Consistency issues of Lagrangian particle tracking applied to a spray jet in crossflow

Numerical simulations are performed for multiphase jets in crossflow. The flow solver uses an Eulerian/Lagrangian approach. Turbulence in the gas phase is modeled in the framework of large eddy simulation. The dispersed phase is handled using Lagrangian particle tracking. The model assumptions of solvers for Lagrangian particle tracking are critically assessed for typical flow conditions of spray jets in crossflow. The droplets are assumed to be spherical and isolated. It is shown that several model assumptions are apparently inconsistent in larger portions of the flow field. Firstly, average Weber numbers can be so large that the model assumption to regard droplets as spherical is questionable, not only near the nozzle, but also in the far-field. Secondly, the average droplet spacing can be so low that droplets directly interact with each other, again also in the far-field. Thirdly, the average Stokes numbers in the jet region can be so large that the phase coupling between the dispersed and continuous phase is weak. Some remedies to these deficiencies are proposed.