Concentration Measurements in Self-Excited, Momentum-Dominated Helium Jets

Flow structure of momentum-dominated pure helium jets discharged vertically into ambient air was investigated using high-speed rainbow schlieren deflectometry (RSD) technique. Effects of the operating parameters, i.e., Reynolds number (Re) and Richardson number (Ri), on the oscillatory behavior of the flow were examined over a range of experimental conditions. To seek the individual effect of these parameters, one of them was fixed and the other was varied with certain constraints. Measurements revealed highly periodic oscillations in the laminar region as well as high regularity in transition and turbulent regions. Maximum spectral power profiles at different axial locations indicated the oscillation amplitude increasing until the breakdown of the jet in the turbulent regime. The transition from the laminar to turbulent flow was also investigated. Fast Fourier transform analysis performed in the transition regime showed that the flow oscillates at a unique frequency, which was the same in the upstream laminar flow region. Measured deflection angle data were used in Abel inversion algorithm to construct the helium concentration fields. Instantaneous helium concentration contours revealed changes in the flow structure and evolution of vortical structures during an oscillation cycle. Temporal evolution plots of helium concentration at different axial location showed repeatable oscillations at all axial and radial locations up to the turbulent regime. A cross-correlation technique, applied to find the spatial displacements of the vortical structures, provided correlation coefficient peaks between consecutive schlieren images. Results show that the vortical structure convected and accelerated only in the axial direction.