Moderate Reynolds number axisymmetric jet development downstream an extended conical diffuser: Influence of extension length

Low-velocity (bulk velocity of 4.4 m/s) and moderate Reynolds (7350) axisymmetrical jet development is studied by hot-film single sensor anemometry. The jet issues from a conical convergent-divergent diffuser with uniform extension (diameter 25 mm). Decreasing the length-to-diameter ratio of the extension tube from 20 down to 0.4 is shown to alter severely the mean velocity profile at the tube outlet from Blasius to top-hat whereas turbulence intensities increases from 6 up to 50%. Next, the influence of the initial velocity profile at the tube outlet on axisymmetrical jet development is assessed. The velocity development exhibits a self-similar far field characteristic for axisymmetrical jet development. Although, the jet centerline decay constant increases and the jet spreading rate decreases as length-to-diameter ratios are increased from 0.4 up to 7.2 for which the initial centerline velocity decreases. Therefore, scaling of the centerline decay constant and inverse scaling of the spreading rate with initial centerline velocity U0 or initial velocity Reynolds number Re0 reported for moderate Reynolds numbers and low initial turbulence levels [18,22] does not hold as the turbulence level exceeds a threshold value in the range 12–27%. In addition, the influence of initial conditions on near and far field turbulence properties is shown. A transition in near field behaviour is observed for length-to-diameters around 3.6. Flow and geometrical configurations under study are relevant to e.g. upper airway flow.