Experimental investigation of nozzle aspect ratio effects on underexpanded hydrogen jet release characteristics

Most experimental investigations of underexpanded hydrogen jets have been limited to circular nozzles in an attempt to better understand the fundamental jet-exit flow physics and model this behaviour with pseudo source models. However, realistic compressed storage leak exit geometries are not always expected to be circular. In the present study, jet dispersion characteristics from rectangular slot nozzles with aspect ratios from 2 to 8 were investigated and compared with an equivalent circular nozzle. Schlieren imaging was used to observe the jet-exit shock structure while quantitative Planar Laser Rayleigh Scattering was used to measure downstream dispersion characteristics. These results provide physical insight and much needed model validation data for model development.