Passive Scalar Measurements In Actively Excited Free Shear Flows

Abstract

The objectives of this study were to implement a system to measure mixing in nonreacting flows and to study the mass transfer characteristics of two actively excited turbulent jets. This thesis describes the acquisition and analysis of phase-locked concentration field data using planar Mie scattering from smoke particles and planar laser-induced fluorescence of acetone. Both techniques were shown to be effective in providing information for the actively excited nozzles. However, the laser-induced fluorescence technique was superior for revealing detail in the flowfield structure.

Spatial mode control techniques were applied to a triangular nozzle with vibrating actuators as the three sides and a swirl nozzle with pulsating tangential air jets. The effect of the different spatial modes on jet column development and the far fields of both nozzles is presented. Two- and three-dimensional iso-intensity contours, showing the relative intensity of light scattered by the nozzle fluid marker, were generated to show the flow structure. The areas inside the iso-intensity contours in the far field were also measured to determine relative effectiveness of nozzle fluid transport.

Large scale structures were visible in the three-dimensional iso-intensity contours from both nozzles. In addition, the transport of seeded nozzle fluid was enhanced by the spatial mode excitation for both nozzles. Spatial mode excitation was also able to affect the shape of the far field contour. In particular, the first counterrotating helical mode, m=±1, generated the greatest effect on nozzle fluid transport and the most pronounced elliptical contour shape in the far field.