Annular Shear Layer Research Articles

High-order discretization–based self-adaptive turbulence eddy simulation for supersonic base flow with PHengLEI software

PurposeThe purpose of the present study is to develop a new numerical framework that can predict the supersonic base flow more accurately, including the development of axisymmetrically separated shear layer and recompression shock. To this end, two aspects are improved and combined, i.e. a newly self-adaptive turbulence eddy simulation (SATES) turbulence modeling method and a high-order discretization numerical scheme. Furthermore, the performance of the new numerical framework within a general-purpose PHengLEI software is assessed in detail.Design/methodology/approachSatisfactory prediction of the supersonic separated shear layer with unsteady wake flow is quite challenging. By using a unified turbulence model called SATES combining high-order accurate discretization numerical schemes, the present study first assesses the performance of newly developed SATES for supersonic axisymmetric separation flows. A high-order finite differencing-based compressible computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code called PHengLEI is developed and several different numerical schemes are used to investigate the effects on shock-turbulence interactions, which include the monotonic upstream-centered scheme for conservation laws (MUSCL), weighted compact nonlinear scheme (WCNS) and hybrid cell-edge and cell-node dissipative compact scheme (HDCS).FindingsCompared with the available experimental data and the numerical predictions, the results of SATES by using high-order accurate WCNS or HDCS schemes agree better with the experiments than the results by using the MUSCL scheme. The WCNS and HDCS can also significantly improve the prediction of flow physics in terms of the instability of the annular shear layer and the evolution of the turbulent wake.Research limitations/implicationsThe small deviations in the recirculation region can be found between the present numerical results and experimental data, which could be caused by the inaccurate incoming boundary layer condition and compressible effects. Therefore, a proper incoming boundary layer condition with turbulent fluctuations and compressibility effects need to be considered to further improve the accuracy of simulations.Practical implicationsThe present study evaluates a high-order discretization-based SATES turbulence model for supersonic separation flows, which is quite valuable for improving the calculation accuracy of aeronautics applications, especially in supersonic conditions.Originality/valueFor the first time, the newly developed SATES turbulence modeling method combining the high-order accurate WCNS or HDCS numerical schemes is implemented on the PHengLEI software and successfully applied for the simulations of supersonic separation flows, and satisfactory results are obtained. The unsteady evolutions of the supersonic annular shear layer are analyzed, and the hairpin vortex structures are found in the simulation.

NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF A FLUID FLOW IN THE CYLINDRICAL DUCT CONTAINING TWO DIAPHRAGMS WITH ORIFICES OF DIFFERENT DIAMETERS

The flow of a viscous incompressible fluid in a cylindrical duct with two serial diaphragms with orifices of different diameters was studied based on the numerical solution of the unsteady Navier-Stokes equations. The solution algorithm was based on the finite volume method using second-order accurate difference schemes in both space and time. The TVD (Total-Variation Diminishing) form of a central-difference scheme with a flux limiter was used for the interpolation of the convective terms. The combined evaluation of the velocity and pressure fields was carried out using the PISO (Pressure Implicit Split Operator) procedure. The problem was solved using OpenFOAM (Open-source Field Operation And Manipulation) open-source toolkit libraries using the computing power of the cluster supercomputer of the V.M. Glushkov Institute of Cybernetics of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. It was shown that within a certain range of the diameter ratio of the orifices of the diaphragms, a circulation movement is established in the cavity between the diaphragms. The boundary layer breaks off from the surface of the first diaphragm and forms an annular shear layer. When approaching the second diaphragm, a sequence of ring vortices is formed in it, which interact with the surface of the diaphragm and lead to the emergence of tonal sound. When the ratio of the orifice diameter of the second diaphragm to the first decreases, the share of the jet’s kinetic energy, which participates in the circulation in the middle of the cavity between the diaphragms, increases. As a result, the amplitude of velocity fluctuations in the orifice of the second diaphragm decreases. When the ratio of the diameters of the orifices increases, the share of energy involved in the circulation decreases, and when a certain value of the ratio is reached, the interaction between the vortices in the shear layer and the surface of the diaphragm does not occur. As a result, the excitation of the tonal sound stops. The Strouhal number of self-oscillations practically does not change when the diameter ratio of the orifices changes. During the calculations, two different modes of self-oscillation were obtained, which is consistent with previous works.

Effect of H2 addition on the local extinction, flame structure, and flow field hydrodynamics in non-premixed bluff body stabilized flames

We examined the effect of hydrogen (H2) enrichment on the primary fuel methane (CH4) in a canonical non-premixed bluff-body stabilized burner operating under typical central jet-dominated flame mode. In the chosen mode of operation, globally, the flow field and flame feature three important successive spatial zones: the recirculation zone, the neck zone, and the jet-like flame zone. The flame is exposed to a higher stretch rate in the neck zone in such a configuration and eventually undergoes local extinction. Such local extinction and subsequent re-ignition/reconnection of broken flame branches have substantial implications for the hydrodynamic instability of the coaxial annular air shear layer. It is well known that H2 addition increases the flame extinction strain rate (κext) and thus alters the local extinction phenomenon. To understand this, we performed experiments at 0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 50%, 80%, and 100% hydrogen proportion in the H2-CH4 blend. High repetition rate (5 kHz) Particle Image Velocimetry and OH Planar Laser Induced Fluorescence (PLIF) measurements are simultaneously implemented to gain quantitative insight into the flow field and flame structure. A detailed analysis performed over the instantaneous OH–PLIF datasets reveals the absence of local extinctions in flames with H2 enrichment >30% due to an increased extinction strain rate (κext). Furthermore, it is found that H2 enrichment plays a significant role in the reconnection/re-ignition of the broken flame branches formed during the local extinction. For instance, a high reconnection probability is observed in flames with an H2 addition of ≥20%. Consequently, variations in the mean reaction zone height are witnessed for different H2 enrichment levels. Further analysis of the influence of variation in reaction zone height on flow field hydrodynamics is explored using Proper Orthogonal Decomposition (POD) and Continuous Wavelet Transform (CWT). The results obtained from POD and CWT indicated the suppression of vortex shedding at the annular air shear layer for H2 addition greater than 20% and irregular wrinkling of flame fronts. Thus, they quantified the beneficial effect of H2 addition in turbulent flame stabilization.

On The Relationship Between H2 Addition, Local Extinction And Hydrodynamic Instability In Non-Premixed Bluff-Body Stabilized Flames

In the race for decarbonization of the power sector, H2 is found to be a better candidate as it can be readily produced in large scales from renewables (e.g. wind and solar energy). Nevertheless, the difference in the thermophysical properties of H2 in comparison to the conventional fuels possesses additional operational challenges. For instance, although the high flame speed together with a wide flammability range offer improved flame stabilization, however, it intensifies the risk of flashback. Besides, the increased strain resistance due to H2 enrichment is expected to alter the flame shape significantly. Hence, it is apparent that the widespread implementation of H2 across various practical systems needs a thorough understanding of the various physical mechanisms. In this context, we examined the effect of hydrogen (H2) enrichment to methane (CH4) in a non-premixed bluff-body stabilized burner operating under typical central jet dominated flame mode. In the chosen mode of operation, globally, the flow field and flame feature three important successive spatial regions, namely, recirculation zone, neck zone and jet-like flame zone. In such configuration, the flame is exposed to a higher stretch rate in the neck zone and eventually undergoes local extinction. Such local extinction and subsequent re-ignition of broken flame branches have strong implications over the hydrodynamic instability of the coaxial annular air shear layer. It is well known that H2 addition increases the flame extinction strain rate and thus alters the local extinction phenomenon. To understand this phenomenon, we performed experiments at 10%, 20 %, 30% and 50 % hydrogen proportion in (H2-CH4) blend. High repetition rate (5 KHz) PIV and OH PLIF measurements are performed simultaneously to perceive the quantitative insights. The results obtained from POD and 1D wavelet transform indicated the suppression of vortex shedding at the annular air shear layer for H2 addition greater than 20 %, and thus quantified the beneficial effect of H2 addition in turbulent flame stabilization.

Dominant flow features in the wake of a wind turbine at high Reynolds numbers

Dominant flow features in the near and intermediate wake of a horizontal-axis wind turbine are studied at near field-scale Reynolds numbers. Measurements of the axial velocity component were performed using a nano-scale hot-wire anemometer and analyzed using spectral methods to reveal the extent and evolution of the flow features. Experiments were conducted at a range of Reynolds numbers, of 2.7×106≤ReD≤7.2×106, based on the rotor diameter and freestream velocity. Five different downstream locations were surveyed, between 0.77≤x/D≤5.52, including the near wake, transition to the intermediate wake, and the intermediate wake. Three dominant wake features are identified and studied: the tip vortices, an annular shear layer in the wake core, and wake meandering. The tip vortices are shown to have a broadband influence in the flow in their vicinity, which locally alters the turbulence in that area. It is shown that shedding in the wake core and wake meandering are two distinct and independent low frequency features, and the wake meandering persists into the intermediate wake, whereas the signatures of the core shedding vanish early in the near wake.

Flow dynamics and wall-pressure signatures in a high-Reynolds-number overexpanded nozzle with free shock separation

A delayed detached eddy simulation of an overexpanded nozzle flow with shock-induced separation is carried out at a Reynolds number of , based on nozzle throat diameter and stagnation chamber properties. In this flow, self-sustained shock oscillations induce local unsteady loads on the nozzle wall as well as global off-axis forces. Despite several studies in the last few decades, a clear physical understanding of the factors driving this unsteadiness is still lacking. The geometry under investigation is a subscale truncated ideal contour nozzle, which was experimentally tested at the University of Texas at Austin at a nozzle pressure ratio of 30. Under these conditions, the nozzle operates in a highly overexpanded state and comprises a conical separation shock that merges to form a Mach disk at the nozzle centre. The delayed detached eddy simulation model agrees well with the experimental results in terms of mean and fluctuating wall-pressure statistics. Wall-pressure spectra reveal a large bump at low frequencies associated with an axisymmetric (piston-like) motion of the shock system, followed by a broad and high-amplitude peak at higher frequencies associated with the Mach waves produced by turbulent eddies convecting through the detached shear layer. Moreover, a distinct peak at an intermediate frequency ( ) persists in the wall-pressure spectra downstream of the separation shock. A Fourier-based analysis performed in both time and space (azimuthal wavenumber) reveals that this intermediate-frequency peak is associated with the (non-symmetric) pressure mode and is thus related to the generation of aerodynamic side loads. It is then shown how the unsteady Mach disk motion is characterized by an intense vortex shedding activity that, together with the vortical structures of the annular shear layer, contributes to the sustainment of an aeroacoustic feedback loop occurring within the nozzle.

Spectral analysis of jet turbulence

Informed by large-eddy simulation (LES) data and resolvent analysis of the mean flow, we examine the structure of turbulence in jets in the subsonic, transonic and supersonic regimes. Spectral (frequency-space) proper orthogonal decomposition is used to extract energy spectra and decompose the flow into energy-ranked coherent structures. The educed structures are generally well predicted by the resolvent analysis. Over a range of low frequencies and the first few azimuthal mode numbers, these jets exhibit a low-rank response characterized by Kelvin–Helmholtz (KH) type wavepackets associated with the annular shear layer up to the end of the potential core and that are excited by forcing in the very-near-nozzle shear layer. These modes too have been experimentally observed before and predicted by quasi-parallel stability theory and other approximations – they comprise a considerable portion of the total turbulent energy. At still lower frequencies, particularly for the axisymmetric mode, and again at high frequencies for all azimuthal wavenumbers, the response is not low-rank, but consists of a family of similarly amplified modes. These modes, which are primarily active downstream of the potential core, are associated with the Orr mechanism. They occur also as subdominant modes in the range of frequencies dominated by the KH response. Our global analysis helps tie together previous observations based on local spatial stability theory, and explains why quasi-parallel predictions were successful at some frequencies and azimuthal wavenumbers, but failed at others.

The spectral signature of wind turbine wake meandering: A wind tunnel and field‐scale study

AbstractField‐scale and wind tunnel experiments were conducted in the 2Dto 6Dturbine wake region to investigate the effect of geometric and Reynolds number scaling on wake meandering. Five field deployments took place: 4 in the wake of a single 2.5‐MW wind turbine and 1 at a wind farm with numerous 2‐MW turbines. The experiments occurred under near‐neutral thermal conditions. Ground‐based lidar was used to measure wake velocities, and a vertical array of met‐mounted sonic anemometers were used to characterize inflow conditions. Laboratory tests were conducted in an atmospheric boundary layer wind tunnel for comparison with the field results. Treatment of the low‐resolution lidar measurements is discussed, including an empirical correction to velocity spectra using colocated lidar and sonic anemometer. Spectral analysis on the laboratory‐ and utility‐scale measurements confirms a meandering frequency that scales with the Strouhal numberSt = fD/Ubased on the turbine rotor diameterD. The scaling indicates the importance of the rotor‐scaled annular shear layer to the dynamics of meandering at the field scale, which is consistent with findings of previous wind tunnel and computational studies. The field and tunnel spectra also reveal a deficit in large‐scale turbulent energy, signaling a sheltering effect of the turbine, which blocks or deflects the largest flow scales of the incoming flow. Two different mechanisms for wake meandering—large scales of the incoming flow and shear instabilities at relatively smaller scales—are discussed and inferred to be related to the turbulent kinetic energy excess and deficit observed in the wake velocity spectra.

A comparative study of highly underexpanded nitrogen and hydrogen jets using large eddy simulation

Three-dimensional large eddy simulations (LES) of highly underexpanded hydrogen and nitrogen jets at the same nozzle pressure ratio (NPR) of 5.60 and at a Reynolds number around 105 are performed. The classical near-field structures of highly underexpanded jets are well captured by LES, especially the shape and size of Mach barrel for both jets are very similar and agree well with the available literature data. However, the flow field and the shock structures after the Mach disk differ significantly. The density in the annular shear layer of H2 jet is much lower because of its smaller molecular weight. Meanwhile, the H2 jet has a much longer jet core and more shock cells. The dominant instability mode is helical for the N2 jet, but is axisymmetric for the H2 jet. There are two discrete peaks of fs = 37.086 kHz and f2s = 45.695 kHz in the spectrum of the N2 jet, while the spectrum of the H2 jet is characterized by a fundamental screech frequency of fs = 47.020 kHz and its high-order harmonics. The H2 jet mixes more rapidly with the ambient air but has a much smaller mixing area on cross-section planes. Mixing between the ambient air and fuel still takes places at the jet boundary defined according to the mixture fraction of Z = 0.02, and the area of fully turbulent region of the highly underexpanded jets seems to be less predicted based on the traditional vorticity T/NT (turbulent/non-turbulent) interface for both jets.

Measurements in the annular shear layer of high subsonic and under-expanded round jets

An experimental study has been undertaken to document compressibility effects in the annular shear layers of axisymmetric jets. Comparison is made of the measured flow development with the well-documented influence of compressibility in planar mixing layers. High Reynolds number (~106) and high Mach number jets issuing from a convergent nozzle at nozzle pressure ratios (NPRs) from 1.28 to 3.0 were measured using laser Doppler anemometry instrumentation. Detailed radial profile data are reported, particularly within the potential core region, for mean velocity, turbulence rms, and turbulence shear stress. For supercritical NPRs the presence of the pressure waves in the inviscid shock cell region as the jet expanded back to ambient pressure was found to exert a noticeable effect on shear layer location, causing this to shift radially outwards at high supercritical NPR conditions. After a boundary layer to free shear layer transition zone, the turbulence development displayed a short region of similarity before adjustment to near-field merged jet behaviour. Peak turbulence rms reduction due to compressibility was similar to that observed in planar layers with radial rms suppression much stronger than axial. Comparison of the compressibility-modified annular shear layer growth rate with planar shear layer data on the basis of the convective Mach number (M C) showed notable differences; in the annular shear layer, compressibility effects began at lower M C and displayed a stronger reduction in growth. For high Mach number aerospace propulsion applications involving round jets, the current measurements represent a new data set for the calibration/validation of compressibility-affected turbulence models.

The underexpanded jet Mach disk and its associated shear layer

High resolution planar particle image velocimetry is used to measure turbulent quantities in the region downstream of the Mach disk in an axisymmetric underexpanded jet issuing from a convergent nozzle. The internal annular shear layer generated by the slip line emanating from the triple point is shown to persist across multiple shock cells downstream. A triple decomposition based on Proper Orthogonal Decomposition shows that the external helical structure associated with the screech tone generated by the jet exerts a strong influence on velocity fluctuations in the initial region of the annular shear layer. This influence manifests as the external vortices producing oscillatory motion of the Mach disk, and thus a forcing of the internal annular shear layer. The internal shear layer is characterized by a number of azimuthal modes of varying wavenumber and type, including both helical and axisymmetric modes. Finally, the possibility of a previously hypothesized recirculation region behind the Mach disk is investigated, with no evidence found to support its existence.

Prediction of blowoff in a fully controllable low-swirl burner burning alternative fuels: Effects of burner geometry, swirl, and fuel composition

Although the lean-premixed low-swirl burner (LSB) has been successfully demonstrated in a variety of applications, the mechanisms of flame stabilization are not fully understood and practical approaches for predicting stability limits are lacking. Using a unique fully controllable LSB coupled with a stereoscopic particle image velocimetry system, flow field characteristics and flame stability were investigated over a wide range of inlet conditions (reactant flow rates, 400<Qtot<1200 SLPM; heat release rates, 15<HRRHHV<75kW), scales (38.1, 50.8 and 76.2mm LSB nozzles), swirl configurations (swirl angles, α of 0°, 35°, 37.5°, 40.4°, 44.4° and 47°), and fuel compositions (reference fuel of methane and 10 different alternative fuel mixtures). Two distinct stability modes were documented within the regime classically identified as low-swirl. The dominant ‘W-type’ flames were observed to be stabilized in the shear layer between the central core flow and annular flow of the LSB. The less common ‘R-type’ flames were characterized by a noticeable axial recirculation, even at low swirl numbers. Damköhler number calculations revealed that these two flame modes were separated by a transition region of roughly 0.3<Da<0.75, with blowoff in a W- and R-type mode generally occurring above and below this range. For hydrogen containing fuel mixtures, a third, attached-flame stabilization-mode was also observed at low burner exit velocities and/or high equivalence ratios. For the W-type regime, a semi-empirical correlation was developed based on the strength of the annular shear layer (Vdiff), which linearly related data for all available fuel mixtures and LSB sizes to the average exit velocity, Uave, such that (Vdiff/Uave)(SL/SL,CH4s)0.17=1.05±15% for all available data at blowoff. This result provides new insight into LSB flame stabilization and is a useful tool for LSB design applicable to a wide range of fuels, equivalence ratios, heat release rates, and scales.

Numerical simulation of the compressible mixing layer past an axisymmetric trailing edge

Numerical simulation of a compressible mixing layer past an axisymmetric trailing edge is carried out for a Reynolds number based on the diameter of the trailing edge approximately equal to 2.9 × 106. The free-stream Mach number at separation is equal to 2.46, which corresponds to experiments and leads to high levels of compressibility. The present work focuses on the evolution of the turbulence field through extra strain rates and on the unsteady features of the annular shear layer. Both time-averaged and instantaneous data are used to obtain further insight into the dynamics of the flow. An investigation of the time-averaged flow field reveals an important shear-layer growth rate in its initial stage and a strong anisotropy of the turbulent field. The convection velocity of the vortices is found to be somewhat higher than the estimated isentropic value. This corroborates findings on the domination of the supersonic mode in planar supersonic/subsonic mixing layers. The development of the shear layer leads to a rapid decrease of the anisotropy until the onset of streamline realignment with the axis. Due to the increase of the axisymmetric constraints, an adverse pressure gradient originates from the change in streamline curvature. This recompression is found to slow down the eddy convection. The foot shock pattern features several convected shocks emanating from the upper side of the vortices, which merge into a recompression shock in the free stream. Then, the flow accelerates and the compressibility levels quickly drop in the turbulent developing wake. Some evidence of the existence of large-scale structures in the near wake is found through the domination of the azimuthal mode m = 1 for a Strouhal number based on trailing-edge diameter equal to 0.26.

Space?time correlation measurements of high-speed axisymmetric jets using optical deflectometry

An optical deflectometry system is used to provide unique space–time correlation measurements at two positions separated by varying axial distances within a high-speed jet shear layer. The measurements were made for both pure air and for helium/air mixture jets at Mach numbers M=0.9 and M=1.5. The jets issue from round nozzles and the sensing volumes at the two measurement positions consist of small light filaments along spanwise lines that are tangential to the annular jet shear layer. Applying this technique to obtain measurements detailing the level of correlation, spectral content, and convection velocity for jet flows in these flow regimes near the end of the potential core is particularly important in the understanding and prediction of jet noise. Measurements near the end of the potential core along the jet lip line exhibit distinct cross-correlation curves for the pure air jet cases. However, helium/air mixture jets display much lower levels of correlation and little evidence of large-scale structure in the measured spectra. It is believed that the thick visual density gradients dominated by smaller scales throughout the shear layer of the helium/air mixture jets effectively mask the large-scale structure, thus, reflecting a limitation of this optical deflectometer. Finally, a decrease in normalized convection velocity with helium addition is observed.

Nonintrusive Pressure and Temperature Measurements in an Underexpanded Sonic Jet Flowfield

Nonintrusive pressure and temperature measurements are performed in the flowfield of an underexpanded sonic jet using high-resolution nitrogen coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS). The jet is operated with a fully expanded jet Mach number of 1.83. The time-averaged CARS measurements start at the jet exit and are spatially well resolved, elucidating the near-field shock structure of the jet. For example, the location of the Mach disk is resolved to within 350 μm. Downstream of the Mach disk, viscous effects cause the slip line between the inner and outer jet regions to transition to an annular shear layer. The measurements also define the curved outer shear layer bounding the jet. The experimental pressure and temperature data are compared to similar quantities extracted from a Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes computational-fluid-dynamic (RANS CFD) simulation of the flowfield

Velocity Measurements of a Jet Injected into a Supersonic Crossflow

This paper presents a quantitative, experimental study of a single, sonic, underexpanded, transverse, round jet injected into a Mach 1.6 crosse ow. This investigation is applicable to studies of supersonic combustors, thrust vector control of rocket nozzles, the cooling of nozzle walls, and jet reaction force prediction. Schlieren/shadowgraph photography and two-component, frequency preshifted laser Doppler velocimetry are used to visualize the e ow and to measure three mean velocity components, e ve of the six kinematic Reynolds stresses, and turbulent kinetic energy at over 4000 locations throughout the e owe eld. The study focuses on the transverse, midline plane and on two crosse ow planes. These measurements are used to study the size and orientation of the recirculation regions upstream and downstream of the jet; the structure and strength of the bow shock, barrel shock, and Mach disk; the structure, strength, and development of the kidney-shaped, counter-rotating vortex pair; the growth of the annular shear layer between the jet plume and the crosse ow; and the growth of the boundary layer beneath the jet. In addition, the present study provides validation data for analytical and numerical predictions of the transverse jet e owe eld.

Opposed round jets issuing into a small aspect ratio channel cross flow

Round jets (diameter D) discharging into a confined cross flow (dimension 3.16 D × 21.05 D) are investigated experimentally. Two configurations are considered: (1) a single jet (momentum flux ratio, J = 155) and (2) two opposed jets with two different momentum flux ratios ( J = 60, and 155). A two-component laser-Doppler anemometer is used to make a detailed map of the normal stresses and mean velocities in the symmetry plane of the jets. In addition, smoke-wire and laser-sheet visualization are used to study the flow. The rate of bending of the single confined jet is found to be higher than the rate of bending of an unconfined jet with the same momentum flux ratio. In the far field, the jet centerline velocity is observed to decay more slowly than the unconfined jet, indicating poor turbulent diffusion of linear momentum. Annular shear layer vortices are visualized on the upstream edge of the jet in the near field. In the far field, the flow visualization suggests that the jet loses its integrity and fragments into independent regions that are convected by the cross flow. In the opposed jet configuration at the high momentum flux ratio ( J = 155), the jets impinge in the center of the duct, and a pair of vortices is observed upstream of the impingement region. The flow visualization implies that the impingement vortices form quasi periodically and have a finite life span. In the impingement region, the jets are observed to penetrate alternately beyond the symmetry plane of the duct. In the two-jet configuration with J = 60, the jets do not impinge on each other owing to the higher rate of bending. Instead, the flow visualization indicates that the shear layers of the jets penetrate to the central region and periodically pinch off regions of the potential-like cross-flow fluid where they meet. The pinch-off regions of cross-flow fluid are convected by the turbulent flow for large distances, yet remain essentially unmixed.

Structures induced by periodic acoustic excitation of a diffusion flame

Signal recovery techniques have been used to measure the periodic structures formed in a coannular diffusion flame due to acoustic excitation of the flow from upstream. The flow response was sensed using the quantitative schlieren technique, and consistent results were obtained on the basis of both axial and transverse optical beam deflections and appropriate analysis of signal records. The two dominant modes of response were identified as a series of alternating disturbances along the flow axis at the higher frequency, and a series of alternating ring disturbances containing on axis disturbances of opposite sign at the lower frequency. The former mode is essentially associated with the fuel jet shear layer, while the latter is associated with the outer annular shear layer surrounding the air flow from the outer nozzle. The strength of disturbances was consistent with mixing fluctuations between cold fuel gas and the products of combustion. Structures induced in the outer shear layer weakened rapidly with distance from the nozzle, indicating a relatively sudden breakup of coherent structures caused by excitation near to the nozzle.

A modeling of vortex rings in an axisymmetric pulsed jet.

The behavior of vortex rings in the initial region of an axisymmetric pulsed jet was simulated by replacing an annular shear layer with a particular vorticity distribution by an array of discrete vortex ring filaments. This modeling was restricted to an inviscid and axisymmetric condition. Consequently, the detailed structure in a real jet cannot be explained by this model. Nonetheless, it provided a good representation of the rolling-up of the shear layer, the vortex ring formation and the transport velocity of the vortex ring. The experimental result, that the pattern of vortex ring formation was roughly classified into three types by Strouhal number, was also explained by this model. The behavior of the vortex ring after formation (for example, vortex ring coalescence) was successfully simulated by replacing a vortex ring by a single vortex ring filament. It was found that vortex ring motion in the initial region of a jet was essentially inviscid.

The Instability of a Round Jet Surrounded by an Annular Shear Layer

A linear stability analysis of the large-scale structure of a round jet surrounded by an annular shear layer is presented. The study is limited to the developing region near the jet nozzle in the limit Re→∞. The radial dependence of the amplitudes of growing disturbances are examined in order to illustrate the extent to which the disturbances penetrate into the jet and its surroundings. The region influenced by a disturbance is found to be directly proportional to the wavelength of the disturbance. Disturbance measurements made on the jet centerline tend to select for long wavelength disturbances, while measurements made in the shear layer tend to select for short wavelength disturbances. When the shear layer thickness is small compared with the jet radius, the wavelength of the most amplified disturbance scales with the shear layer thickness. As the shear layer thickness increases, this scaling quickly breaks down. This change in scaling appears to be responsible for the transition between the “ripples” which occur near the jet nozzle and the “puffs” which are observed further downstream. Amplified disturbances exhibit a phase lag across the shear layer, which may account for the spade-like structures evident in flow visualizations of turbulent jets.