This work examines the fluid dynamic structure of underexpanded gas jets by using a high-performance computing (HPC) methodology in order to untangle the question of whether it is necessary to include the real gas assumption dealing with hydrogen jets. The answer to this question is needed in order to guarantee accurate numerical simulations of such jets in practical engineering applications, such as direct-injection hydrogen engines. An axial symmetric turbulent flow model, which solves the Favre-averaged Navier–Stokes equations for a multicomponent gas mixture, has been implemented and validated. The flow model has been assessed by comparing spreading and centerline property decay rates of subsonic jets at different Mach numbers with those obtained by both theoretical considerations and experimental measurements. Besides, the Mach disk structure of underexpanded jets has been recovered, thus confirming the suitability and reliability of the computational model. To take into account the effects of real gases, both van der Waals and Redlich–Kwong equations of state have been implemented. The analysis of a highly underexpanded hydrogen jet with total pressure equal to 75 MPa, issuing into nitrogen at 5 MPa, shows that the use of real gas equations of state affects significantly the jet structure in terms of temperature, pressure, and Mach number profiles along the jet centerline and also in terms of jet exit conditions, with differences up to 38%.

Transient deformation and drag coefficients of decelerating drops in axisymmetric flows are numerically computed. The drag coefficients are compared with those of solid spheres. In the case of drops, the behavior of the drag coefficient is dependent on the deformation and internal circulation of the drops in addition to the factors which are important for solid spheres. These, in turn, are dependent on the gas-based Weber number $\left({\mathrm{We}}_g\right)$ and the Ohnesorge number $\left({\mathrm{Oh}}_l\right)$ . At the relatively low ${\mathrm{We}}_g$ of 1, when the deformation is small, the drag coefficients are about the same for the solid sphere and drop. When ${\mathrm{We}}_g$ is increased, the deformation increases and the difference increases. At the highest ${\mathrm{We}}_g$ of 100, the drop reaches a point of secondary breakup. In general, oblate shapes result in greater drag and prolate shapes in lower drag relative to the solid sphere. Increasing ${\mathrm{Oh}}_l$ , which implies increasing viscous forces in the liquid relative to surface tension forces, leads to less deformation and hence lesser differences between solid and drop drag coefficients for a given ${\mathrm{We}}_g$ .

Results are presented of 3-D computations of direct injection of gaseous methane and of liquid tetradecane through a multi-hole injector into a Diesel engine. The study focusses on the distribution of fuel/air ratio within the resulting gas and spray jets under typical Diesel conditions prior to ignition. It is shown that for a significant time after start of injection, the fraction of the vapor fuel which is in richer-than-flammable mixtures is greater in gas jets than in sprays. For methane injection, it is also shown that changing some of the flow conditions in the engine or going to a poppet-type injector, does not result in improved mixing. An explanation of these results is provided also through an analysis of the self-similar gas jet and 2-D computations of gas and spray jets into constant pressure gas. A scaling for time and axial distance in the self-similar gas jet also clarifies the results. In all, it is concluded that in general a spray mixes faster than a gas jet in direct-injection Diesel engines.