Modeling Wall Film Formation and Breakup Using an Integrated Interface-Tracking/Discrete-Phase Approach

We propose a computationally tractable model for film formation and breakup based on data from experiments and direct numerical simulations. This work is a natural continuation of previous studies where primary atomization was modeled based on local flow information from a relatively low-resolution tracking of the liquid interface [Arienti and Soteriou, 2007, “Dynamics of Pulsed Jet in Crossflow,” ASME Paper No. GT2007-27816]. The submodels for film formation proposed here are supported by direct numerical simulations obtained with the refined level set grid method [Herrmann, 2008, “A Balanced Force Refined Level Set Grid Method for Two-Phase Flows on Unstructured Flow Solver Grids,” J. Comput. Phys., 227, pp. 2674–2706]. The overall approach is validated by a carefully designed experiment [Shedd et. al., 2009, “Liquid Jet Breakup by an Impinging Air Jet,” Forty-Seventh AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting. Paper No. AIAA-2009-0998], where the liquid jet is crossflow-atomized in a rectangular channel so that a film forms on the wall opposite to the injection orifice. The film eventually breaks up at the downstream exit of the channel. Comparisons with phase Doppler particle analyzer data and with nonintrusive film thickness point measurements complete this study.