Computational study of a turbulent wall jet flow on an oblique surface

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of the present study is to investigate the flow and turbulence characteristics of a turbulent wall jet flowing over a surface inclined with the horizontal and to investigate the effect of variation of the angle of inclination of the wall on the flow structure of the wall jet.

Design/methodology/approach

The high Reynolds number two-equation κ− model with standard wall function is used as the turbulence model. The Reynolds number considered for the present study is 10,000. The Reynolds averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations are used for predicting the turbulent flow. A staggered differencing technique employing both contravariant and Cartesian components of velocity has been applied. Results for distribution of wall static pressure and skin friction, decay of maximum streamwise velocity, streamwise variation of integral momentum and energy flux have been compared for the cases of α=0°, 5°, and 10°.

Findings

Flow field has been represented in terms of streamwise and lateral velocity contours, static pressure contour, vorticity contour and streamwise velocity and static pressure profiles at different locations along the oblique offset plate. Distribution of Reynolds stresses in terms of spanwise, lateral and turbulent shear stresses, and turbulent kinetic energy and its dissipation rate have been presented to describe the turbulent characteristics. Similarity of streamwise velocity and the velocity parallel to the oblique wall has been observed in the developed region of the wall jet flow. A decaying trend is observed in the variation of total integral momentum flux in the developed region of the wall jet which becomes more evident with increase in oblique angle. Developed flow region has indicated trend of similarity in profiles of streamwise velocity as well as velocity component parallel to the oblique wall. A depression in wall static pressure has been observed near the nozzle exit when the wall is inclined and the depression increases with increase in inclination. Effect of variation of oblique angles on skin friction coefficient has indicated that it decreases with increase in oblique angle. Growth of the outer and inner shear layers and spread of the jet shows linear variation with distance along the oblique wall. Decay of maximum streamwise velocity is found to be unaffected by variation in oblique angle except in the far downstream region. The streamwise variation of spanwise integral energy shows increase in oblique angle and decreases the magnitude of energy flux through the domain. In the developed flow region, streamwise variation of centreline turbulent intensities shows increased values with increase in oblique angle, while turbulence intensities along the jet centreline in the region X<12 remain unaffected by change in oblique angles. Normalized turbulent kinetic energy distribution highlights the difference in turbulence characteristics between the wall jet and reattached offset jet flow. Near wall velocity distribution shows that the inner region of boundary layer of the developed oblique wall jet follows a logarithmic profile, but it shows some difference from the standard logarithmic curve of turbulent boundary layers which can be attributed to an increase in skin friction coefficient and a decrease in thickness of the wall attached layer.

Originality/value

The study presents an in-depth investigation of the interaction between the jet and the inclined wall. It is shown that due to the Coanda effect, the jet follows the nearby wall. The findings will be useful in the study of combined flow of wall jet and offset jet and dual offset jet on oblique surfaces leading to a better design of some mechanical jet flow devices.

Citation

Pramanik, S. and Kumar Das, M. (2014), "Computational study of a turbulent wall jet flow on an oblique surface", International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow, Vol. 24 No. 2, pp. 290-324. https://doi.org/10.1108/HFF-01-2012-0005