PARTICLE MOTION IN THE STAGNATION ZONE OF AN IMPINGING AIR-JET

This study investigated particle behaviour in the stagnation zone of natural and forced round impinging air jets using flow visualization, image analysis, and particle image velocimetry. The jet Reynolds number was 21000, and the nozzle to plate spacing was five diameters. Small mass loadings of glass beads with inertial time constants tau(p) of 1.7 and 7 ms were examined. The Stokes number associated with the mean flow St(m) = tau(p) U-0/D ranged from 0.6 to 2.4, and the Stokes number associated with vortices in the forced flow St' = tau(p)f ranged from 0.3 to 1.25 where f is the vortex passage frequency. Particle velocities near the wall deviated strongly from fluid velocities, resulting in rebound and non-Stokesian effects (i.e. significant particle Reynolds numbers Re-p). The deceleration associated with rebounding caused long particle residence times in the stagnation zone and significant increases in particle number density above the plate. Rebound height and the height of the region of particle accumulation were well correlated and increased with St(m). Particles associated with lower St(m), were accelerated in the radial direction more quickly, not only because of their decreased inertia, but also because of the larger fluid velocties encountered. Shear layer vortices produced spatial variations in particle concentration in the free jet which caused number density near the plate to fluctuate with time. The vortices had little effect on particle motion near the stagnation point, however. Only particles in the vicinity of vortex cores felt the influence of the vortex-induced velocity field. Hence, particle motion in the stagnation zone was most dependent on the mean how (and thus St(m)).