Particle imaging velocimetry-based identification of coherent structures in normally impinging multiple jets

To gain a better insight into the effects of eddy structure and their thermal imprint on the impinging surface, we applied several methods to identify coherent structures in two arrangements of multiple jets. High-resolution particle imaging velocimetry measurements of the instantaneous fluid velocity have been performed to provide data for structure identification. Several methods based on critical point theory, i.e., vorticity magnitude, kinematic vorticity number, and second invariant of the velocity gradient tensor provided similar and generally useful information. However, in the flow considered they all appear inferior as compared with the proper orthogonal decomposition (POD). Despite lacking in conspicuous high energy modes, the flow showed to be well suited for POD, which provided clear identification of the near wall dominating vortical structure. (c) 2005 American Institute of Physics.