Large-Eddy Simulation of a Liquid Jet in Supersonic Crossflow

High-fidelity simulations can provide key insights in understanding the detailed physics of liquid atomization in scramjet engine combustion. Particularly in the case of cold-start, simulations of a liquid jet in supersonic crossflow complement experiments and can inform injector design. For this target problem, we have developed an all-Mach, compressible multiphase flow solver that combines a robust semi-Lagrangian scheme, which handles discontinuous transport at interfaces and shocks, with a low-dissipation transport scheme to accurately represent turbulence in smooth regions. Applying this solver, we perform large-eddy simulation to explore this relevant flow from qualitative and and quantitative perspectives, analyzing liquid plume trajectory, droplet size distribution, and wavelength of instabilities.