Stability of a swirled liquid film entrained by a fast gas stream

Abstract

We study the liquid flow inside a recessed gas-centered swirl coaxial injector, where a swirled liquid flowing against an outer wall is destabilized by a central fast gas stream. We present measurements of the liquid intact length inside the injector, as a function of swirl number and dynamic pressure ratio. We propose a simple model to account for the effect of these parameters. We next study the surface instability inside the injector: its frequency is measured for several swirl angles, and as a function of gas velocity. Results are first confronted to the predictions of an inviscid linear stability analysis including swirl, and second to the predictions of a viscous linear stability analysis where swirl is not included. The viscous analysis captures the experimental frequency.