The present experimental study is designed to provide qualitative, and some quantitative, validation of the computational results. Although this experiment is designed to verify computational results for the flow through a turbine, it will provide a much broader and general good. No previous experimental studies of three-stream, variable density mixing layers under streamwise and transverse pressure gradients have been performed. The main emphasis of the study will be placed on characterizing mixing and its inter-dependence on density ratio, flow velocities, and transverse and streamwise pressure gradients. The experimental study is based on a three stream shear layer facility to model flow through a turbine with augmented burning.
Compressors supply air to the control station at a pressure of approximately one MPa.
Ten high pressure cylinders supply helium, which is regulated down to desired pressures. Metering valves control precise mixtures of helium and air to the inner, upper and lower settling chambers, in addition to regulating pressures. The settling chambers provide a low speed region to straighten the flow of each stream, before they are accelerated in the nozzle, and then mixed. One pressure probe is located in each of the inner, upper, and lower settling chambers for total pressure measurements. The flow velocities at the nozzle exit, which is the test section entrance, range up to sonic values.