Turbulent shear layer reattachment downstream of a backward-facing step in confined supersonic axisymmetric flow

Abstract

The reattachment of a supersonic jet with a turbulent boundary layer abruptly expanding into an axisymmetric parallel diffuser has been experimentally investigated using a surface-flow technique. Measurements were made in the started condition, where the blowing pressure is sufficiently high to establish an oblique shock system in the diffuser. The proposed reattachment criterion correlates present measurements in terms of the diffuser area ratio, and also those of other workers for unconfined flow in terms of the free stream Mach number after separation. As already reported for unconfined flow, it is found that disturbances downstream of reattachment do not affect the upstream region.