APEX Research and Development Department is proud to announce a scientific contribution to the 19th International Conference on Experimental Fluid Mechanics held in Zurich, Switzerland.

Our research paper is intiled: “Experimental Investigation of Plane Jets Exiting Five Parralell Channels with Large Aspect Ratio” and it presents the results of an in-house experiment on Flow Control.

Our research aim is to improve flow control in our units and to acchieve an uniform velocity distribution, a good Temperature Mixing and low Pressure Drop.

All our research results are to be analised and then integrated in our products. The work of experienced R&D engineers stands at the base of our continuously improved products.

Fragments of the Abstract

This paper aims to extend the knowledge about jet behavior and jet interaction between five plane parallel jets with an aspect ratio of 25. The experimental investigation applies high resolution 2D Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) and static pressure measurements.

There is manifold literature regarding single jets available, whereas the amount of literature decreases with number of jets. Nevertheless, multiple plane parallel jets have a large impact in many industrial applications like Plate-Type Heat Exhangers, Heating Ventilating and Air Conditioning systems (HVAC) and many drying / conditioning systems.

To study jet formation with PIV we have generated a transparent flow facility consisting of 5 plane parallel channels with the lengths of 187.5 times the channel height guaranteeing a turbulent velocity profile at the exit of the channel (at position of the nozzle). The jets are exiting in a confined space with an expansion ratio of 3.5 based on the equivalent diameter.

Our study focuses on the influence of three different outlet nozzle geometries with respect to varying of Reynolds number from 6000 – 12000. It is shown that the outlet geometry has a major influence on the jet formation in terms of uniformity of velocity profiles downstream of the expansion. The uniformity is judged by calculating the kinetic energy flux profile factor. Furthermore, we describe characteristic regions like converging region, merging region and combined region.