The turbulence structure of the annular non-swirling flow past an axisymmetric poppet valve

Abstract

This paper describes an experimental investigation of the non-swirling flow through an axisymmetric port and poppet valve assembly under steady flow conditions using laser Doppler anemometry. The three velocity components and the associated Reynolds stresses were measured by ensemble-averaged techniques and the turbulence kinetic energy and its production rate were determined. Time-resolved measurements were also taken in order to determine turbulence time and length scales and the dissipation rate of the turbulence kinetic energy. The Reynolds number, based on the minimum cross-sectional area of the port, was 25000. The flow is characterized by an annular jet which forms two vortices, one on either side of the jet. A jet flapping instability is also evident since the skewness and kurtosis of the velocity probability distribution function depart from the Gaussian form. This instability causes an intermittent mixing between eddies in the jet region and the vortices which introduces a non-turbulent contribution to the measured quantities. The production rates of the turbulence kinetic energy were found to be negative in some regions of the flow, indicating counter-gradient transport of momentum by turbulence; according to the coherent structures approach, the distribution of the Reynolds shear stresses and the length scales in these regions imply possible changes in the orientation of eddies.