Volumetric Experimental Characterization and Validation of a Supersonic Dual-Stream Rectangular Jet

A dual-stream supersonic rectangular jet is experimentally investigated using a scanning stereo particle imaging technique to capture the three-dimensional velocity flow fields. The nozzle features a supersonic core stream and a sonic bypass stream, separated by an internal splitter plate, which interact downstream of the throat. The experimental results are compared to high-fidelity numerical simulations to validate the measurement methodology for complex supersonic flows. The volumetric reconstruction reveals previously unreported details of the jet’s evolution, including the presence of mixed inflow and outflow counter-rotating corner vortices and their influence on the jet plume shape and shear layer development. The results provide new insight into the complex three-dimensional flow physics of dual-stream rectangular nozzles, and demonstrate the capability of this volumetric experimental technique to capture key features of supersonic flows that are difficult to observe with traditional planar measurements.