Scaling parameters for underexpanded supersonic jets

Abstract

An analysis and experiments were carried out to study the spreading and centerline property decay rates of underexpanded supersonic jets. The main purpose was to determine a suitable set of normalization parameters that would account for the initial expansion process and allow for a comparison of the asymptotic mixing rates of jets within a large range of exit-to-ambient pressure ratios. A set of expressions were developed for after-expansion equivalent jet exit diameter, velocity, temperature, and density to allow for a better collapse of jet spreading and centerline decay rates. Measurements were made for five different underexpanded sonic jets with jet exit-to-ambient pressure ratios of pe/pa=1, 2.5, 7.5, 15.5, and 20.3, corresponding to (isentropically) fully expanded jet Mach numbers of Mj=1, 1.68, 2.38, 2.85, and 3.03, respectively. For each jet, both centerline and profile measurements were made using special probes that simultaneously measured local total pressure, static pressure, total temperature in the jet, as well as ambient conditions. These measurements were made in the subsonic flow regime, in some cases, extending as far as 270 nozzle diameters from the exit plane. The experimental results were analyzed and the asymptotic jet properties were determined using the new renormalization parameters.