Navier-Stokes calculations for 3D gaseous fuel injection with data comparisons

Results from a computational study and experiments designed to further expand the knowledge of gaseous injection into supersonic cross-flows are presented. Experiments performed at Mach 6 included several cases of gaseous helium injection with low transverse angles and injection with low transverse angles coupled with a low yaw angle. Both experimental and computational data confirm that injector yaw has an adverse effect on the helium core decay rate. An array of injectors is found to give higher penetration into the freestream without loss of core injectant decay as compared to a single injector. Lateral diffusion plays a major role in lateral plume spreading, eddy viscosity, injectant plume, and injectant-freestream mixing. Grid refinement makes it possible to capture the gradients in the streamwise direction accurately and to vastly improve the data comparisons. Computational results for a refined grid are found to compare favorably with experimental data on injectant overall and core penetration provided laminar lateral diffusion was taken into account using the modified Baldwin-Lomax turbulence model.