Radial Injection Research Articles

Laboratory investigation on fracture initiation and propagation behaviors of hot dry rock by radial borehole fracturing

Creating complex and interconnected fracture networks between injection and production wells is crucial for exploiting hot dry rock (HDR) geothermal energy. However, the simple planar fractures created by conventional hydraulic fracturing, primarily controlled by in situ stress, fail to connect directionally with the target well. This study proposes a novel stimulation method, i.e. radial borehole fracturing, which shows great potential for guiding the directional propagation of fractures. The fracture initiation and propagation behaviors of high-temperature granite under radial borehole fracturing are investigated and compared with those of conventional fracturing. Three-dimensional morphological scanning and reinjection tests are used to quantitatively evaluate fracturing performance. Additionally, the influences of key parameters, including rock temperature, in situ stress, injection rate, fluid viscosity, azimuth of the radial borehole, and the number of radial boreholes on the fracture morphology and breakdown pressure are investigated. The results show that radial borehole fracturing can effectively guide the initiation and propagation of fractures along the radial borehole. The breakdown pressure of radial borehole fracturing can be reduced by 14.1%-43.7% compared to conventional fracturing. A higher fluid-rock temperature difference reduces the directional propagation range of fractures guided by the radial borehole. Increases in the vertical density of radial boreholes, injection rate, and fluid viscosity enhance the guiding ability of radial boreholes. Furthermore, there is a competitive relationship between in situ stress and the azimuth of radial boreholes in controlling fracture propagation. This research provides a viable alternative for the directional connection of injection-production wells in HDR reservoirs.

Combustion flow field and thermal protection performance of a liquid oxygen/kerosene engine with pintle injectors

A pintle injector is a convenient method for adjusting propellant combustion and has received extensive attention in recent years. However, few studies have examined the effects of the injection direction and momentum ratio (ratio of liquid oxygen momentum to kerosene momentum) on the flow field, temperature field, and dual-belt liquid film cooling effect in the combustion chamber. This study verified a new computational fluid dynamics (CFD) engine combustion model based on a pintle injector through a hot-test experiment. A simulation was conducted using this model. With different injection directions, when the momentum ratio was increased, the trends in the combustion efficiency and chamber pressure growth were entirely opposite. For the axial kerosene and radial liquid oxygen injection direction of liquid film cooling, when the momentum ratio was 0.73–0.9, the proportion of the first ring belt liquid film flow was selected as 5–10 %, and the second ring belt liquid film flow proportion was selected as 5–7%. When the momentum ratio was less than 0.73, the liquid film flow proportions for both the first and second ring belts were selected as 5 %. When the total liquid film flow proportion was 10 %, the chamber pressure decreased by 0.2–0.3 MPa, and the combustion efficiency decreased by 8–10 %. This numerical study provides guidance for studying the combustion characteristics and cooling performance of pintle-type rocket combustion chambers.

Radial displacement patterns of shear-thinning fluids considering the effect of deformation

Radial injection of shear-thinning fluids into rock fractures is ubiquitous in subsurface engineering practices, including drilling, hydraulic fracturing, and rock grouting. Yet, the effect of injection-induced fracture deformation on radial displacement behavior of shear-thinning fluids remains unclear. Through radial injection experiments of shear-thinning fluids displacing an immiscible Newtonian fluid in a Hele–Shaw cell, we investigate the fracture deformation behavior during injection and the fluid–fluid displacement patterns under this impact. A mixed displacement pattern is observed where the invasion front gradually evolves from unstable (viscous fingering) to stable (compact displacement) as the injection proceeds. We demonstrate that the combined effect of shear-thinning property and radial flow geometry plays a controlling role in the evolution of the patterns. At high flow rates, the fracture dilation induced by high injection pressure tends to reduce the displacement efficiency in stages. Based on linear stability analysis, we propose a theoretical criterion for the transition of interfacial stability considering the viscosity of injected fluids and fracture deformation, which agrees well with the experimental observations. This research underscores the importance of rock deformation on two-phase flow dynamics in fractured media.

Performance of Atmospheric Plasma-Sprayed Thermal Barrier Coatings on Additively Manufactured Super Alloy Substrates

This work represents a preliminary study of atmospheric plasma-sprayed (APS) Yttria-Stabilized Zirconia (YSZ)-based thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) deposited on forged and additive manufactured (AM) HAYNES®282® (H282) superalloy substrates. The effect of different feedstock morphologies and spray gun designs with radial and axial injection on APS-deposited YSZ layer characteristics such as microstructure, porosity content, roughness, etc., has been investigated. The performance of TBCs in terms of thermal cycling fatigue (TCF) lifetime and erosion behaviour were also comprehensively investigated. In view of the high surface roughness of as-built AM surfaces compared to forged substrates, two different types of NiCoCrAlY bond coats were examined: one involved high-velocity air fuel (HVAF) spraying of a finer powder, and the other involved APS deposition of a coarser feedstock. Despite the process and feedstock differences, the above two routes yielded comparable bond coat surface roughness on both types of substrates. Variation in porosity level in the APS topcoat was observed when deposited using different YSZ feedstock powders employing axial or radial injection. However, the resultant TBCs on AM-derived substrates were observed to possess similar microstructures and functional properties as TBCs deposited on reference (forged) substrates for any given YSZ deposition process and feedstock.

Experimental research of ECW pre-ionization and assisted startup in EAST

Experimental research on the electron cyclotron wave (ECW) pre-ionization and assisted start-up was carried out systematically for the first time in EAST tokamak, which is a superconducting device with ITER-like full metal wall. Breakdown and plasma initiation at low toroidal electric fields (<0.3 V m−1) with ECW pre-ionization and startup assistance has been demonstrated. Also, the parameter domain of breakdown is significantly extended towards higher prefill gas pressure. The effect of ECW injection timing, power, toroidal injection angle on breakdown were also investigated. Injecting ECW earlier leads to an earlier breakdown and a higher plasma current ramp rate. The electron cyclotron heating (ECH) power threshold for breakdown in EAST is approximately 0.4 MW. In the range of ECH power tested in this work, higher ECH power is advantageous for achieving earlier and faster breakdown. Furthermore, the breakdown with radial ECW injection occurs earlier compared with oblique injections (co-current and counter-current). During the ECW-assisted startup, the process of burn-through is prolonged by the higher pre-filled gas pressure even though it enhances the ease of breakdown. In addition, compared to the low hybrid wave assistance, the ECW assistance has an effect in averting the generation of runaway electrons and improving the safety of device during startup. Moreover, the ECW assistance exhibits a high tolerance to the impurity and thus ensures a high ramp rate of plasma current even with a high impurity level.

Unraveling dispersion and buoyancy dynamics around radial A + B → C reaction fronts: microgravity experiments and numerical simulations

Radial Reaction–Diffusion–Advection (RDA) fronts for A + B → C reactions find wide applications in many natural and technological processes. In liquid solutions, their dynamics can be perturbed by buoyancy-driven convection due to concentration gradients across the front. In this context, we conducted microgravity experiments aboard a sounding rocket, in order to disentangle dispersion and buoyancy effects in such fronts. We studied experimentally the dynamics due to the radial injection of A in B at a constant flow rate, in absence of gravity. We compared the obtained results with numerical simulations using either radial one– (1D) or two–dimensional (2D) models. We showed that gravitational acceleration significantly distorts the RDA dynamics on ground, even if the vertical dimension of the reactor and density gradients are small. We further quantified the importance of such buoyant phenomena. Finally, we showed that 1D numerical models with radial symmetry fail to predict the dynamics of RDA fronts in thicker geometries, while 2D radial models are necessary to accurately describe RDA dynamics where Taylor–Aris dispersion is significant.

Numerical modeling of the fracturing mechanisms of unconsolidated sand reservoirs under water injection

Produced Water Re-Injection is a standard practice in oil and gas operations. When performed at sufficiently high pressures, it can trigger the fracturing of the reservoir, which should be controlled to stimulate the formation without compromising its safety. While the mechanisms of the hydraulic fracturing of brittle rocks are well-understood, this understanding is more challenging in the case of unconsolidated sand reservoirs. Recent experimental studies indicate that pseudofractures in such formations primarily result from shear banding and flow channelization. There is a need for further interpretation of the experimental findings through numerical models that account for the proper physical phenomena. For that, a coupled finite element model of water percolation, particle transport and strain localization is developed to replicate the experiments of radial injection of water in mixtures of sand and fines by Nguyen et al., 2022: An experimental setup with radial injection cell for investigation of fracturing in unconsolidated sand reservoirs under fluid injection. Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering 213:11036. To simulate shear banding, the model accounts for strain-softening behavior and introduces material imperfections in a few weak elements. Particle mobilization starts once a critical fluid velocity is reached and permeability is assumed to be a function of particle concentration. The numerical models can replicate the geometry of the observed radial pseudofractures, as well as the measured fracturing pressures. They also qualitatively capture the effects of the initial stress state on the fracturing pressure, the fracture length and on the permeability increases during the fracturing regime as observed in the laboratory tests. Notably, the numerical results gave hints on the role of the coupling between strain localization and particle transport on the formation of the pseudofractures. These findings are used to propose an updated conceptual model for the hydraulic fracturing of sand packs.

LES study of the precessing vortex core mitigation by radial injection in a Francis turbine air model

This work is devoted to a numerical study of the precessing vortex core (PVC) mitigation in a Francis turbine air model. The approach utilized to suppress the PVC, injection of radial jets, was based on influencing flow zones that are most susceptible to control. The analysis of the time-averaged velocity fields revealed extending of a recirculation zone. The time-averaged pressure pulsations in the flow decreased significantly, that indicates a mitigation of the PVC dynamics. Spectra of the azimuthally decomposed pressure pulsations signal demonstrated a suppression of the m = 1 mode by 25% and m = 2 by 40%, however, it does not coincide with the control efficiency in experimental work of I. Litvinov et al. In further investigations it is planned to vary the spatial orientation of the injection jets in order to achieve more effective PVC suppression.

Development of scaling approach based on experimental and CFD data for thermal stratification and mixing induced by steam injection through spargers

Advanced Pressurized Water Reactors (APWRs) and Boiling Water Reactors (BWRs) employ a suppression pool as a heat sink to prevent containment overpressure. Steam can be discharged into the pool through multi-hole spargers or blowdown pipes in both normal and accident conditions. Direct Contact Condensation (DCC) creates sources of momentum and heat. The competition between these two sources determines the development of thermal stratification or mixing of the pool. Thermal stratification is of safety concern as it reduces the cooling capability compared to a completely mixed pool condition. In this work we develop a scaling approach to prediction of the thermal stratification in a water pool induced by steam injection through spargers. Experimental data obtained from large-scale pool tests conducted in the PPOOLEX and PANDA facilities, as well as simulation results obtained using validated codes are used to develop the scaling. Two injection orientations, namely radial injection through multi-hole Sparger Head (SH) and vertical injection through Load Reduction Ring (LRR), are considered. We show that the erosion rate of the cold layer can be estimated using the Richardson number. In this work, scaling laws are proposed to estimate both the (i) transient erosion velocity and (ii) the stable position of the thermocline. These scaling laws are then implemented into a 1D model to simulate the thermal behavior of the pool during steam injection through the sparger.

Modelling in the frame of hydro-mechanical infiltration column experi-ment to study the behaviour of binary mixtures of bentonite MX80

Binary mixtures of high-density MX80 bentonite pellets (80% mass ratio at a dry density of 2.0 Mg/m3) and powder (dry density of 1.1 Mg/m3) at hygroscopic water contents are studied by the French Institute of Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety (IRSN) as an alternative in engineered barrier systems for the long-term disposal of radioactive wastes. The MX80 bentonite was studied by many authors [1–4] with this aim. These mixtures show a dry density around 1.49 Mg/m3 on pouring into infiltration column experiment tests.&#x0D; An infiltration column cell (100 mm in diameter and 350 mm high) has been developed at a reduced scale of 1/100 of the VSS (i.e., at 1/10 of the in situ VSEAL test) to reproduce asymmetric hydration using independent top (fast injection) and radial (slow injection) water pressure systems, which will undergo fast hydration from the calcareous Oxfordian formation at the top and a slower one by water reaching radially through the Callovo-Oxfordian formation. It also allows performing gas injections at different locations of the core of the bentonite mixture (top and bottom boundaries) and under various hydraulic states. The infiltration column is composed of four transparent cylinders, made of Perspex to visualise processes occurring at the interface during the hydration and gas injection phases (Figure 1a). This cell has been assembled with three stainless-steel injection rings that ensure slow radial water injection through three independent automatic pressure/volume controllers. These stainless-steel injection rings also hold the different lateral transducers (six total stress cells and three water pressure transducers embedded in the soil and three relative humidity probes installed in small dismountable chambers) (Figure 1a). The assembled cell is inserted into a rigid frame composed of two stainless steel disks on the two sides of the cylinder connected by four metallic rods.&#x0D; A numerical model has been developed to better understand the coupled hydro-mechanical response of this multi-porosity mixture and particularly of its constitiuents upon hydration.The characterisation of pellet and powder components have been focused on their water retention properties, water permeability, compressibility on loading and on suction changes, as well as on their swelling pressure response and the progressive changes of their pore size distribution on wetting. This information at component scale has allowed the upscaling into a 2D plane-strain numerical model based on the discretisation of pellets and inter-pellet powder using Code_Bright FEM [5]. This plane-strain model captures the pellet shape effect without changing the geometry of the pellets.The geometry used in the simulations corresponds to an infiltration column at constant volume mimicking the actual asymmetric hydraulic conditions of the VSS. Figure 2b presents the geometry of the model used at constant volume based on the discretisation of pellets and powder (252 pellets of 8 mm diameter and surrounded by powder filling the entire inter-pellet volume).The generated numerical mixture has a mass-basis proportion of 77.6% pellets and 22.5% powder, which is close to the mixture proportion. Figure 1b shows the three lateral slow-rate hydration boundaries, as well as the fast-rate hydration boundary at the top. The modelling has focused on analysing the global and particularly the local responses: water mass transfer between powder and pellets, evolution of local degrees of saturation and porosities (inside pellets and powder), and mean stress evolution in the pellet and powder domains. Water retention and permeability properties of the components are dependent on porosity and the degree of saturation.&#x0D; A non-linear elastic model has been considered for the components, in which volumetric deformations are induced by net mean stress and suction changes. Therefore, the pellets and powder have different hydraulic and mechanical properties as a consequence of the different initial properties, but they share the same constitutive relationship of a single structured material. Figure 1c presents the time evolution of porosities (inside the pellets and powder), showing that the mixture tends towards a more homogeneous distribution of porosity as the pellets expand and compress the highly deformable clay powder. During the transient hydration stage, the expansion of pellets at the top of the column evolves faster due to the proximity of the hydration front. Figure 1d shows the water retention curves of the pellets and powder at the initial state and after hydration as predicted by the model, compared to experimental data [6,7]. The predicted water retention curves of the pellets and powder adequately follow the trend of the data reported by [7] and also seem to reproduce the mixture model data suggesting a homogenisation of the retention properties of the material after hydration.

Parametrical Investigation of Transverse Injection in a Dual-Bell Nozzle During Altitude-Varying Conditions

The dual-bell nozzle (DBN) is a rocket nozzle concept that could provide a substantial payload gain. The present paper focuses on the impact of radial secondary injection on DBN behavior during its ascent and descent in the atmosphere. The influence of the secondary injection settling chamber (cavity) volume is discussed. The positive influence of the cavity volume on the DBN behavior during transition phases has been exposed, and its effects during retransition were shown to be negligible. The use of secondary injection allowed the transition nozzle pressure ratio to be increased by nearly 24%, and the lateral forces were reduced to less than 1% of the nozzle thrust. A first approach regarding secondary injection optimization is finally proposed.

Flow field characteristics and particle path tracking of a hollow rotating detonation engine with a Laval nozzle

A statistical particle path tracking method is applied to a hollow rotating detonation engine (RDE) with a Laval nozzle, and the flow field characteristics are investigated. The in-house solver BYRFoam based on OpenFOAM is used, and a large-area outflow field at the tail of the combustor and an array of injection holes are implemented. The influence mechanism of the tail nozzle on the internal and external flow fields of the hollow RDE is revealed. The results confirm that the tail nozzle helps suppress the rotating shock wave of the outflow field, which can make the exhaust plume structure more symmetrical. The influencing factors of the flow field of RDE with nozzle are studied. The results show that the farther the equivalence ratio deviates from 1, the closer the normal shock wave is from the nozzle outlet. The paths of representative flow particles are tracked, and the paths and physical properties of flow particles from different injection areas are obtained and compared. The results demonstrate that the overall movement trend of particles along the circumferential direction is opposite to that of the detonation wave, and some particles entering the combustor from the inner hole enter the virtual inner cylinder. The particle paths of hollow RDE without nozzle and RDE with radial injection method are studied. The results show that the particle circumferential deflection angle is smaller for RDE without nozzle and larger for RDE with radial injection method compared to RDE with nozzle and axial injection. A statistical tracking method for a large number of particles is proposed to obtain the flow characteristics of the gas in the combustor. The results confirm that the average circumferential deflection angle and the average residence time and its dispersion degree of the inner hole gas are larger than that of the outer hole gas. Flow particles with smaller initial radial position coordinates produce more curved particle traces. A thermodynamic statistical method for a large number of particles and the concept of a maximum work–heat ratio are used to analyze the macroscopic thermodynamic cycle characteristics of the gas. The results reveal that the maximum net mechanical work and the maximum work–heat ratio of the outer hole particles are larger than those of the inner hole particles. The gas entering the combustor from the outer hole has a greater proportion of chemical energy converted into useful work and a better expansion effect.

Dispersion and mixing dynamics of complex oil-in-water emulsions in Taylor-Couette flows.

The seminal study by G. I. Taylor (1923) has inspired generations of work in exploring and characterizing Taylor-Couette (TC) flow instabilities and laid the foundation for research of complex fluid systems requiring a controlled hydrodynamic environment. Here, TC flow with radial fluid injection is used to study the mixing dynamics of complex oil-in-water emulsions. Concentrated emulsion simulating oily bilgewater is radially injected into the annulus between rotating inner and outer cylinders, and the emulsion is allowed to disperse through the flow field. The resultant mixing dynamics are investigated, and effective intermixing coefficients are calculated through measured changes in the intensity of light reflected by the emulsion droplets in fresh and salty water. The impacts of the flow field and mixing conditions on the emulsion stability are tracked via changes in droplet size distribution (DSD), and the use of emulsified droplets as tracer particles is discussed in terms of changes in the dispersive Péclet, Capillary and Weber numbers. For oily wastewater systems, the formation of larger droplets is known to yield better separation during a water treatment process, and the final DSD observed here is found to be tunable based on salt concentration, observation time and mixing flow state in the TC cell. This article is part of the theme issue 'Taylor-Couette and related flows on the centennial of Taylor's seminal Philosophical Transactions paper (Part 2)'.

Modelling shock-like injections of solar energetic particles with 3D test particle simulations

Context. Solar energetic particle (SEP) acceleration and injection into interplanetary space during gradual SEP events is thought to take place at coronal mass ejection (CME)-driven shocks. Various features of measured intensity profiles at 1 au have been attributed to properties of the radial, longitudinal, and latitudinal SEP injections at the shock. Focussed transport models are typically used to model acceleration at a CME-shock and subsequent propagation. Test particle simulations are an alternative approach but so far they have been carried out only with instantaneous injection near the Sun. Aims. We develop the first temporally extended shock-like injection for our 3D test particle code and investigate how the spatial features of injection at a shock affect SEP intensity and anisotropy profiles for observers at 0.3 and 1.0 au. Methods. We conducted simulations of a monoenergetic population of 5 MeV protons considering three different radial injection functions and two longitudinal and latitudinal injection functions. We considered a range of scattering conditions with scattering mean free path values ranging from λ = 0.1 − 1.0 au, and determined intensity and anisotropy profiles at six observers at different longitudinal locations. Results. We find that the radial, longitudinal, and latitudinal injection functions play a relatively minor role in shaping the SEP intensity profiles. The dependence of intensity profiles on the value of the scattering mean free path is also weak, unlike what is found from 1D focussed transport models. Spatial factors, such as the times of observer-shock connection and disconnection as well as the time of shock passage have a much stronger influence on SEP intensities and anisotropies. Persistent anisotropies, until shock passage, are seen in our simulations. Comparing instantaneous and shock-like injections, we find that the link between the duration of injection and the duration of the SEP event is very weak, unlike what is commonly assumed.

A novel heuristic optimisation framework for radial injection configuration for the resin transfer moulding process

A novel heuristic optimisation framework for radial injection configuration for the resin transfer moulding process

Control of noise and temperature using radial air injection inside engine silencer

Silencer is a device mainly used for attenuation of the engine exhaust noise. Several modifications were attempted to improve the performance of a silencer. In this paper experimental and simulation study was carried out to determine the effect of radial air injection on the temperature and sound pressure level. The radial air injection is introduced in the form of jets inside the silencer. The design of available silencer was studied, and the 3D model was prepared using CATIA software. Simulation study was carried out using ANSYS Fluent, to determine the temperature distribution inside the silencer with and without modification. The radial jets at different pressure were introduced inside the silencer at three different locations. To acquire sound pressure level and temperatures at different locations, Lab View software and FFT analyser were used. The performance of silencer is analysed by comparing temperature of exhaust gases and sound pressure level at constant speed of 3000 rpm. With radial air jets of 2 bar reservoir pressure at three different location Overall Sound Pressure Level reduces by 6 dB and 42 K reduction in temperature of exhaust gases.

An experimental investigation on rewetting of a 54 pins fuel bundle under steam environment by radial jet injection

The 54 pins fuel bundle of AHWR rewetting by radial jet injection has been examined experimentally. The drop of coolant mass flow and vaporization cause heat-up of channel which ends up with the damages of fuel pins. The water carries away decay heat from clad and maintained channel integrity. Experiments have been conducted at clad temperature 450 °C, 500 °C, 550 °C and 600 °C with clad average heat flux 1.40 kW/m2, 1.83 kW/m2, 2.03 kW/m2 and 2.40 kW/m2 respectively. Water supplied at 90 lpm under steam environment. It is observed that the inner rings pin underwent rewetting followed by middle and outer. The clad surface, facing the jet direction have shorter rewetting period than the rear side for all pin with few exceptions. The circumferential position has very significant effect on rewetting whereas; the axial position does not affect much. The designed ECCS flow is found to be adequate as no breach reported.

Can the geometry of an injection clastic dike swarm indicate a short-term process? Examining the Dead Sea Basin in Israel

Despite the importance of identifying dynamic stress fields, doing so is not straightforward. This is because most geological processes occur slowly and the formation of fractures is generally attributed to long-term processes.Within the seismically active Dead Sea Basin (DSB), radial and concentric injection clastic dikes were emplaced during earthquake events, but a satisfactory explanation for their geometric configuration is lacking. In this study, field observations were used to explore whether the geometry of the injection clastic dike swarm reflects a quasistatic state of stress, such as with a salt diapir, or if it reflects a dynamic short-term stress state associated with the passage of seismic waves. The results show that the radial clastic dikes are not concentrated toward one central point located approximately 3 km east of the Ami'az Plain, that the concentric clastic dikes are arranged by three subsets, and that the spatial density and strain of both fracture sets are focused mainly toward the center of the Ami'az Plain. This evidence does not fit with a quasistatic state-of-stress interpretation of the region that would be associated with a local stress state around a salt diapir. A more plausible explanation is that the geometry of the radial and concentric clastic dike sets was controlled by short-term seismic waves that were probably generated by earthquake events located along an adjacent fault and that were trapped by the sedimentary basin located below the Ami'az Plain itself.The reconstruction of the injection clastic dike pattern may provide an opportunity to more deeply understand the short-term process induced by paleoearthquakes occurring adjacent to sedimentary basins close to the surface.

Experimental method for temperature measurement on lateral planes along a Rijke tube to assess efficacy of control method

The thermo-acoustic instabilities developed inside the combustor causes serious structural damage and reduces the life of power producing devices. The present work involves experimental investigation to assess effect of radial micro-jets air injection on thermo-acoustic instabilities and temperature in lateral planes. A co-axial pre-mixed gas burner used as the heat source inside the Rijke tube with variable location. Two types of Rijke tubes were used for experimental study, one is of steel with 75 mm internal diameter and 750 mm in length for the measurement of wall pressure, temperature and acoustics.•In the first part of the study, acoustic instability zone for different inlet mass flow rates was identified.•In the second part of study, the entire cross-sectional of Rijke tube was divided into 193 subzones and temperatures were measured at 193 locations when instability was present.•In third part, again temperatures were measured at 193 locations with implementation of control method with complete suppression of thermo-acoustic instabilities.

Spray characterization in a multi-jet airblast injector with swirling air crossflow

Experimental spray characterization in a multi-jet airblast injector with swirling crossflow of air is the goal of the present work. The current injector allows radial injection of six liquid jets from a central hub into swirling and crossflowing air into the annular region around the hub. In the present study, three different aspects related to jet-in-crossflow are concurrently addressed viz. air flow confinement, air swirl and simultaneous atomization of multiple liquid jets. Such key features have been rarely reported in the past in spite of their relevance to practical injectors such as in Lean Premixed Prevaporized (LPP) gas turbine combustors. The spray structure and spatial distribution of droplets are visualized at different cross-sectional planes in the spray by application of the Laser Sheet Imaging (LSI) technique. The Droplet size, three components of droplet velocities and local liquid mass flux are measured at different axial and radial locations using the Phase Doppler Particle Analyzer (PDPA) technique. The injector is operated over a wide range of aerodynamic Weber number (Weg) of the liquid jets (Weg = 57 – 430). The physics behind the spatial evolution of characteristic droplet size is analyzed by estimating the droplet Weber number and the probability of droplet coalescence. The plume-to-plume interaction, subsequent to droplet generation from the primary atomization of adjacent liquid jets, is found to contribute to the variation of droplet size in the current injector. The influence of Weg on the evolution of spray characteristics is investigated in detail.