Detailed Numerical Simulation of Two Impinging Jets With Moderate Injection Velocities

Abstract Impinging-jet injectors are commonly used in liquid propellant rocket engines. Two cylindrical liquid jets impinge at a certain angle and form a liquid sheet in the plane normal to the jets. When the Reynolds and Weber numbers are large, the liquid sheet becomes unstable and disintegrates into liquid ligaments and droplets. In the present study, we focus on cases with moderate injection velocities so that the liquid sheet remains unbroken. Detailed numerical simulations are performed using the adaptive multiphase flow solver, Basilisk. The volume-of-fluid method is used to resolve the gas-liquid interface. Grid-refinement studies are conducted to verify the formation of the liquid sheet is accurately captured in simulation. The numerical results are compared to the recent experimental measurement of the sheet thickness distribution by partial coherent interferometry and a good agreement is achieved.