Mathematical modeling of pressure characteristics of the deflector-jet pilot stage considering boundary layer flow

The performance of a deflector-jet servo valve significantly depends on the pressure characteristics of its pilot stage. The complex flow field within the deflector-jet pilot stage presents enormous difficulty and challenge in establishing its mathematical model. In this work, according to the energy conversion characteristics of the flow field, the flow process within the pilot stage is divided into five phases for modeling: inside-pipe flow, first jet, first pressure recovery, secondary jet, and secondary pressure recovery. To better reveal the intrinsic operating mechanism of a deflector-jet pilot stage, the boundary layer is introduced into the model. Computational fluid dynamic (CFD) simulation and experiment are conducted to validate the developed mathematical model at different supply pressures. The result demonstrates that the velocity distribution of the jets and the pressure characteristics of the pilot stage are significantly influenced by the boundary layer. The boundary layer flow within the V-groove has a greater impact on the pressure characteristics than that within the nozzle. Verified by the CFD simulation and experiment, the developed model can accurately predict the velocity distribution of the jets and pressure characteristics. At different supply pressures, the maximum relative error between the theoretical and experimental results of the dimensionless pressure characteristic is 5.36%.