Flapping Motion of a Turbulent Jet Under

the Asymmetric Excitation of Two

Unsteady Minijets

H. Yang, Y. Zhou, Y. Zhu and Y. Liu

Abstract The control of a turbulent round jet is experimentally investigated based

on the injection of two radial minijets, separated azimuthally by an angle θ = 60º,
prior to the issue of the main jet. It has been found that the asymmetric excitation
increases the decay rate of the jet centerline mean velocity by 30 % or more than the
symmetric (θ = 180º). A flapping motion of the jet column is found to be
responsible for the substantially increased jet mixing.

Keywords Active jet control ⋅ Minijet ⋅ Flapping motion

1 Introduction

The study of jet control has been given a great attention in the literature over the
past few decades due to a wide range of relevant industrial applications, such as
mixing, noise suppression, combustion, cooling and heating. The rate of jet mixing
plays a crucial role in most of these applications. Clearly, this rate is very much
influenced by the coherent structures and is thus manipulatable either passively or
actively. There have been a number of investigations that deployed fluidic means
for jet mixing enahncement (e.g. Davis 1982; Raman 1997; Zhou et al. 2012).
Zhang (2014) studied in detail the active control of a round jet using two

H. Yang ⋅ Y. Zhou (✉)

Institute for Turbulence-Noise-Vibration Interaction and Control,
Shenzhen Graduate School, Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen, China
e-mail: [email protected]
H. Yang ⋅ Y. Liu
Department of Mechanical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University,
Hung Hom, Hong Kong
Y. Zhou ⋅ Y. Zhu
CSIRO Manufacturing Flagship, Private Bag 10, Clayton South MDC,
Victoria 3169, Australia

© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2016 259

Y. Zhou et al. (eds.), Fluid-Structure-Sound Interactions and Control,
Lecture Notes in Mechanical Engineering,
DOI 10.1007/978-3-662-48868-3_42
260 H. Yang et al.

symmetrically arranged unsteady minijets, and found a much more efficient control
than using steady minijets. Three types of coherent structures are identified, i.e., the
distorted vortex ring, two pairs of azimuthally streamwise vortices and sequentially
ejected mushroom-like counter-rotating structures, and jet mixing is dictated by the
interactions of the three distinct coherent structures. Nevertheless, many aspects of
this control technique remain to be clarified, such as the effects of the minijet
number, orientation and geometric arrangement. This work continues to explore
this technique and investigates jet mixing and associated control mechanisms under
the asymmetric excitation of two unsteady minijets.

2 Experimental Details

The round air jet consists of the main jet and minijet assemblies (Fig. 43.1). The
main jet nozzle is issued from a nozzle with an exit diameter of D = 20 mm. The
minijet assembly includes a stationary and a rotating disk. The stationary disk is
made with two orifices of 0.9 mm in diameter, separated azimuthally by 60 degrees
and located at 17 mm upstream of the main jet exit. The rotating disk is drilled with
12 orifices of 1 mm in diameter, azimuthally equally spaced, and is driven by a
servo motor. Once the orifices on both disks are aligned during rotation, two
minijets are injected into the main jet. The jet Reynolds number ReD based on D is
8000. Two control parameters are examined; the ratio of the minijet frequency fe to
the vortex frequency f0 near the end of potential core of the uncontrolled jet is fe/
f0 = 0.31 ∼ 1.24 and the mass flow ratio Cm of the minijets to the main is
1.1–10.9 %. The origin of the coordinate system is chosen at the center of the main
jet exit, with the x axis along the streamwise direction. Measurements were con-
ducted in the symmetry plane, i.e., the (x, y) plane, of the two minijets, the
orthogonal plane through the jet geometric centerline, i.e., the (x, z) plane, and a
number of cross-sectional (y, z) planes using flow visualization, PIV and hotwire
techniques. The decay rate K = (Ue − U5D)/Ue is used to evaluate jet mixing, where
Ue and U5D denote the jet centerline time-averaged velocities at x/D = 0 and 5,
respectively.

y, V
L=17 θ=60° ds=0.9
Minijet
Stationary disk

x, U z, W
Main jet
D=20
-y, -V dr=1

Rotating disk

Fig. 43.1 Experimental setup

Flapping Motion of a Turbulent Jet … 261

(a) (b)
0.4 0.4
Asymmetric (θ =60º)
Symmetric (θ =180º)
0.3 Uncontrolled jet (Cm=0, fe /f0=0) 0.3

0.2 0.2
K

K
0.1 0.1

0.0 0.0
0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 1.2 1.4 1.6 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14
fe /f0 Cm(%)

Fig. 43.2 Dependence of K on a fe/f0 (Cm = 1.5 %) and b Cm (fe/f0 = 1), θ = 60º

3 Dependence of Jet Mixing on Mass

and Frequency Ratios

Figure 43.2 presents the dependence of the jet decay rate on fe/f0 and Cm, which is
qualitatively the same as that under symmetric control (θ = 180º). However, the
asymmetric control is much more effective than the symmetric. As shown in
Fig. 43.2a, the asymmetric control increases K by 30 %, compared with the sym-
metric, at Cm = 1.5 % and fe/f0 = 1. Figure 43.2b presents the dependence of K on
Cm at fe/f0 = 1. Note that the asymmetric excitation is characterized by a sub-
stantially higher K than the symmetric.

4 Evolution of Vortex Rings

The flow physics and control mechanisms are investigated based on flow visual-
ization in the (x, y) and (x, z) planes (Fig. 43.3) as well as in the (y, z) planes
(Fig. 43.4). The uncontrolled jet shows the well-known quasi-periodical structure in
the (x, y) (Fig. 43.3a) and a ‘full moon’ enclosed by a ring in the (y, z) plane through
the ring vortex (Fig. 43.4a). Once controlled, the flow structure changes greatly.
Firstly, the turbulent transition occurs earlier (Fig. 43.3b). Secondly, the upper and
lower rollup are not symmetrical about the jet axis but staggered instead
(Fig. 43.3c), that is, the vortex ring plane appears turning, forming an angle with
respect to the (y, z) plane, and the turning directions of adjacent two ring vortices
are opposite to each other. Thirdly, the approaching two ends of two adjacent ring
vortices merge together.
A flapping motion of the jet column is identifiable from the sequential pho-
tographs (e.g. Fig. 43.3c1–c2) of flow visualization in the (x, y) plane. Insight into
the physical process of this motion may be gained by examining flow visualization
262 H. Yang et al.

(a) (c1)
AB+
A0+ B0+

B0 B2
A0
A2

B0-
A2- A4- B2-
(b) (c2)
B1+
A1+

B1
A1
A3

A1-
B1- A3-
AB-
x/D 1 2 3 4 5 x/D 1 2 3 4 5

Fig. 43.3 Photographs of typical flow structures from flow visualization. a Uncontrolled jet.
b x-z plane and c1–c2 x-y plane of the controlled jet (Cm = 2.0 %, fe/f0 = 1)

(a) x/D=2.0 (b) x/D=0.7 (c) x/D=1.0 (d) x/D=1.3

Azimuthal structure Streamwise vortices

Fig. 43.4 Photographs of flow visualization in the cross-sectional (y-z) planes a Uncontrolled jet.
b–d Asymmetric controlled jet (Cm = 2.0 %, fe/f0 = 1)

data in the cross-sectional planes (Fig. 43.4). Under excitation, the shear layer on
the upper side of the main jet always rolls up first at x/D = 0.7 to form an azimuthal
structure (Fig. 43.4b). At x/D = 1.0, the shear layer on the lower side also starts to
roll up (Fig. 43.4c). Meanwhile, a trailing vortex A0 + (Fig. 43.3c1) on the upper
side moves inwards to A1 + (Fig. 43.3c2), catching up with the leading vortex
B1 + (Fig. 43.3c2), due to their mutual induction. As a result, the vortex ring A0
rotates clockwise to A1 around an axis parallel to the z axis. As such, the adjacent
vortex rings B0 and A1 are oppositely tilted when reach in x/D ≈ 1.3, indicated by
Flapping Motion of a Turbulent Jet … 263

the lower and upper ends (B0− and B0 +) and (A1 + and A1−), respectively.
Meanwhile, one pair of counter-rotating streamwise vortices is discernible
(Fig. 43.4d). Further downstream, two vortices on the upper side undergo pairing,
forming AB + (Fig. 43.3c1) and then breaks down at x/D ≈ 3.0 (Fig. 43.3c2). On
the lower side, two vortices, B0− and A2−, upstream of AB + approach each other
at x/D ≈ 1.7 (Fig. 43.3c1). The trailing vortex B0- catches up and pairs with the
leading vortex A2-. The merged structure does not break up until x/D = 3.5 (AB- in
Fig. 43.3c2). Under the effect of the asymmetric vortex induction, the vortex ring
undergoes substantial stretching and tilts alteratively (A1-A2-A3 and B0-B1-B2),
entraining alternatively the upper and lower ambient fluid into the core region,
causing the jet column to flap vigorously.

5 Formation of Flapping Motion

Figure 43.5 presents typical instantaneous lateral velocity v* = v/Ue contours in the
(x, y) plane of the controlled jet, as compared with the uncontrolled jet. Without
control, the velocity contours are nearly symmetric about the jet centerline,
implying the fluid in the outer region of the jet is induced either outward or inward.
The potential core region is unaffected up to x/D ≈ 3. Once controlled, the velocity
contours indicate fluid motions alternately upward and downward. Ambient fluid is
entrained upstream of two interacting vortices, evident in the vorticity contours (not
shown) and marked by + in Fig. 43.5b, while the jet core fluid is induced outward
downstream of the two vortices. Due to the asymmetric vortex interactions dis-
cussed above, both entrainment on the lower side and spreading on the upper occur
at x/D ≈ 1.8, producing an upward motion. Similarly, a downward motion occurs at
x/D ≈ 2.4. As such, the flapping motion of the jet column is generated.

(a) (b)
0.3 -0.25 0.3 -0.25 0.35
1 1
y/D

0 0

-1 -1
-0.25 0.25 0.5 -0.35
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
x/D x/D

Fig. 43.5 Typical instantaneous lateral velocity v* = v/Ue contours in the (x, y) plane.
a Uncontrolled jet. b Controlled (Cm = 2.0 %, fe/f0 = 1). Contour interval = 0.05
264 H. Yang et al.

6 Conclusions

The jet decay rate K exhibits a strong dependence on Cm and fe/f0, which is
qualitatively the same as that under symmetric control (θ = 180º). However, the
asymmetric excitation increases K by 30 % or more than the symmetric, suggesting
a considerably more effective control and a possibly different mechanism.
A flapping motion has been observed. Under the asymmetric excitation, the
upper-side shear layer rolls up earlier than the lower, and the trailing vortex on the
upper side moves inwards to catch up with the leading vortex due to their mutual
induction. As a result, the vortex rings are tilted alternately to the opposite direc-
tions, creating a ‘zigzag’ structure and the localized pairing between the ends of
adjacent rings. The vigorous interactions of these vortical structures entrain ambient
fluid into the jet core alternatively from the upper and lower sides, thus producing
the flapping motion, which is responsible for the substantially higher jet mixing.

Acknowledgments Y Zhou acknowledges the financial support from CSIRO Chief Executive
Office through the Distinguished Visiting Scientist program, from Shenzhen Government Research
Grants Council through grants JCYJ20120613134811717 and JCYJ20130402100505796, and
from Research Grants Council of HKSAR through grant PolyU 5329/11E.

References

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Zhou Y, Du C, Mi J et al (2012) Turbulent round jet control using two steady minijets. AIAA J 50
(3):736–740
Zhang P (2014) Active control of a turbulent round jet based on unsteady minijets. PhD thesis. The
Hong Kong Polytechnic University