A three-dimensional flow field produced by supersonic twin-jet impingement is studied using a large eddy simulation (LES). The numerical model consists of two parallel axisymmetric jets of diameter 𝐷*, 3𝐷* apart, issuing from a plane which is at a distance H*=4𝐷* above the ground. The jet diameter 𝐷*, mean velocity 𝑊ₒ*, mean density 𝜌ₒ* and mean temperature 𝑇ₒ* at the jet center in the exit plane are used as reference values. The Mach number and Reynolds number of the jets are M=1.5 and Re=550,000, respectively. This model is closely related to the experimental setup of Elavarasan <i>et al.</i>(Elavarasan <i>et al.</i>, 2000). The three-dimensional time-dependent compressible Navier-Stokes equations are solved using the method of lines. The convective terms are discretized using a fifth-order WENO scheme, whereas the viscous terms are discretized using a fourth-order central-differencing scheme. A low-storage five-stage fourth-order Runge-Kutta scheme is used to advance the solution in time. Code verification is achieved by comparison with flat-plate boundary-layer linear stability analysis, and computational data by Bendiks <i>et al.</i> (Bendiks <i>et al.</i>, 1999). for a compressible turbulent round jet. Instantaneous flow, mean flow and Reynolds stresses for the twin-jet impingement are presented and discussed. The results reveal the existence of flapping behavior in the fountain. The flapping fountain is the vortical structure formed by the alternating merging of a primary vortex tube with a secondary vortex tube induced by the neighboring primary vortex tube. The nondimensional period of flapping is found to be 7𝐷*/𝑊ₒ*. High unsteadiness and strong interaction between the fountain and the jets are also observed. Due to the high diffusion and spreading rate of the fountain, the interaction between the fountain and the jets is only significant up to a height which is less than 3𝐷*. It is found that the mean peak velocity in the fountain is 0.40406 𝑊ₒ* and it occurs at 0.536607𝐷* from the ground. The suitability of the fifth-order WENO scheme to simulate turbulent flow field with embedded shocks is also demonstrated by its capability to capture unsteady shock waves in the impingement regions. / Ph. D.

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The flow field of a twin jet impinging on ground plane with and without free-stream and at low jet-height-to-diameter ratios was investigated using the Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) technique. Detailed, time-averaged flow field data are obtained via the high-resolution and the high-sampling rate instantaneous velocity field that is made available via the PIV technique. A model of twin jet issuing from 0.245m circular plate, with 0.019m jet exit diameter, and with jet span to diameter ratio of 3.0 is placed in a water tunnel with the jets in tandem arrangement with respect to the free-stream. The recently upgraded PIV system, in the ESM department fluid mechanics laboratory at VA-Tech, allowed us to capture instantaneous velocity field images of about 0.076m x 0.076m, at 512(H)x512(V) frame resolution. Sampling rates of 1000 and 1200 fps were employed. Understanding the flow field at lower heights is of crucial significance to the VSTOL aircraft application. Huge jet thrust is required to initiate the take-off operation due to the high lift loss encountered while the airframe is in proximity to the ground. Therefore, jet-height-to-diameter ratios of 2 and 4 were employed in this study. Jet-to-free-stream velocity ratios of 0.12, 0.18 and 0.22 were employed in addition to the no-free-stream case. In the current study, only time-averaged flow field properties were considered. These properties were extracted from the available instantaneous velocity field data. In order to provide some details in the time-averaged velocity field, the data were obtained along several planes of interrogation underneath the test model in the vicinity of the twin jet impinging flow. Images were captured in a single plane normal to the free-stream and five planes parallel to the free-stream. A vortex-like flow appears between the main jet and the fountain upwash. This flow is found to experience spiral motion. The direction of such flow spirals is found to be dependent on the jet exit height above the ground, and on the jet-to-free stream, velocity ratios. The flow spirals out towards the vortex flow periphery and upon increasing the free-stream it reverses its direction to be inward spiraling towards the core of the vortex. The flow reversal at certain height of the jet above the ground depends on the free-stream velocity. In our discussion, more emphasis is given to the case of jet-height-to-diameter ratio of two. We also found that the largest turbulent kinetic energy production rate is found to be at the fountain upwash formation zone. / Master of Science

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