Experimental Investigation of Flow Field Structure in Non-Isothermal Mixing Tee

T-junction is one of familiar components in the cooling system of power plants with enormous capability to high-cycle thermal fatigue. This research tries to investigate fluid mixing mechanism in non-isothermal T-junction area with 90-degree bend upstream. Classification of turbulent jet and effects of 90-degree bend were evaluated previously and re-attached jet was selected as complicated mixing structure with highest velocity fluctuation [4]. For considering the mixing mechanism of re-attached jet, T-junction area is visualized in various lateral and longitudinal sections. The measuring data show the flow of branch pipe acts as turbulent jet in finite space and interaction between the jet and main flow can create various eddies and develops high velocity fluctuation area near the main pipe wall as well as temperature fluctuation. Three regions are more affected by maximum velocity fluctuation in T-junction area near the main pipe wall; the region close to the jet surface (fluctuation mostly is caused by Kelvin-Helmholtz instability), the region above the jet and along the main flow (fluctuation mostly is caused by Karman vortex) and re-attached area (fluctuation mostly is caused by moving the jet body with pressure gradient). Finally, the re-attached area is selected as region with strongest possibility to high cycle thermal fatigue with effective velocity fluctuation on the main pipe wall above the branch nozzle as well as temperature fluctuation.