▪ Abstract Noncircular jets have been the topic of extensive research in the last fifteen years. These jets were identified as an efficient technique of passive flow control that allows significant improvements of performance in various practical systems at a relatively low cost because noncircular jets rely solely on changes in the geometry of the nozzle. The applications of noncircular jets discussed in this review include improved large- and small-scale mixing in low- and high-speed flows, and enhanced combustor performance, by improving combustion efficiency, reducing combustion instabilities and undesired emissions. Additional applications include noise suppression, heat transfer, and thrust vector control (TVC). The flow patterns associated with noncircular jets involve mechanisms of vortex evolution and interaction, flow instabilities, and fine-scale turbulence augmentation. Stability theory identified the effects of initial momentum thickness distribution, aspect ratio, and radius of curvature on the initial flow evolution. Experiments revealed complex vortex evolution and interaction related to self-induction and interaction between azimuthal and axial vortices, which lead to axis switching in the mean flow field. Numerical simulations described the details and clarified mechanisms of vorticity dynamics and effects of heat release and reaction on noncircular jet behavior. The research on noncircular jets has also led to technology transfer. A topic that started as an academic curiosity—an interesting flow phenomenon—subsequently has had various industrial applications. The investigations reviewed include experimental, theoretical, numerical, and technological aspects of the subject.

A passive technique of increasing entrainment was found by using a small-aspect-ratio elliptic jet. The entrainment ratio of an elliptic jet was several times greater than that of a circular jet or a plane jet. The self-induction of the asymmetric coherent structure caused azimuthal distortions which were responsible for engulfing large amounts of surrounding fluid into the jet. In an elliptic jet, an interesting feature in the initial stability process is that the thickness of the shear layer varies around the nozzle. The data indicated that instability frequency was scaled with the thinnest initial momentum thickness which was associated with the maximum vorticity. Turbulence properties were also examined and were found to be significantly different in the major- and minor-axis planes.

For about a decade it has been noticed from the measurements of many jets that the value of the preferred mode and the spreading rate vary within a range of about 100%. In the present paper it is suggested that extremely low‐level spatially coherent disturbances in individual facilities change the initial conditions of a laminar shear layer. The various initial conditions are able to cause different downstream developments of the jet and result in the discrepancies reported in the literature.