Velocity and pressure characterization of coaxial jets

Mean velocity and stagnation pressures of a coaxial air jet injected into an ambient atmosphere were measured and local free-stream static pressure profiles were derived from these measurements. The mean velocity profiles show a dramatic decrease in the velocity of the central jet immediately downstream of the injection station. It is found that the high velocity outer jet creates a reduction in static pressure through an aspiration effect, which causes the central jet to spread, thereby reducing its velocity. Results demonstrate that even for the simple coaxial injector geometry often used in H2/O2 rockets, conventional modeling techniques do not apply.