are deployed at the opposite positions across the diameter of the nozzle outlet and compared with the plain or simple actuators located at the same positions. Quantitative and qualitative observations were conducted by pitot pressure measurements and shadowgraph flow visualization. Interestingly, the characteristic decays are higher for the semi-circular and triangular corrugated actuators, exhibiting superior mixing than the rectangular corrugated actuator in the far-field. However, the core length reduction for rectangular corrugation is greater than for triangular and semicircular corrugation geometry. As high as 96.5 % core length reduction was obtained for the rectangular corrugated actuators operating at the overexpansion condition. The pressure profiles along and perpendicular to these actuators confirmed that the deployment of the corrugation geometry significantly reduces the flow asymmetry. The shadowgraphic flow visualizations reveal that the plain and corrugated actuators weaken the waves and shorten the cells when compared to the uncontrolled or free jet.