Investigation of flows induced by subsonic turbulent jets and their relation with the effect of static pressure reduction in a jet

Abstract

The interaction between turbulent jets, both swirling and nonswirling, and the ambient medium is studied on the basis of the results of measurements and numerical simulation. It is shown that the turbulent flow and the swirl give rise to induced ejection flow toward the jet. The mechanism of the jet action on the ambient medium is connected with a decrease in the static pressure in the jet, which, in turn, is due to either the flow swirl or the fluctuating flow in the mixing layer, when the static pressure reduces owing to the presence of velocity fluctuations. The former rarefaction mechanism is predominant in swirling jets and the latter predominates in jets without swirling. It is shown that the ambient medium inflow into the jet due to the rarefaction is independent in nature of the mechanism of the lowered pressure generation and that it is the kinetic energy of the jet that is the energy source for the induced flow.