We study the viscous spatial linear stability characteristics of the time-averaged flow in turbulent subsonic jets issuing from serrated (chevroned) nozzles, and compare them to analogous round jet results. Linear parabolized stability equations (PSE) are used in the calculations to account for the non-parallel base flow. By exploiting the symmetries of the mean flow due to the regular arrangement of serrations, we obtain a series of coupled two-dimensional PSE problems from the original three-dimensional problem. This reduces the solution cost and manifests the symmetries of the stability modes. In the parallel-flow linear stability theory (LST) calculations that are performed near the nozzle to initiate the PSE, we find that the serrated nozzle reduces the growth rates of the most unstable eigenmodes of the jet, but their phase speeds are approximately similar. We obtain encouraging validation of our linear PSE instability wave results vis-à-vis near-field hydrodynamic pressure data acquired on a phased microphone array in experiments, after filtering the latter with proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) to extract the energetically dominant coherent part. Additionally, a large-eddy simulation database of the same serrated jet is investigated, and its POD-filtered pressure field is found to compare favourably with the corresponding PSE solution within the jet plume. We conclude that the coherent hydrodynamic pressure fluctuations of jets from both round and serrated nozzles are reasonably consistent with the linear instability modes of the turbulent mean flow.

For jets, large eddy resolving simulations are compared for a range of numerical schemes with no subgrid scale (SGS) model and for a range of SGS models with the same scheme. There is little variation in results for the different SGS models, and it is shown that, for schemes which tend towards having dissipative elements, the SGS model can be abandoned, giving what can be termed numerical large eddy simulation (NLES). More complex geometries are investigated, including coaxial and chevron nozzle jets. A near-wall Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) model is used to cover over streak-like structures that cannot be resolved. Compressor and turbine flows are also successfully computed using a similar NLES–RANS strategy. Upstream of the compressor leading edge, the RANS layer is helpful in preventing premature separation. Capturing the correct flow over the turbine is particularly challenging, but nonetheless the RANS layer is helpful. In relation to the SGS model, for the flows considered, evidence suggests issues such as inflow conditions, problem definition and transition are more influential.