Numerical Simulation of a Subsonic Jet in a Crossflow

The aerodynamic/propulsive interaction between a subsonic jet exhausting perpendicularly through a flat plate into a crossflow is investigated numerically using an approximately factored, partially flux-split, implicit solver for the three-dimensional, thin-layer Navier-Stokes equations. This algorithm is applied to flows with a range of jet-to-crossflow velocity ratios between 4 and 8. The computations model the jet trajectory, the contrarotating vortex pair and the wake region near the plate downstream of the jet orifice. Both qualitative and quantitative agreement with the existing experimental database are demonstrated. Flow visualization is instructive for understanding the physics of this flowfield.