Quantitative Visualization of Unstable, Acoustically Coupled Shear Layers in Deep Axisymmetric Cavities

High-amplitude acoustic pressure fluctuations associated with locked-on, resonant flow states frequently occur in engineering systems that involve internal cavities located in pipelines, such as components of gas transport systems, steam delivery pipelines and jet engines. This paper describes the evolution of fully turbulent, acoustically coupled shear layers that form across deep, axisymmetric cavities. Effects of geometric modifications of the cavity edges on the separated flow structure were investigated using digital particle image velocimetry (PIV). The internal flow was non-intrusively accessed by means of a borescope, which allowed illumination and optical recording of flow tracers inside the cavity. Instantaneous, phase- and time-averaged patterns of velocity and vorticity provided insight into the flow physics during flow tone generation and noise suppression by the geometric modifications. In particular, the first mode of the shear layer oscillations was significantly affected by shallow chamfers located at the upstream and, to a lesser degree, the downstream edges of the cavity. Specifically, the introduction of the chamfers affected the phase and the location of formation of large-scale vortical structures in the shear layer, which is associated with a maximum of the vorticity thickness across the cavity opening. In turn, these changes in the flow structure affected the amplitude of acoustic pressure pulsations.