Experimental and computational studies of the fluid mechanics in an opposed jet mixing head

The flow field created by two impinging liquid jets in a cylindrical chamber is investigated using particle tracing, laser Doppler anemometry, and three-dimensional numerical simulation. The jet Reynolds number (based on the mean jet velocity and diameter) range is from 50–300. Results show that there is a threshold value of the Reynolds number beyond which the flow exhibits oscillations. Computer simulations agree well with the experimental visualizations, for both the overall observed flow pattern and a quantitative measure of the oscillations.