The controlled relaminarization of low velocity ratio elevated jets-in-crossflow

Abstract

The controlled suppression of instabilities, or “relaminarization,” in low velocity ratio and Reynolds number elevated jets-in-crossflow (JICFs) is discussed for jet-to-crossflow velocity ratios (R) less than 1.5 and jet Reynolds numbers (Red) less than 2000. The principal control method is via a synthetic jet from an annular slit coaxially surrounding the jet flow. Effects of forcing the JICF jet shear layer are studied using photographs obtained by smoke flow visualization, single point hot-wire measurements, and field measurements using a form of image correlation velocimetry on the smoke images. The unforced JICF is unstable in two R regimes separated by a window of stability centered around the velocity ratio R=1.13. In the lower unstable regime where there is formation of strong jet shear layer instabilities, the synthetic jet can suppress them. A mechanism for the suppression phenomenon is proposed. The synthetic jet reduces the local Reynolds number of a wakelike profile on the upstream side of the JICF between the free stream and jet flow below critical values for growth of an unstable flow structure. The control mechanism has many similarities to base bleed suppression of von Kármán vortex shedding in supercritical bluff bodies. A continuous stream from the same annular slit does indeed have a similar suppression effect to synthetic jet forcing.