Vortex Dynamics and Fluctuations of Impinging Planar Jet

Abstract

Smoothness of thin metallic coated strip produced in continuous galvanizing lines is influenced by fluctuations of the impinging wiping pressure. In this paper, vortex dynamics e.g. vortex production frequency and mixing of jet opposing shear layer vortices; and impinging pressure were numerically studied by Large Eddy Simulation (LES). The effects of jet nozzle width, d, and operational parameters (nozzle to strip distance, H, and mean jet velocity, Uo) were investigated. Vortex production rate is almost linearly correlated to Uo and mixing of shear layer vortices occurs when H/d ≥ 6. Dominant frequencies of impinging pressure fluctuation are significantly different between the two possible phenomena of i) Mixing of opposing shear layer vortices prior to jet impingement on the strip, or ii) No mixing of opposing shear layer vortices prior to jet impingement. The impinging pressure of a jet characterised by mixing of vortices is predominantly composed of frequencies lower than 10 kHz with the most significant components at less than 1 kHz. In contrast, for a jet with non-mixing of vortices, the impinging pressure fluctuations are comprised of frequencies greater than 10 kHz and the dominant frequency is approximately one half the vortex production frequency. Utilising existing model results for the coating thickness response to pressure and shear stress fluctuations12) the anticipated degree of coating thickness sensitivity to the mixing and non-mixing impinging jet cases of the present work has been elucidated. It is shown that a mixed vortices jet is most likely to cause surface ripples in the coating.